You Should Never Throw Away Asparagus Ends. Here's Why

Asparagus may be good for you, but (per Statista) the typical American only eats about 1.75 pounds of the stalks each year, making it one of the less consumed vegetables in the United States. However, we think this food gets a bad rap. Maybe it's because of all those rumors that it makes your urine smelly and green, or maybe you feel wasteful and intimidated by the vegetable; but we should really be eating more of it, as according Healthline, asparagus is full of antioxidants and vitamins C and E, and it is purported to have a range of health benefits that include aiding in weight loss, improving digestion, and lowering blood pressure. It is also low in calories, at just 20 calories per half a cup (via the Food Network). That does, however, leave us with a few asparagus preparation questions. One in particular is what to do with those woody ends?

If you're like us, you probably throw the bottoms of asparagus into the trash or down the garbage disposal, because what else can you do those chewy, stalky ends? Well, you may want to stop tossing them away, because we've found a use them in cooking. According to Eating Richly, you should not throw out your chopped up asparagus ends, but instead use them for stock or to make an asparagus soup. The chopped ends apparently are full of flavor, so if you are tossing them out you are literally throwing away money.

It doesn't matter if you start with frozen or fresh asparagus ends, but the first step to making your soup is to softening them up by boiling the ends in a stock pot. Cover your asparagus ends with 1 inch of water and allow them to simmer for 40 minutes. Once they've softened, you will need to puree the heck of them. Eating Richly suggests using an immersion blender if you have one, but if not an old fashioned blender should work too. 

Eating Richly notes that once you have your puree, you will need to strain it to separate the liquid from the fibrous green pulp. Squeeze every last bit of juice out of the messy looking pulp before you toss it and you are ready to make soup. In a clean stock pot, sauté some garlic in an oil of your choice to get the aromatics going and add in some chopped potatoes and onions. Cook for 10 minutes and then add in your asparagus broth. You are going to want to let this mixture simmer on low for 20 to 30 minutes. Once the potatoes have softened up, whip out your immersion blender again and blend until smooth. You can add a little lemon juice, salt, and pepper to really make the flavor pop; a little bit of cream to make the texture even smoother; or some bacon to make it a little heartier.