Roast asparagus is the perfect springtime side dish and it could't be any easier! My go-to method for cooking asparagus is roasting in a hot oven for just a few minutes until it's still crisp-tender. Enjoy roast asparagus simply, or use a garnish or easy vinaigrette to keep things tasty and interesting.
I love asparagus and could it it every day. Good thing it's also a versatile vegetable. Roast asparagus, steam asparagus, add it to a stir fry, or puree it into a beautiful creamy asparagus soup. You'll love all of these preparation ways.
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Why You'll Love Roast Asparagus
- Oven roasted asparagus is simple.
- Serve it plain with olive oil or use a little garnish for more flavor and color.
- Goes with many main dishes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Asparagus: Choose bright green spears with tightly closed tip. Hopefully the store has the asparagus standing in a little cold water to keep it fresh and from drying out. Skip any yellowed spears or frazzled looking tips. I prefer the medium size asparagus spears as they are meaty but not tough or woody. Super thin spears roast faster, fatter spears take a little longer.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil lends lovely flavor.
Please see the recipe card for measurement.
Substitutions and Variations
- For Asian flavor, swap the olive oil with toasted sesame oil an a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
- Instead of salt and pepper, use a spice blend such as Everything But The Bagel (I love Traders Joe's).
- Create variations using a sprinkle of fresh herbs, chopped crisp bacon, chopped hardboiled egg, grated parmesan, or fresh zested lemon peel.
- Another option is to drizzle with a light vinaigrette while it's hot, like this easy homemade Italian dressing or a creamy ginger vinaigrette.
Recipe Instructions
How to Prep Asparagus
To prep asparagus, hold the bottom of the stalk and bend it near the end. It should snap off where the tender part meets the tough part. It takes just a minute to snap the ends off a bunch. If you have a large quantity, snap the ends off a few spears to get an idea of where they are breaking, then line them up and cut them off with a sharp knife.
Get Ready to Roast
Pre-heat the oven to 425°F for regular oven mode or 400°F for convection mode. Lined a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment. Place asparagus on a foil covered rimmed baking sheet.
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Drizzle asparagus with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. That’s it. sometimes I add granulated garlic powder.
Roasting Asparagus
Roast asparagus for about 8-10 minutes until crisp-tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. Timing will depend on your ovens, how tender you like your asparagus, and how thick the spears.
How to Store Asparagus
There are two main ways to store asparagus. Standing and flat.
To store asparagus standing, trim a small amount off the bottom ends when you get home from the grocery store. Stand asparagus spears in a glass jar with an inch of water in the bottom covering the trimmed ends. Refrigerate and use with in a few days. Cover the tips loosely with a plastic bag.
To store asparagus flat, trim them bottom ends, wrap the ends in damp paper towels, then into a plastic zip bag.
Serving Suggestions
Here's way to dress up roast asparagus:
- Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese
- Scatter toasted breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free) over the top for a little crunchy texture.
- Add chopped crisp bacon or prosciutto.
- Use your favorite chopped nuts like walnuts, pine nuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, or toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas).
- Drizzle with hollandaise, a classic combination, served either warm or chilled.
- Try this homemade herbed mayonnaise.
📖 Recipe
How to Roast Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bundle asparagus trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Garnishes
- 6 slices Prosciutto sliced thin crosswise and crisped in a non-stick fry pan
- 3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons toasted breadcrumbs
- 2-3 tablespoons toasted chopped pecans or hazelnuts
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives or parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
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Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Place trimmed spears in a single layer in the baking sheet and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 3-4 minutes until just pierced with the sharp tip of a knife.
- Roast to your own preference and tenderness.Garnish with optional toppings as preferred.
Barbara says
Super easy to make! Leftovers heat up nicely for another meal!
Sally Cameron says
Thanks for reporting back Barbara. Love to hear that!
Janice Harper says
I can't quite imagine Parmesan cheese with asparagus, but the photos look so delicious I'll make it this week. Great idea using crisped prosciutto.
Chef Sally says
Janice, if you are a Parmesan-lover, it's delicious! And it does go well with the crisped Prosciutto. Cut the Prosciutto cross-wise into strips and crisp up in a fry pan, then crackle over the top. Hope you enjoy. Please let me know.
Jaden says
Gorgeous photos! I love the colors of Spring!
sre shaziela says
i really love your photos. and the soup look stunning!
with love from KL!
Fran says
Beautiful photos in this post. The soup looks like a piece of art. I love them roasted best. I'm making asparagus today too. It's a very satisfying side.
Dr. Patrick Mahaney says
I love the multitude of asparagus options available for consuming every spring! Thank you for the delicious suggestions.
Patrick
Maggie @ Loaded Kitchen says
Gorgeous pictures! I'm not a huge fan of asparagus but my husband likes it. These recipes look so good, I think I'm going to try them soon. You always have the best recipes!