Oven-Roasted Asparagus

Transform fresh asparagus into the most delicious oven-roasted asparagus with this simple and fast method. (I'm using medium asparagus with about a dime-size diameter here. If you have super skinny pencil-like asparagus, reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.)

Course side

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 12

Total Time 17

Servings

Calories 89kcal

Author Amy Palanjian

Equipment

Ingredients

2 bunches asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Grated Parmesan, fresh lemon zest, cracked black pepper (optional for serving)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.
Wash and pat the asparagus dry. Snap off the ends that are gray/white; discard. Start to break the spears in that area of the stem and it will naturally break just where it's supposed to. This removes the less tender part of the stalk.
Place asparagus onto the prepared baking sheet and toss with oil. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, adjusting the time down a few minutes if your asparagus is super skinny (12-14 is usually perfect for classic medium-thickness spears). You can use a paring knife to poke into the center of a spear to make sure it's nice and tender, or simply remove one from the pan and taste it!
Serve warm as a side dish or tossed into pasta, ravioli, rice, or a salad.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For the freshest-tasting asparagus, eat it within a day or two of bringing it home from the store.
To store asparagus in the fridge, store stems standing upright in a mason jar or vase like flowers. You just need an inch or two of water in the container. This keeps the stalks super fresh!
Set your oven time for the lower end of the time range and check for doneness with a paring knife and cook a little more as needed.
Cut into smaller pieces or leave long as you like.
Top with grated or shredded cheese if you like.
Serve as a simple side dish or stir into scrambled eggs or pasta.

Nutrition