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Easy Oven Roasted Asparagus

posted by Liz Berg on June 11, 2019 (updated 12/1/23)

This Easy Oven Roasted Asparagus is perfect for a quick side dish when fresh, seasonal asparagus is aplenty!

A one-pan technique makes seasoning, cooking, and the clean up of this Asparagus Recipe a breeze. Plus, it’s a delicious way to bring out the flavors of this elegant vegetable.

Overhead view of Easy Oven Roasted Asparagus on a white tray with lemon slices.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why This Recipe Works

2 Ingredient Notes

3 Expert Tips

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like

6 Easy Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Why This Recipe Works

Years ago, I used to steam or boil my asparagus. But the flavor got muted instead of enhancing its deliciousness as roasting does.
Roasting is such a simple technique that concentrates the flavors and brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetable.
Almost every vegetable tastes better roasted! These Roasted Carrots are terrific, too!

Ingredient Notes

Kitchen Staples – Olive Oil, Kosher Salt, Garlic Powder
Fresh Asparagus – Trim woody ends.
Lemon Zest – Always use fresh lemon zest, not the dried version that’s found in the spice aisle of your supermarket.
Parmesan Cheese – Grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Never use the green can on the grocer’s shelves.

Easy Oven Roasted Asparagus on a white octagonal plate.

Expert Tips

Since the diameter of your asparagus spears varies with every purchase, you must adjust your roasting time with each batch.
Typically, at 425º it takes about 12-15 minutes until your asparagus is done. But thin spears can be finished in 9 minutes or less.
Three main ingredients are needed to roast asparagus: asparagus, olive oil, and kosher salt.
Other ingredients to add to your asparagus include freshly ground black pepper, a touch of garlic powder, fresh lemon zest, and grated Parmesan cheese. But all these are optional.
For easy cleanup, I lay my asparagus spears on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, shake the pan back and forth to coat the veggies with oil, then season.
Other seasonings and topping alternatives include soy sauce (decrease your salt when using), a pat of butter, buttered bread crumbs, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, almonds, bacon, and/or fresh herbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Prep Asparagus for Roasting?

You can trim off the woody ends or just bend until the tough end of the stem snaps off.

Dorie Greenspan recommends using a vegetable peeler to remove the fibrous coating at the end of the spears.

Make sure to rinse and dry your spears before making your roasted asparagus. Pat the spears dry with a clean absorbent dish towel so your asparagus roasts instead of steam.

How Do You Choose the Best Fresh Asparagus?

Buy while in season. The peak of the season for asparagus is April, though asparagus is now available all year long.

Look for bright green spears and check to make sure the stems look firm, plump, and hydrated. Any wrinkles mean they’re past their prime.

Focus on the tips. They should be vibrant green or even purple, closed, and compact. As they age, they become soft and even mushy. Do not buy those spears with soft tips!

How Should You Store Asparagus?

The challenge is to keep the tips dry while keeping the stem end moist. Trim the ends when you get home, then can stand them upright in a wide-mouth jar filled with an inch or less of water. Keep the tips covered with a produce bag or plastic wrap.

Alternatively, trim the ends, wrap only the ends in damp paper towels, and place them in the produce drawer. The tips should be covered in a paper bag, not a plastic bag to minimize spoiling. With either method, they should keep for 3-4 days if they were very fresh when purchased.