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.
Delicious for a weeknight supper, but special enough for Easter Dinner, serve this with a hearty protein and potato side. It’s a great side dish for ham.
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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. Be sure to serve a bit of remoulade on the side.
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
This recipe really couldn’t be easier than it is, but having the right kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs.
- 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
Tell us what you think!
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Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus spears washed and trimmed
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- ½ lemon cut into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Line up your spears in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. The cooking time will depend on how thick your asparagus spears are. Very thin spears will cook quickly while thicker spears will take longer to cook.
- Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on May 5, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Stacy
My little finger hit the return button before I was finished with my entry. Please delete the first Recipes for Moms link. Sorry!
Patti
I make roasted vegetables the same way you described except I just mix them up in olive oil right on the pan. I use whatever I have – green, red, or yellow pepper strips or chunks,squash, zucchini, asparagus, onion, etc. I also salt and pepper them after I toss them in the olive oil. Then cook at 425degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while. YUM! Great for using up summer produce.
Rebecca in Colorado
oh, yeah…asparagus in my omelet this morning. Glad I found those leftovers before it was too late!
Molly
I love vegetables. I have no idea how my parents convinced all their kids that they are delicious, but they are. Maybe the garden had something to do with it – fresh homegrown green beans, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes. Maybe because my dad was SO excited to have those fresh veggies. Maybe because at every meal there were multiple veggie options, and we didn’t have to eat all of them, just the ones we wanted. Yesterday I got beets in my CSA box and was so excited I think I surprised the staff with my enthusiasm and happiness. Mmm…. roasted beets. Yum!
Jaime
I cook my asparagus just like that except that I also sprinkle some thyme on it! Hubby won’t touch it but I love it!
FoodontheTable
Asparagus is so delicious and this is so simple. Since springtime is it’s season, the prices should be coming down. A friend of mine shared a real treat – sprinkle truffled salt on the asparagus. Your technique also works great with zucchini and yellow squash. In the summertime, squash comes out of our ears!
Beth
Thanks for sharing how you prepare asparagus. I’ve never made it before, but have been thinking about giving it a try. Thank you for hosting Ultimate Recipe Swap.
CW
My kids really didn’t like asparagus for years. I finally found a way they like it. I toast sesame seeds in butter and add bite-size pieces of asparagus. I stir-fry until crisp tender. My kids actually fight over it!
Kristin
Ah, it’s time to give asparagus a second chance at this house! I’ll try the foil wrap idea… thanks!
Nina T.
We do the same thing here….oven roast our asparagus….the only difference is that I don’t close mine up….just leave it on the pan open…..then right when they’re ready I grate pecorino romano cheese on top….Mmmmmmmm!!!!
My other favorite thing to cook is sweet corn……After cleaning it, I put mine in a pot, cover with water, then after it comes to a boil I put the lid on and shut off the heat….by the time hubby is done bbqing it’s ready….but we like ours on the crispier side…not mushy.
Susie's Homemade
I love asparagus. I wish I could grow it here.
Ashley
I used to HATE asparagus but now love it! I agree that it’s all in the preparation- every time I had it in the past it was mushy and limp. It’s also great on the grill. I’ve even got my 16 mo. old daughter loving it.
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy
I have to start cooking with asparagus again! I love all veggies but not asparagus. I think it’s from a childhood thing, I’m not sure I’ve really had it as an adult and there have been MANY things that I used to “not like” that I love now but I haven’t given asparagus a chance!
Wendy (The Local Cook)
I LOVE asparagus! A lot of the recipes in my blog “sneak in” fruits and vegetables.
twila
My mom used to grow wonderful asparagus, but alas, my husband won’t eat it, so I haven’t made any for a couple of years. The last thing I made with it was a stir fry, and it was yummy!
Anna
Asparagus is the veggie of choice in our house! My 2 and 5 y.o. LOVE it. Crazy, I know. I think it is all in the preparation. I make it just as you described, except I don’t wrap it up. I cook on high heat until they become crunchy. My kids devour them this way. The other day I served them homemade french fries, burgers and asparagus and the asparagus was eaten first! I was in mommy heaven!
Alicia
Yum!
The Prudent Homemaker
Asparagus is even cheaper if you grow it at home! We are really enjoying ours this year.
Ann Marie @ Household6Diva
White Asparagus is VERY popular here in Germany!
But I never knew how to cook it! LOL!
Thank you for showing me how!!
And Thank you for hosting too!
Melissa
I am not a fan of asparagus..at. all. But your explanation is wonderful and my husband would probably love it if I followed it. But no! No way. Uh uh.
Challice
@Melissa,
Oh come on Melissa… For hubby? 😉
Miss ya! btw.