The Best Oven Roasted Asparagus Ingredients
Bake asparagus at a high temperature to ensure the heat bakes it evenly and quickly. This creates that crisp-tender taste and texture. Simple ingredients for a simple but decadent side dish!
- Asparagus The main ingredient! Freshly picked is best, and thicker asparagus spears give you more to eat. Snap the stems at the bottom to remove the woody ends of the asparagus.
- Olive oil Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top of the asparagus before adding on toppings.
- Garlic Seasoning the fresh asparagus lightly will give it extra flavor.
- Parmesan cheese Make these even better with a little cheese to go over the top the asparagus stalk. This will melt evenly and have a deliciously cheesy taste.
- Kosher salt This will balance out all the flavors and add that subtle salt flavor. If you like a thicker more flavorful salt, try sea salt over top!
How To Broil Asparagus
Similar to roasting but even more of a time-saver, broiling asparagus is a great technique to keep in your back pocket, with a short prep time and an even shorter cook time. Heat your broiler on high and arrange asparagus in a single layer in a broiler-safe pan or sheet pan. Toss with a bit of oil and salt and cook for 5 to 8 minutes total time until charred in spots and crisp-tender.
Eat it just like that as a side dish, or dress it up with a citrusy bagna cauda with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, anchovy, and crunchy almond topping a la this charred asparagus dish.
How To Prep Asparagus For Roasting
Bend and Break Hold the top of the stem in one hand and grip it near the base with the other. Briskly bend, and the asparagus will naturally snap in the right place. Its almost like magic and very satisfying.
Cut the Bunch . Hold the entire bunch of asparagus in one hand and trim off the ends about 1 1/2 inches or so from the bottom.
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Through Thick And Thin
Not all spears of asparagus are created equal. Thin spears are typically younger, with a more mild and fresh flavor, while thicker spears, which were left to grow longer, have a stronger asparagus flavor. Both are delicious. Just stay consistent with what you buy to cook, because cooking with some thick and others that are thin will make it hard to cook all the asparagus evenly.
How To Store It
Leftover asparagus can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
During the week, I enjoy them chilled from the fridge for lunch or slightly rewarmed when it comes dinner time.
I do not recommend freezing the roasted asparagus. Upon reheating, the spears become waterlogged and mushy.
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Cooking And Serving Tips
- Try serving your roasted asparagus with grilled steak, chicken, or fish.
- Choose asparagus that is bright green and stands straight up. Avoid asparagus that is limp or those that have mushy tips.
- Before cooking, store fresh asparagus in the refrigerator. Keep your asparagus bundle in a rubber band. After trimming an inch off the bottoms of the stalks, wrap the ends in a moist paper towel. Stand the bunch in a small container of water in the refrigerator.
- The ends of asparagus are tough and woody. If you are not sure where to trim them, you can bend the asparagus. You’ll notice that the asparagus will naturally snap where the tough end begins. This will give you a good reference for where to cut the rest.
How To Prepare Asparagus For Grilling
Get rid of the woody ends. The ends of asparagus are woody and tough to eat. Be gone, woody ends!
Trim asparagus with a snap. To prepare the asparagus, simply snap the ends to trim by bending each stalk gently about of the way down the stalk. The asparagus will naturally break where the woody part begins, leaving tender stalks perfect for eating.
Or, line them up and cut all at once. If patience is not your virtue and snapping asparagus sounds blasé, line up a handful of the asparagus in a row and use a sharp knife to cut the asparagus of the way down the stalk. Likewise, use a knife to tidy up the ends of the snapped asparagus if desired.
Season simply. Because the fire and grill adds so much flavor to grilled vegetables, olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper are the only flavorings youll need for dynamite grilled asparagus.
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Asparagus In The Oven
This Baked Asparagus recipe is so simple, youll wonder why you never started roasting asparagus before. All it takes is 5 simple ingredients for you can make time and time again.If you were ever looking for a healthy way to cook asparagus, along with tips and tricks on how to prep and store, you have come to the right place. Serve this simple green side dish for dinner along meat, chicken or veggies. Or whip up some eggs for a spectacular brunch soiree.
This oven-roasted asparagus recipe is created for one reason and that is because I am always looking for simple, straightforward ways to incorporate more greens into my diet. And side dishes, especially vegetable side dishes, give me an excuse to do so.
Cooking asparagus in the oven delivers a quick and healthy side dish that is easily customizable. Plus, I think it is the easiest way to cook it. Once you learn all there is to know about prepping, storing and cooking, the fun part comes in the seasoning and serving.
Add this baked asparagus to your recipe book. I promise you that itll be one youll turn to over and over again. If youd rather cook asparagus on the stove, be sure to check out my Sauteed Asparagus Recipe, and if you want to try your hand in cooking it in the air fryer be sure to try my Air Fryer Asparagus recipe as well.
