Quick Summary
Roasted Asparagus-roasting asparagus brings out the best flavor and it’s so easy! This simple vegetable side dish goes great with any meal. Plus, lots of flavor ideas for jazzing up plain roasted asparagus!
It’s no secret that I LOVE roasted vegetables. Roasting brings out the best in any veggie, it’s basically magic. Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables to roast because it is SO simple. You can have a delicious and nutritious vegetable that is full of flavor on the dinner table in about 15 minutes tops.
Roasted asparagus is the perfect side dish for springtime when asparagus is in season. The second I see asparagus start popping up in the store, I get super excited and buy several bunches. I roast bunch after bunch…and I also make my Shaved Asparagus Salad, another good asparagus recipe.
And since roasting brings out the best flavor, I bet your kids will eat them too. My boys pick up the spears and pretend they are actual spears or swords, but I don’t care since they always eat them:) Whatever it takes to get their greens!
How to Cut Asparagus
First, make sure you pick asparagus that is bright green and medium in size. You don’t want the spears to be too thick or too thin. I always look for medium size. Also, look for asparagus that is bright green. You don’t want the spears to be wilted, mushy, or slimy.
Get rid of the woody ends by cutting them off with a sharp knife. Line up all of the spears in a row and slice off the ends all at once. Cut right where the stalks turn from white into green.
You can also snap off the woody ends. Hold a spear up and break it off where it naturally starts to bend and break. It’s simple. All of the spears will break in different spots, so if you want the spears to be all of the same length, I recommend cutting off the ends.
How to Make Roasted Asparagus
I love how simple this recipe is. The hardest part is waiting for the oven to preheat, ha!
- You want to roast the asparagus at a high temperature, 425 degrees F, so the asparagus get crispy.
- For easy clean up, you can line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Place the asparagus spears on the baking sheet, in a single layer, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and they are ready to be roasted!
- You don’t want to over cook the asparagus, you want the spears to stay nice and crisp. It will take anywhere from 9 to 15 minutes, it just depend on how thick your asparagus spears are.
Flavor Variations
Roasted asparagus is great with just olive oil, salt, and pepper, but sometimes it’s fun to play around with the flavors. Here are a few ways to season roasted asparagus.
- Balsamic Vinegar: You can toss the asparagus in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar before roasting or add a little splash after it comes out of the oven.
- Lemon juice: Add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice right before serving to brighten things up.
- Cheese: Feel free to sprinkle freshly-grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano on the spears either before or after roasting. You can also add crumbled feta cheese, goat cheese, or blue cheese after the asparagus has been roasted.
- Butter– Richen things up with a drizzle of melted butter or brown butter.
- Seasonings– I love topping roasted asparagus with Everything Bagel Seasoning. You could also add Italian seasoning or lemon pepper. If you want to add a little heat, add crushed red pepper flakes.
- Nuts– Top the roasted asparagus with toasted nuts. A few of my favorites include: almonds, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts.
- Herbs– Freshen things up by adding a handful of freshly chopped herbs. Basil, parsley, chives, dill, and cilantro are all good options.
How to Store
We never have leftovers, we gobble up the entire pan, but if you do, you can store the asparagus in a container in the refrigerator for up to four days. I recommend reheating on the stove top in a skillet or in the air fryer so the asparagus spears crisp back up. You can reheat in the microwave, but the spears will get a little limp.
More Roasted Vegetable Recipes
Roasted Asparagus
Roasting asparagus brings out the best flavor and it’s so easy! This simple vegetable side dish goes great with any meal.
- 1 pound asparagus spears
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional seasonings and/or garnishes: balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, toasted chopped nuts, freshly chopped herbs
See the post for flavor variations!
Calories: 58kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 3g, Sodium: 3mg, Potassium: 229mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 855IU, Vitamin C: 6.4mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 2.4mg
Have you tried this recipe?
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Photos by A Little Salt
