Make Asparagus In The Oven

Baked Asparagus Recipe Variations

Baked Asparagus are fabulous because they are a chameleon when it comes to seasonings. You can use the always classic Italian seasonings used in this recipe or try any of these seasonings:

• Herbs de Provence
• Chili Powder
• Red chili flakes

In addition to seasonings, you can also toss the baked asparagus in all sorts of sauces at the end of cooking to change the flavor profile. Here are just a few recipe ideas:

How To Make Roasted Asparagus

Place the trimmed asparagus in a bowl and add the sliced garlic.

I use this garlic slicer for thinly sliced garlic.

If you dont have one, you should it is amazing! You just fill it with peeled garlic, twist and perfectly thin sliced garlic comes out! to get one on Amazon .

Drizzle with the olive oil.

Toss to coat and arrange the spears in a single layer on the prepared pan.

Bake just until the base of the stalk is fork-tender. Drizzle with the lemon juice and zest.

Serve and enjoy!

• Dry your Asparagus well after washing. The drier they are, the crispier theyll be.
• Be sure to taste and season well before serving.
• Dont skimp on the oil , season well, and make sure your oven is hot before adding the Asparagus.
• For crispy results: If you want a crisper result, try flipping it halfway through the roasting. Its a time-consuming task, but it crisps on all sides.
• Short on time? Make this dish even quicker by skipping the fresh garlic and replace it with garlic powder, or you can do it simply with just olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Be sure to use a big enough pan. Overcrowding the pan will cause steaming instead of roasting.

How Long To Cook Asparagus In The Oven

If youre wondering how long to roast asparagus in the oven when theyre different sizes dont worry. Youll just need to adjust the timings based on the thickness of the roasted asparagus.

Generally, the best roast asparagus will need to cook for 12-15 minutes in a preheated oven to 400 ºF/200ºC. But the time should be adjusted for the size. Heres an easy guide for roasting asparagus:

• Thin: 8-11 minutes

The best asparagus will be lightly browned and fork-tender when its ready.

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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 Make Roasted Asparagus:

Alright, lets talk about how to roast asparagus in the oven! My favorite method is simply to

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How To Choose Asparagus

When at the store, here are some tips on what to look for when picking asparagus so you get the freshest bunch:

• You want the asparagus spears to feel firm.
• The spears should also be able to stay upright, you dont want them to be droopy or limp.
• The tips of the spears should be tight and closed.
• When you squeeze a bunch, there should be a squeaky sound.

Bacon Wrapped Baked Asparagus

• Par cook thick bacon by lining a plate with a few layers of paper towels. Line with half of the cut bacon in an even layer, and top with a layer of paper towels. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes . You want the bacon mostly cooked but still soft and PLIABLE. Dont overcook or it will break when wrapping.
• Season the asparagus and drizzle with olive oil.
• Wrap 1 slice of bacon around 2-4 asparagus stalks depending on their thickness to create a bundle. You want the bacon to go up the asparagus so its in a single layer. Place the bundle on the prepared baking sheet, seam-side down.
• Bake until the bacon is crisp and the asparagus is tender.

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How To Bake Asparagus

• Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. We want a very hot oven to produce a very hot pan that caramelizes the natural sugars of the asparagus for that signature nutty roasted flavor.
• Prepare baking sheet: You can bake your asparagus directly on the baking sheet or line it with foil for easy clean up. In either scenario,spray the surface with nonstick cooking spray. I do NOT recommend parchment paper because it does not promote caramelization.
• Trim asparagus: trim as previously discussed, snapping off all of the tough, woody ends no one wants to bite into chewy asparagus that just doesnt chew!
• Dry asparagus: Rinse and dry asparagus. This is the first time you are rinsing your asparagus. You never want to rinse it before storing. Dry the asparagus very well with a kitchen towel or salad spinner so the asparagus will caramelize and not steam.
• Toss ingredients together: Add asparagus, olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings to the baking sheet and toss to evenly combine. I like to toss all the ingredients together on the baking sheet because then you only have one dish to clean up! I like to use my hands because I feel like it combines everything more evenly than a spatula, but feel free to use a spatula if thats more your thing.

• Add Parmesan: Evenly sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan all over the asparagus. I focused the Parmesan more in the center for this recipe, but that was just for aesthetic reasons.

• Bake: Bake asparagus for 7-10 minutes depending on size.

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!

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How To Cook Asparagus In An Instant Pot

Cooking asparagus in an Instant Pot is a way of steaming it. Arrange the asparagus on the steaming rack of your Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water. Close and seal the lid, and set the time to zero minutes on high pressure. By the time the pressure builds, your asparagus will be perfectly steamed.

These asparagus tips come from our culinary experts in the Taste of Home Test Kitchen.

Other Seasonings For Oven

Ginger, soy, and sesame seeds are delicious ingredients to season the roasted asparagus with, or you could try wrapping the asparagus in bacon before it hits the oven. A touch of lemon juice or a sprinkle of any tender herbs after the asparagus comes out of the oven is another delicious way to finish the dish instead of adding almonds.

