Easy Roasted Asparagus

Easy Roasted Asparagus

The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Asparagus is a springtime treat. The slender green stalks have a delicious fresh flavor that pairs nicely with a wide range of dishes. The best preparation is the simplest: roasting. The high heat of the oven gives the asparagus great flavor without overcooking them.

Note that you should adjust the cook time based on how thick your asparagus stalks are. As a general rule, the thinner the stalks the more tender the vegetable. However, super-thin asparagus is easy to overcook, so keep a close eye on them.

Roasted asparagus is ready in under 20 minutes and you can easily customize the dish with simple ingredients like Parmesan and minced garlic. You can roast as much asparagus as you can fit in a single layer on a pan or baking sheet, so it's perfect to make for a crowd—especially since it's just as delicious at room temperature.

Serve asparagus with your choice of main dish like ham, chicken, or steak and sides like cheesy rice or twice-baked potatoes. You can repurpose leftovers to make an asparagus omelet or quiche.

"Roasting is one of the quickest and easiest ways to prepare fresh asparagus and it happens to be the tastiest, too. This recipe is great as is, but it's also an opportunity to experiment—a sprinkling of red pepper flakes or Parmesan is nice." —Laurel Randolph

roasted asparagus
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 pinch fine sea salt

  • 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

    Easy Roasted Asparagus ingredients

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  2. While the oven heats, trim the asparagus. You can either break off the tough ends where they naturally snap by grabbing both ends of an asparagus spear and bending it until it breaks, or line up the asparagus and use a knife to slice off the woody ends.

    trim the asparagus

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  3. Lay the asparagus spears in a single layer on a baking sheet.

    Lay the asparagus spears in a single layer in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  4. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil. Toss them around a bit so it's coated with the oil and spread them back into a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

    asparagus on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  5. Bake the asparagus until it's tender: 7 to 10 minutes for thin stalks, 8 to 12 minutes for medium stalks, and 10 to 14 for large stalks. Top with a squeeze of lemon juice if desired and serve.

    Easy Roasted Asparagus with lemon on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

Tips

  • Avoid overcrowding the asparagus spears on a too-small baking sheet, as they will just steam in the oven.
  • For more browning, preheat the unlined baking sheet in the oven first until very hot. Toss the asparagus with oil and salt in a bowl and then spread the asparagus out on the heated baking sheet. Quickly return the baking sheet to the oven.

Recipe Variations

  • Toss the asparagus in two cloves of minced garlic before roasting.
  • Top with a sprinkle or two of red pepper flakes before roasting.
  • Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese after roasting.
  • Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
  • Sprinkle fresh herbs on the spears like chives or parsley.
  • Scatter fine lemon zest on top after roasting.
  • Serve roasted asparagus with aioli or Hollandaise.

How to Store

Store leftover roasted asparagus in a covered container in the fridge for up to two days.

How Should You Store Asparagus?

To store asparagus, place the bunch in a cup of water (cut-ends down) and top loosely with a plastic bag before placing in the fridge for up to three days. Or wrap the end of the asparagus in a moist paper towel and place in a plastic bag in the crisper. Consume fresh asparagus as soon as possible—as it ages, the tips will become wet and the stalks will become dry and woody.

Why Trim Asparagus?

Fresh asparagus tends to dry out once cut. The ends are edible but are tough and woody, making them hard to chew. For the best experience, remove the woody ends before enjoying asparagus.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
61 Calories
7g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 61
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 34mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 2mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 17mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)