Oma's White Asparagus With Easy Hollandaise Sauce (Spargel mit Sosse)

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.​

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Traditional German Asparagus (Spargel) and sauce. Perfect for family dinners of any occasion! Bring a little taste of German tradition to your kitchen table!

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.

Top Tips For Best Results    

1. Peel Thoroughly: White asparagus has a tough outer layer; peel from just below the tip to the base to ensure tenderness.
2. Add Sugar and Salt: Boil asparagus in water seasoned with sugar and salt to enhance its natural sweetness.
3. Test for Doneness: Simmer until spears are tender when pierced with a knife, typically about 10 minutes.
4. Serve Immediately: Keep asparagus warm and serve promptly with Hollandaise sauce to maintain optimal texture and flavor.

Green, White, And Purple Asparagus

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.

Asparagus, aka Spargel, sold in Germany comes in many colors, white, green and purple.

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.

Spargelsaison: White Asparagus Season

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.

Asparagus fields near Walsrode in Lower Saxony in Germany.

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

Traditional German white asparagus! This asparagus is so popular and can be found at just about every market during its season!

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.

Traditional German white asparagus sold in the farm stores displayed with wine.

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.

How To Peel Asparagus

Peeling white asparagus takes a bit of practice, but the result is worth it.

1. Hold the spear in one hand and use a vegetable peeler to gently peel from just below the tip downward. Turn the spear as you go, being careful not to snap it.
2. Trim off the bottom inch. Now it’s ready to cook.
3. Save the peels and ends. They’re perfect for adding flavor to homemade veggie broth.

German asparagus farms often have asparagus peeling machines to quickly peel the white asparagus.

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!

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How To Cook Asparagus

Cooking white asparagus the traditional German way is simple once it's peeled.

1. Bring water in an asparagus steamer or a large pot to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the asparagus and trim the ends.
2. Add salt and sugar to the water. Add the asparagus, bring it back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until tender.

Classic Way To Serve Spargel

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.

You can buy your prepared Hollandaise sauce right at the farm stores when you buy your asparagus (Spargel)

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.

More Delicious Asparagus Recipes

• Lydia's air fryer asparagus recipe
• Oma's asparagus soup recipe (which can easily be adapted to make White Asparagus Soup)
• Oma's asparagus salad recipe
• Oma's easy roasted asparagus recipe
• Rich's baked asparagus recipe

Make her smile with a little German love

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Oma's White Asparagus With Easy Hollandaise Sauce (Spargel mit Sosse)

​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

Ingredients:

Asparagus

• 2 pounds (907 gram) white asparagus spears
• 1 tablespoon (13 grams) sugar
• 1 tablespoon (18 grams) salt

"Hollandaise" Sauce

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliter) warm water
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliter) lemon juice
• ½ cup (114 grams) salted butter
• salt, cayenne

Instructions:

Cook the Asparagus:

1. Using an asparagus cooker/steamer or a large pot, bring water to a boil over high heat.
2. Peel the tough outer layer of the asparagus with a vegetable peeler, and cut off the woody ends.
3. Add sugar and salt to the boiling water. Gently place asparagus into the hot water and, once it is boiling again, reduce heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until tender.
4. Remove from water and keep warm until sauce is ready.

Make the Sauce:

1. Into a blender, place the egg yolks, water, and lemon juice. Blend for about 30 seconds or until frothy.
2. Melt butter (either in microwave or on stove).

With the blender turned on, slowly add the melted butter to the egg mixture. Blend until the sauce is thickened.

3. Season with salt and a pinch of cayenne, if desired.
4. Serve over asparagus and alongside some boiled potatoes and sliced ham.

Notes/Hints:

• Another delicious way to enjoy this delicate vegetable is roasted. Simply toss the peeled white asparagus (or green) with a bit of olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Place asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 400°F oven for about 20 minutes.

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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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White Asparagus with Easy Hollandaise Sauce: Oma's Spargel mit Sosse



By Oma Gerhild Fulson





​This white asparagus (Spargel) recipe is a traditional German favorite, served with easy Hollandaise sauce, boiled potatoes, and ham.​


Ingredients: asparagus, sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, butter, seasonings,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.