Roasted asparagus is almost too delicious to be so easy. With only salt, pepper and olive oil then 15 minutes in the oven you have a simple, healthy and irresistible side for any meal.
Roasting has become my go-to method of preparing vegetables. Broccoli and green beans make a regular appearance on my menu. I also love roasting peppers, onions and zucchini along with chili powder and cumin for a simple side to Mexican inspired dishes.
Preparation:
Wash and trim asparagus of tough ends. Toss with salt, pepper and olive oil. Arrange in a single row on baking sheet or dish. If you have a curly spear it might lay across the neighbors. We don’t discriminate against curled asparagus. 😉
Roasting time will vary somewhat depending on the width of your asparagus spears. I prefer medium spears and 15-17 minutes will yield perfect results. Unless your asparagus is extremely thin you will roast for at least 15 minutes then check for tenderness. Thick spears may take 20 minutes. I like to wait until the tops start to caramelize a bit.
Serve immediately. Add a sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan cheese or a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. But honestly it is pretty perfect right out of the oven.
I have found roasted asparagus to be a real crowd-pleaser. As the dish only takes about 15 minutes in the oven it can go in when the meat comes out to rest. Like maybe on Thanksgiving when the turkey comes out!
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
- ½ pound fresh asparagus spears trimmed of tough ends
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- fresh ground black pepper to tast
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° Toss asparagus with oil, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange asparagus in a single row.
- Roast until tender, about 15 -18 minutes. Depending upon the diameter of the asparagus they can be done in 15 minutes or take as long as 20 minutes.
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