Ten minutes and only 4 ingredients (asparagus, olive oil, S &P) and you have yourself the best asparagus ever!
My mom drilled it into my head as I was growing up, that we needed to have a vegetable with every meal. She would always mention the color wheel she learned about in home economics, and joke about how the meals she sometimes made would have failed her in home ec due to how monochromatic they were. It’s funny how things like that stick with you as you get older, right? Now, if I make a meal that has a lot of yellow like a pasta dish with a side of corn, I always think about how my mom would say the dinner is too yellow, so I hurry and find something green or red to balance it out. 😉
So that leads me to green vegetables. We know we are supposed to eat them. They’re good for us, right? I blend up smoothies so I don’t have to physically “eat” them. Not that I don’t love kale, but you know, I don’t want to eat it all the time. Asparagus, on the other hand, I actually really like. The problem is that it can sometimes be soggy after cooking. We have tried so many different ways to cook it and my husband is never a fan of it. Neither are my boys. We’ve grilled, broiled, and baked. Every time, the asparagus come out like wilty noodles. When you can pick up a spear of asparagus and it literally folds in half because it’s so soggy, yeah, no.
Except for this method. I know this isn’t a complicated recipe but it’s our favorite! In fact, roasting vegetables is one of my favorite ways to cook them. You only need a few ingredients: asparagus, olive oil, s & p. Toss it together and roast at a high temperature and then you have golden brown asparagus that’s still crispy and delicious. Plus the roasting brings out so much flavor in it!
Tossed in olive oil, seasoned with s & p and ready to bake:
Fresh from the oven:
Best Ever Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 3-4 Tbsp. olive oil or more, if needed
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º F. Give your asparagus a quick rinse and then lightly dry them off with a paper towel (you want as little water as possible on your stalks!).
- Cut off about an inch at the bottom of the stalks and spread asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle with the olive oil and give it a quick toss. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and give it another quick toss. Make sure the asparagus is in a single layer and place in oven.
- Roast for about 10 minutes. Asparagus with be browned on the outside and have a crispness to them. So delicious! Enjoy!
Roasted asparagus is one of my favorites, too. Just looking at these pictures is actually making me want to make some right now!
It is definitely one of my favorites!! Thanks for stopping by Bianca!!
Asparagus is a treat around here! It’s been since last summer since I’ve had some – that needs to change!
YES it DOES!! I’m ready for summertime!!! 🙂
This is the only way we eat asparagus at our house. In the last few minutes of cooking I add some fresh Parmesan – yummy!!
Oh! Parmesan sounds yummy!! I’ll have to try that next time!
Thank you, Jen.
My husband loves roasted asparagus. I always forget about it for some reason. This looks great!
Thanks Jaren!!
Jen, I know exactly what you are talking about. I can’t stand when asparagus is wilty and soggy! I have an asparagus steamer that I got on clearance a few years back, but I still have that problem when I cook the asparagus that way. I’m going to try your roasting method though because I love asparagus when it’s nice and crisp! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
I HATE wilty asparagus, lol! I have a veggie steamer that I use all the time and love but I swear the only thing that works for asparagus is roasting! Thanks for stopping by, Ashlyn!! xo!
I only started eating asparagus this year. Growing up, vegetables came mostly from the freezer (after we grew them) or from cans. I have never been a fan of canned goods, if I can avoid them. Needless to say there is a tremendous difference in canned asparagus compared to fresh asparagus. These days, I can’t get enough. I cook mine the same way you do, except I like them peeled. The flavor is so different without the outer peel on them. As they’re cooking, they smell like hot popcorn to me. 😉 YUMMY x2
Oh! I’ll have to try them peeled! How interesting – thanks for the tip!
I agree totally, it is the best way to prepare it. Grilling is ok if you can keep it crisp but I can’t. I do broccoli the same and love it. If only I could do something with cauliflower!!!
Ha! Your mom sounds great!! There is nothing better than roasted asparagus….we had some this past weekend and the plate was wiped clean!
Ohhh I love asparagus and this looks so easy! I do the same thing with my side dishes and needing a colorful veggie! To funny!
Roasted is definitely our family’s favorite way to eat asparagus. Looks gorgeous!
Have a beautiful day!
I make mine in the microwave. (I live in Oklahoma so we don’t use our oven in the summer). Same way with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper, just put it on a plate with a little water and cover with another dish to “steam” the stalks for two or three minutes. It still is a bit crunchy and fresh tasting. Roasting sounds divine!