Perfect Roasted Asparagus every time plus tips on how to store, prep, roast and season this healthy side dish. You will never have to eat limpy and mushy asparagus again.
Simple roasted vegetables like roasted cauliflower and roasted sweet potatoes are every busy mom’s best friend. 🙂
Oven Roasted Asparagus
Roasted asparagus is extremely versatile side dish. A great balance to any meaty main like baked salmon or pot roast. Oven roasted asparagus with its bright green colour will immediately check off “eat more vegetables” goal.
And how easy this roasted asparagus recipe is. Just basic avocado or olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 10 minutes and half of healthy dinner is done.
I buy asparagus a lot during fall and winter months. As asparagus does not attract many insects, it is sprayed with fewer pesticides. In off-season months asparagus from Mexico is a blessing.
Is Asparagus Good for You?
Is asparagus healthy? According to Health.com, health benefits of asparagus include:
- Lots of soluble and insoluble fiber, antioxidants, vitamin K and E and folic acid.
- Asparagus also makes you empty your bladder more often which is good for urinary health.
- As someone who cares about consuming less RoundUp sprayed vegetables, I can tell you that asparagus is on the list of less likely to be heavy in pesticides vegetables.
Tip: Washing vegetables thoroughly helps to remove pesticides from them.
How to Store Asparagus
One thing about asparagus, it doesn’t last too long in the fridge. The top blossom part becomes mushy quite fast and then asparagus is no good. I often buy asparagus at Costco where it is packaged in sealed plastic bag. I find this way it lasts around 3-4 days maximum.
To prolong the life of asparagus:
- Remove asparagus from the package or take off rubber band.
- Trim off 1 inch at the end.
- Fill tall jar with cold water and stand asparagus in it.
- Cover loosely with beeswax wrap or linen towel (if you want) and refrigerate for up to 8 days.
How to Prep Asparagus
Asparagus ends are woody and chewy, and are unpleasant to eat. I was surprised when I started cooking asparagus. In order to prepare asparagus for cooking, all you have to do is just trim its ends.
To trim asparagus, just snap the end of one asparagus stem. Where it snapped is where chewy part ends. Then just line remaining asparagus by that line and trim with a knife.
How to Roast Asparagus
- Season asparagus by placing vegetable in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, then sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then toss with hands or tongs.
- Bake for 12 minutes at 425 degrees F in preheated oven. The trick is to cook asparagus at right oven temperature for right amount of time.
- Asparagus is ready when it turns bright green, is tender but still has a bite to it. If asparagus is hard to chew – it is undercooked, mushy – overcooked.
Tip: Make sure you use large enough baking sheet so the pan is not overcrowded resulting in asparagus steaming instead of roasting.
Seasoning Variations for Asparagus
This is more of a basic recipe or method how to cook asparagus. You can dress it up in so many ways:
- Sprinkle with freshly shredded Parmesan (not from a shaker) and put it back in the oven until melted. Or enjoy as is.
- Top with grated mozzarella and broil until bubbly and golden.
- Squeeze lemon on top of roasted asparagus.
- Drizzle cooked asparagus with melted garlic butter and don’t forget to call me for dinner. 🙂
- Drizzle with store-bought balsamic glaze and sprinkle with fresh basil.
- Lightly toast slivered or sliced almonds and sprinkle on top.
More Asparagus Recipes
Hope you enjoy this easy and delicious roasted asparagus!
More Easy Roasted Vegetables
- Roasted brussels sprouts
- Roasted butternut squash
- Baked zucchini sticks
- Zucchini and tomato bake
- Smashed cauliflower bites
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
- 2 lbs asparagus rinsed
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Scant 1/2 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line rimmed baking sheet with silicone mat or unbleached parchment paper.
- To trim asparagus, snap the end of one spear and cut remaining asparagus same length with a knife. Usually 2" off, that's the chewy stringy part you don't wanna eat.
- Arrange asparagus on the sheet in a single layer.
- Drizzle with oil, then sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Using tongs, toss to coat evenly.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Serve hot or cold.
Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Sprinkle with freshly shredded Parmesan (not from a shaker) and put it back in the oven until melted. Or enjoy as is.
- Top with grated mozzarella and broil until bubbly and golden.
- Squeeze lemon on top of roasted asparagus.
- Drizzle cooked asparagus with melted garlic butter and don't forget to call me for dinner. 🙂
- Drizzle with store-bought balsamic glaze and sprinkle with fresh basil.
- Lightly toast slivered or sliced almonds and sprinkle on top.
Nutrition
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I loved this quick and delicious recipe, thank you for sharing it!! I made it with olive oil and creole seasoning. Yummy!!
You’re welcome Natalia 🙂
This recipe is awesome.
Yay! So happy to hear! Thanks for taking time from your busy schedule to let me know you enjoyed my recipe.
I can’t wait to try this today! I’ve tried so many ways and it always comes out soggy or just the florets are crunch and the rest is floppy. I’ll follow up to let you know how it went!
The key is not to overcook it and remove from the oven even while it’s a bit too firm. Asparagus cooks super fast.
it’s ok
I adore roasted asparagus! I do the snap but then I cut each one first below the floret part. and the stem I cut in halves and sometimes quarters, depending on how thick. My marinade is avocado oil with a no-salt seasoning blend that I brush onto the veggies. No parchment or mat. I scrub my rimmed baking sheets with a steel brillo and hot water and they come out just fine. No soap. Today is asparagus, mushrooms, broccoli, and potatoes, which will take 3-4 pans and be fabulous leftovers tomorrow that I’ll eat with brown rice and chick peas, both cooked in IP and ready. Sooo good! Lately I’ve been doing 410. Will try 425 today. Great recipe and great stuff from you all the time!
Sounds so good and so many veggies! I use mats so my food doesn’t cook directly on the aluminum as it is leaching chemicals in to food when heated. Thank you so much for your kind words. I try.:)