Oven Roasted Asparagus (25 cents/serving)

Oven roasted asparagus is a fast and easy side dish to serve up with your family’s dinner, needing just oil, salt, pepper, and lemon.

this …

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• What is asparagus?
• What is roasted asparagus?
• Serving suggestions
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Tips for success
• Recipe costs
• Kitchen equipment
• More Asparagus Recipes
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• Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Ready for spring? With the changing of the season comes the arrival of spring produce, like asparagus, artichokes, and strawberries. These are heralds of the end of winter so watch for great pricing.

Looking for a super simple, spring side dish? Roasted asparagus is it!

Tender green spears roasted in flavorful olive oil and seasoned gently with salt, pepper, and lemon juice promises to be a bright and cheerful addition to your table.

What is asparagus?

Asparagus is a vegetable in the lily family. Its season runs from February to June; it is available in green, white, or purple. Asparagus is best cooked the same day, but can be stored up to 4 days in the fridge. For longer storage, you can freeze asparagus.

What is roasted asparagus?

While vegetables are often maligned in our culture, I think their poor reputation is to be blamed on how folks prepare it. Over time I’ve found that oven roasting my vegetables, like oven roasted tomatoes or roast garlic really brings out the flavor in the vegetable.

Roasted asparagus is cooked in a hot oven instead of boiling or steaming, preparations that often result in soggy and stringy veg. Roasting imparts a richer flavor and a crisp-tender texture.

Serving suggestions

This is a great side dish to accompany your main sides, but I love serving it with some Slow Cooker Ham and the Tastiest Scalloped Potatoes on the Planet.

It’s also delicious with Baked Salmon in Foil or as a nice alternative to the beans in Easy Chicken and Green Beans.

Ingredients

You don’t need much for this recipe, just asparagus, oil, salt, pepper, and lemon.

Adaptations

You can swap out the oil for another fat, such as melted butter, ghee, or coconut oil. If you want to add a bit of extra flavor, try sprinkling on chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, or finely shredded parmesan.

Instructions

Making oven roasted asparagus couldn’t be simpler! I always start with washing my asparagus spears and trim them by bending each spear until it snaps.

By bending them it will naturally snap off where the tougher end meets the tender shoot. is which can be tough to eat sometimes.  You can also remove the woody, inedible ends with a knife or vegetable peeler.

Preheat your oven to 375 °. Line a baking sheet with foil, parchment, or a silat baking mat. Line up your spears in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Slide pan into the oven.

How long do I cook asparagus for in the oven?

The best part about making asparagus in the oven is that it roasts up quickly. I roast my asparagus for 5 to 15 minutes or until crisp-tender, depending on the thickness of the spears.

Tips for success

Don’t overcook it.

Roasted asparagus is best when it’s got a little bit of crisp to it, but has lost the “green” raw taste. Very thin spears will cook in as little as 5 minutes while thicker spears may take as long as 10 to 15. Don’t hesitate to taste a bit during the cooking time to get the right texture.

Storing leftovers

Leftover asparagus can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheating

You can serve it cold, room temperature, or warm it back up in the microwave or on the stovetop in the pan. 

Repurposing leftovers

If there’s not enough leftover asparagus for another meal, you can easily work it into soup, such as Creamy Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup.

Recipe costs

The variable cost in this recipe is the price of the fresh asparagus. Depending on the season, it can range in price from $0.99 to $4.99/pound. Plan to serve asparagus when you see it on sale.

A pound should serve about four, meaning that you can get this dish as low as 25 cents/serving.

Kitchen equipment

• parchment paper – I hate washing pans. Parchment paper makes clean up a breeze.
• sheet pans – I LOVE my set of steel sheet pans. They make such a difference in baking compared to those cheap grocery store pans I had as a newlywed.
• liquid measure – these beakers are more accurate for liquids, such as oil

More Asparagus Recipes

This post was originally published on May 5, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.