How To Prepare It For Roasting
Star by cleaning it. To do so, Gently rinse under cool running water to remove any dirt or debris. Then, thoroughly dry the spears with a clean kitchen towel. The dry surface and hot oven ensure maximum crispness every time.
The best way to prepare asparagus is to snap off the ends one-by-one. This is the natural break between tender asparagus and the woody stem. The woodsy part should snap off easily.
If this is a task that seems too tedious, simply snap one spear. Then, bunch the asparagus spears together, line up the ends and cut at the point where the one asparagus spear was broken.
You can toss the ends or save them for later to use next time you make vegetable or chicken stock.
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How To Make Roasted Asparagus
Now herein lies the reason why I make this a LOT as a quick side dish how effortless this is to make:
1 & 2. Snap the woody ends off just grab a few asparagus and snap off the bottom 3 5cm / 1 2 which is the woody fibrous end that is not nice to eat. No need to pull out a knife here, it will naturally break at the point where the woody part finishes
3. Drizzle with olive oil, toss with salt, pepper and garlic. I do this right on the tray. Yes, little bits of garlic wont properly stick to the asparagus and no, thats not a problem. You will still get flavour on the asparagus via the residual oil & asparagus juices on the tray
4. Spread and bake just 7 minutes in a hot 220°C/430°F oven!
5. Optional lemon I like to squeeze over lemon juice while hot because it absorbs some of the flavour, then just give it a quick toss
6. Pile onto serving plate and if using the optional parmesan, just grate it straight over. Done!
Serve as a quick side with anything, from roasts to fish, prawns to chicken. Because it cooks so quickly, its a good vegetable side dish for roasts because the asparagus can be roasted while, say, a roast chicken is resting before carving it up.
Add it to the side of a breakfast fry up, or smear a piece of toast with ricotta then pile on the asparagus.
Serve it just like that as lovely starter, or with a slice of toasted crusty bread for brunch. Nagi x
How To Cook Asparagus On The Stovetop Grill Or Oven
We know that spring has officially sprung when we see the first bunches of freshly picked green spears lining the stalls at the farmers market. Suddenly, how to cook asparagus every which way is the only thing on our collective minds.
Were biased, but with its vibrant green color, earthy yet sweet flavor, and exceptional versatility , we think asparagus may be our favorite spring vegetable. It isn’t hard to turn it into something simple and spectacular, whether you blanch the freshest stalks and pair them with something creamy or throw the spears on the grill. We also think it makes great party food: portable and delicious, hot or cold. Hello, patio season. Ready to dive into how to cook fresh asparagus so that it shines for months in all your spring salads, platters, and main courses? Us too.
Asparagus is at its seasonal peak from April through June on the East Coastyoull find it earlier on the West Coast, typically February through May. Year-round Peruvian asparagus lives on, but theres nothing as verdant and delicious as the spring stuff.
You could skip cooking altogether and shave raw asparagus into a ribbony salad.
Purple spears have a high occurrence of anthocyaninsthe same element that shades purple cabbage and cauliflower. The color will fade to green as it cooks, so enjoy the saturated hue while you can. Treat purple asparagus the same as green.
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What To Serve It With
Roasted asparagus is the perfect side dish to serve with any main meal, protein, or full spread of veggies. And if you were wondering what protein goes well with asparagus, you are in the right place.
I love it alongside Roasted Carrots and Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash for a full, plant-based meal. Or if you have leftovers, make my Roasted Asparagus Salad recipe.
Its a wonderful addition to those long weekend mornings and brunch gatherings alongside Spinach Feta Frittata and Goat Cheese Quiche, too.
Roast At A High Temperature
I tested roasted asparagus at 350, 375, 400, 425, and 450 F.
- 425 degrees F is the ideal oven temperature for roasting asparagus. The high heat yields the crispy outside, caramelized inside texture we are looking for without burning the spears.
- If you are baking other dishes with the asparagus in the oven and need to tweak the oven temperature to accommodate, my second recommendation would be asparagus at 400 F.
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How To Season It & What To Put On It
Asparagus seasoning can vary based on your tastes, dietary concerns or what you are going to serve it with. I found the best seasoning for baked asparagus to be a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese, a clove of minced fresh garlic, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Adding ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs before cooking
- Sprinkling on ½ teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence
- Adding 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
- Finishing with balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze
- Squeezing on any citrus fruit lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit
- Adding roughly chopped fresh parsley, mint or basil leaves after cooking
- Replacing the olive oil with nutty and aromatic ghee
- Finishing the spears with a tab of butter
- My absolute favorite is garlic parmesan asparagus. Savory, cheesy and somewhat nutty.
- A few other additions can include toasted slivered almonds, lemon zest, or any hard, grated cheese!