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These Methods For How To Cook Asparagus Come Straight From Our Test Kitchen From Roasting And Grilling To Sauteeing And Air

When spring rolls around, theres nothing better than spears of fresh asparagus to accompany a weekend brunch or weeknight dinner. And with dozens of asparagus recipes that call for different cooking methods, its worth learning how to cook asparagus using various techniques.

From oven and stovetop methods to grilling to Instant Pot cooking, this guide will help you master multiple ways to cook asparagus.

Roast At A High Temperature

I tested roasted asparagus at 350, 375, 400, 425, and 450.

• 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.

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How To Grill Asparagus

This Grilled Asparagus recipe takes 20 minutes to make and serves four. Slathered with barbecue sauce, its the perfect side for a summer cookout.

Start by boiling the asparagus in a large skillet for 4 to 6 minutes. Then grill the spears uncovered over medium heat for 2 minutes, turning them once. Slather on barbecue sauce and grill for 2 additional minutes.

For another grilled asparagus recipe, try Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus.

Recipes To Add Asparagus To

The methods listed above are great when it comes to cooking asparagus on its own for a side dish. But there are more ways to use asparagusyou can also incorporate it into dishes like salads, pastas and stir-fries.

We love this Fontina Asparagus Tart, Radish Asparagus Salad and Feta Asparagus Frittata. For something creamy, try these asparagus soup recipes!

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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.

Easy Roasted Asparagus Recipe Variations

This simple and easy roasted asparagus recipe can be changed up in many different ways! Try these seasoning combinations for your next batch of roasted asparagus:

• Italian seasoning + lemon juice
• Garlic powder + onion powder + smoked paprika
• Salt + pepper + red chili flakes
• Minced garlic + lemon zest + lemon juice
• Salt + pepper + fresh thyme

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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.

Some of my other favorites include:

• 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!

How To Steam Asparagus

You can steam asparagus in a frying pan or skillet, like in this Garlic Parmesan Asparagus recipe. Simply fill a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of water and bring it to a boil. Add the asparagus, and cover and cook it for 3 to 5 minutes until it reaches your ideal tenderness. Then drain, season and serve!

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How To Prepare Asparagus For Cooking

Before you try any of the methods for cooking asparagus, you’ll want to trim up the asparagus stalks. Trimming asparagus is a “snap.” To remove and discard the tough woody ends of the stalks before cooking, you can just cut them off with a knife. But what’s more fun is to use your hands to snap the stalks in two. They naturally snap at about the point where the woody part begins. Once you’ve snapped your asparagus, you can line them up and give the bottom ends one last neat trim, if you’d like.

Related: How to Buy and Store Asparagus

Asparagus In The Oven

02/19/19

The best way to cook asparagus in the oven for a quick and easy side dish.

Hey, friends, popping in today with a super quick and simple vegetable side dish for you. Asparagus in the oven AKA roasted asparagus.

This is one of my favorite easy, no-fuss side dishes, AND its the first vegetable I ever learned to cook as a kid. Now that its asparagus season here in California, it seemed like the perfect time to post this recipe.

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Ginger Soy Baked Asparagus

Roast the asparagus for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or a heaping ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.

Remove the asparagus from the oven and toss with the ginger soy sauce. Continue baking until the asparagus is crisp-tender then sprinkle with 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds.

How To Prep Asparagus For Roasting

There are two ways to trim asparagus:

• 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.

While cutting the entire bunch of asparagus at once is fastest, the results do not turn out as well as if you bend and break each spear individually.

Every stalk of asparagus has a slightly different breaking point where the woody end starts. If you cut the whole bunch at once, youll waste edible flesh of some spears, while missing the woody parts of others, resulting in a few stringy bites.

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How To Peel Asparagus

Some people like to peel asparagus before cooking, and some don’t. Asparagus spears range in size from thicker than your thumb to thinner than a pencil if your asparagus is on the thicker side, you might want to peel the woody stalks with a vegetable peeler. Some cooks also like to trim off the tiny leaves on the stems. But unless they’re very spiky, you can leave them on.

Best Asparagus Seasoning Options

Asparagus is not only super simple to make, but it’s also a very versatile dish. There are lots of ways to add more flavor if you’d like. Here are some of my favorites:

• Garlic: Toss in some fresh finely chopped garlic to the asparagus before cooking.
• Lemon: Sprinkle cooked asparagus with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or fresh lemon zest.
• Fresh Herbs: Top your roasted asparagus with your favorite fresh herbs like parsley or chives.
• Parmesan Cheese: Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving your asparagusor in the final moments of cooking to melt the Parm cheese.
• Toasted Nuts: Sprinkle some chopped, toasted nuts, like almonds or walnuts, on the asparagus before serving.
• Savory: Drizzle your asparagus with a balsamic vinegar reduction before serving to contrast with the caramelized flavor.

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How To Bake Asparagus In The Oven

Baked asparagus is such a simple cooking technique. Its an incredibly easy and healthy side to have in your cooking repertoire. Simply: