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by: Gerhild Fulson / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust—rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.
Published: August 17, 2011, Updated: April 20, 2025
This white asparagus (spargel) recipe is a traditional German favorite, served with easy Hollandaise sauce, boiled potatoes, and ham.
White asparagus, often called white gold, is incredibly popular in Germany. The most traditional way to serve it is with a Hollandaise sauce, boiled potatoes, and ham.
If you can't get fresh white asparagus, jarred is an option—but it’s just not the same. White asparagus has a unique flavor and is a favorite in Germany. It takes more prep than green asparagus, with peeling and longer cooking, but the taste is well worth it.
White asparagus is the most popular in Germany, though green and even purple varieties are also available.
Green asparagus, common in the U.S. and Canada, has a stronger, grassy flavor. To prepare it, simply snap off the tough ends before cooking.
White asparagus is actually the same variety as green, but it's grown without sunlight by mounding and covering the stalks. This prevents chlorophyll from developing, keeping them white and tender. It’s more labor intensive to grow, which makes it pricier and more prized in Germany. Its flavor is milder and less bitter than green asparagus.
Purple asparagus has a sweet, nutty taste and is less stringy than green. It's delicious raw, but when cooked, it gradually turns green.
White asparagus season in Germany runs from mid-April to the end of June, and it’s something many look forward to each year.
You’ll find spargel everywhere—at grocery stores, markets, roadside stands, and farm shops.
Restaurants often add special menus featuring nothing but asparagus, served in soups, salads, sides, and main dishes. It’s all about spargel.
In spring, you'll spot covered asparagus fields all across Germany. I snapped the photo above near Walsrode in Lower Saxony.
Local farms offer plenty of options: peeled, unpeeled, just the tips, only the stalks, thick or thin. You can pick exactly what suits your recipe
Some farms also sell the green and purple varieties, but they’re much less common. White Spargel is the prized preference. Already peeled, it’s often displayed as the luxury item it is.
Above, you’ll see asparagus bundles kept fresh on ice, alongside local wine. Perfect for pairing.
In big-city plazas, kiosks often sell peeled asparagus. Sometimes it's hand-peeled right in front of you, though it’s more common to find it ready to be peeled fresh at home.
Peeling white asparagus takes a bit of practice, but the result is worth it.
Farms like the one we visited near Walsrode use machines like the Schäl-Automat to peel asparagus quickly and efficiently. Imagine having one of those at home!
Cooking white asparagus the traditional German way is simple once it's peeled.
The all-time favorite way to serve white Spargel in Germany is with creamy Hollandaise, boiled potatoes, and ham. At home or in restaurants, it’s a springtime must.
In Germany, you can often buy the sauce ready-made at farm stores. But my version, just like Mutti made, is quick and easy to whip up in a blender. You'll find the recipe below ... simple, classic, and so good.
Some might say blender Hollandaise isn’t the real deal, and that’s fine. You can make it the traditional way if you prefer.
But I love quick, and this version turns out so well, I haven’t looked back. It’s easy, and I do love easy.
If white asparagus isn’t available or is too pricey, go ahead and use green. Just snap off the tough ends and cook it a little less. Personally, I really enjoy the green too.
This white asparagus (spargel) recipe is a traditional German favorite, served with easy Hollandaise sauce, boiled potatoes, and ham.
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
10 minutes
Total Time:
20 minutes
Servings:
Makes 4 servings
Asparagus
"Hollandaise" Sauce
Cook the Asparagus:
Make the Sauce:
With the blender turned on, slowly add the melted butter to the egg mixture. Blend until the sauce is thickened.
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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com
Recipe updated: April 20, 2025
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