What To Serve With Roasted Asparagus
This asparagus recipe makes a great veggie side dish for chicken or fish, and is especially tasty as a side to an egg dish for a spring brunch. But Ive also been known to snack on it directly from the pan its that good! You can even add a drizzle of hollandaise sauce if you like.
Here are some simple meals to pair with easy asparagus recipes like this one:
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How To Make Pan
Being by placing your grill pan or skillet on the stovetop burner set to medium heat. If you are using a regular skillet add a couple of tablespoons of oil in the pan as well or some butter. Next, wash and dry the asparagus.
Cut the ends of the asparagus I usually do one and a half to two inches. These parts are woody, and just not very appetizing. It will also help them to cook evenly since the ends are a larger diameter than the rest.
Grilled Asparagus Topping Ideas
I like my grilled asparagus simple with a squeeze of lemon. But if youre looking for more ways to jazz up this simple green, try one of these ideas:
- Add browned butter and nuts, like in my recipe for Roasted Asparagus.
- Drizzle the grilled asparagus with balsamic vinegar then sprinkle with goat cheese and toasted pine nuts
- Top with smoky cooked bacon and Parmesan cheese
- Go Mediterranean style and top with feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped kalamata olives
- Try it Asian style with ponzu sauce and toasted sesame seeds
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Grilled Asparagus In Oven: Easy Recipe
May 5, 2022, 10:00 AM
Oven-roasted asparagus brings out a crispy, slightly charred texture that everyone aims for when asparagus season comes around. Get our easy roasted asparagus recipe here.
Craving grilled asparagus but limited to an oven? Dont worry, this oven-roasted asparagus achieves a similar charred effect to grilled asparagus. This recipe uses just a few simple ingredients to roast asparagus at high heat and comes out juicy and crispy.
How To Season Asparagus
Here are some ideas for flavors that will complement your roasted asparagus. Keep it simple and choose just one or two. Or go all-out like I did, and use all four of the first ideas.
- Lemon zest and/or lemon wedges
- Sprinkle of finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Small handful of fresh mint or parsley, finely chopped
- Light sprinkle of red pepper flakes
- Pat or two of butter
- Light drizzle of balsamic reduction or thick balsamic vinegar
- Toasted sliced almonds
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How Long To Grill Asparagus
How long to cook asparagus on the grill depends on the cooking method and thickness of the stalks:
- Asparagus on the grill directly: 2-4 minutes
- Grilled asparagus in foil: 12-18 minutes
Look for these doneness indicators:
- Crisp tender texture, or fork tender if you like it softer
- Bright green color, with char marks if cooking direct on the grill
Tips For The Roasted Asparagus Recipe
- To make your asparagus more tender: You can pre-cook asparagus in the microwave with 1 cup water for 5 minutes, then soak it into ice-cold water before using them.
- Thin asparagus should be done in as little as 10 minutes. Thicker asparagus will need between 15 to 20 minutes.
- We find that parmesan is already salty, so go easy on salt at first, then taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.
- You can use olive oil instead of melted butter.
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How Do I Make Oven Roasted Asparagus
To roast vegetables, make sure to start with a preheated, hot oven. I use 425 degrees, but if you are cooking other parts of your meal at the same time, this temperature can be adjusted a little up or down either way and you will still get a great result.
In addition to the preheated, hot oven, make sure your vegetables are not crowded on the pan. Overcrowding can cause the vegetables to steam, as opposed to roasting.
To prepare Oven Roasted Asparagus, snap the bottom ends off the spears about an inch from the bottom. You can also choose to cut off the bottoms with a knife if you prefer. Often this is where the whitish end turns green. The whitish bottoms can be tough and slightly stringy.
Place the Asparagus spears on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Turn to coat them and then sprinkle kosher or sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Roast them in the preheated oven for 10 minutes and your result will be a juicy, tender but still slightly crisp Asparagus Spear.
When making Oven Roasted Asparagus, I usually choose a thicker stalk. Sometimes only pencil thin Asparagus is available. This is fine, but slightly less time in the oven may be necessary if a tender, crisp result is desired.
Oven Roasted Asparagus is the perfect accompaniment to so many dishes. I really love it with seafood dishes like my Pan Seared Salmon with Cream Sauce or Baked FRESH Salmon Cakes. These Sticky Asian Barbecue Ribs and Spatchcock Roasted Chicken are a few other great ideas!
How To Trim Asparagus
The ends of asparagus need to be trimmed before cooking because they are tough and woody. The ‘snapping’ method you’ve probably been taught isn’t really the best way to go about it. Instead, try lining up all of the spears on a cutting board and slicing off the ends all at once, cutting where the stalks turn from white into green. It’s not always necessary to trim asparagus, for example super fresh, pencil-thin stalks are fairly tender throughout, but generally it’s a good step to do in order to avoid chewing on inedible ends.
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