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Roasted Asparagus

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Roasted asparagus is a quick, easy, and versatile side dish. It doesn’t take much to enhance the flavor of these tasty little stalks. You can serve them piping hot from the oven or prepare them in advance and serve them chilled or at room temperature.

To me, nothing says “Springtime” like fresh asparagus!  Yes, it is available just about all year but in Washington State the grocery stores and produce markets have an abundance of these strange looking stalks. 

A serving platter with room temperature roasted asparagus and lemon slices.

I love asparagus, they are low in calories, low in carbs and zero fat.  They are also high in fiber and vitamins! Plus, they taste so good!

Hot, Cold, or Room Temperature:

Roasted asparagus tastes great while it is still hot but did you know it is delicious when it is cold or even served at room temperature. It’s a great way to serve vegetables, especially if you are planning a large dinner party and juggling a lot of dishes. Green beans are another one of our favorite veggies to serve chilled (try our green bean salad).

Recently, Don and I attended a Passover Seder dinner.  It was catered by a company in Seattle called, On Safari Foods and they served 150 people!  

Included in the meal was room-temperature, roasted asparagus, which was very delicious.  When I prepare roasted asparagus I usually serve it hot, right out of the oven but it was really good at room temperature. There is also an advantage of having these at room temperature as it can be prepared earlier in the day and it frees up the oven and your time. 

Ingredients Needed for Simple Roasted Asparagus:

Here is what we used for this quick and easy recipe.

  • Asparagus. When buying fresh asparagus I just breeze past the little skinny pencil-thin bunches as they will not have much flavor.  The thicker stalks are much more flavorful.
  • Oil. Olive oil is our favorite with asparagus but you can use any cooking oil you have on hand. If you plan to serve the asparagus at room temperature or chilled then we don’t recommend using butter because it will solidify when it cools down.
  • Salt. We used Kosher salt but regular salt will work just fine.
  • Lemon. We used the lemon to squeeze over the asparagus after it was cooked then we used some slices to garnish the serving plate.
A baking sheet with asparagus ready for the oven.

How to Make Roasted Asparagus:

  1. Preheat the oven. You want the oven nice and hot when you stick the asparagus in.
  2. Prep the asparagus. Break off and discard the tough, woody ends . Toss the asparagus spears with olive oil.
  3. Roast the asparagus. Spread the stalks out in a single layer on a baking sheet and stick it in the oven. another option that is my favorite is to set a rack on the baking sheet and arrange the asparagus on the rack. That gives a chance for air to circulate around the entire stalk and cook evenly. It is an optional step.
A baking sheet with roasted asparagus fresh out of the oven.

What Flavors Go Well With Asparagus?

What really puts this easy asparagus dish “over the top” is squeezing some fresh lemon on right after it is in the serving dish. It gives a vibrant, citrusy flavor to the asparagus and compliments the flavor very well. And! For a real treat try our recipe for roasted asparagus with curry sauce. It’s a winner!

A few other flavors that go well with asparagus are paprika, garlic, chili, and dill. The list is actually much larger but this recipe highlights the fresh flavors of asparagus so we are keeping things simple. If you want to play with some flavor profiles, add a dash or two of one of the spices mentioned.

What Protein Goes with Asparagus?

Asparagus goes quite well with just about any protein. You can even serve it as part of a vegetarian dinner. Try it with our oven roasted chicken thighs, Instant Pot Lamb Shanks, or a ribeye steak. It even goes well with seafood. Try serving it with baked salmon or garlic butter shrimp pasta.

If you have a “meatless Monday” kind of dinner on your mind, try it with our stuffed pasta shells. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong.

How Long can Room Temperature Asparagus Stay Out?

If you plan to serve this roasted asparagus at room temperature, you can leave it out for up to two hours. If you think it is going to be out longer than two hours then keep it chilled on ice.

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A baking sheet with asparagus fresh out of the oven.

Roasted Asparagus

Crisp roasted asparagus served at room temperature, and drizzled with fresh lemon juice.
4.82 from 33 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 104kcal
Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh asparagus
  • 4 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
  • Kosher salt for sprinkling
  • 1/2 fresh lemon cut in quarters for squeezing
  • 1/2 fresh lemon sliced for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
  • Break off the tough ends of the asparagus and discard, place the asparagus stalks in a zip-top bag and add the oil. Gently, roll the asparagus around to coat evenly.
  • Spread the asparagus spears in a single layer, on a baking sheet. Transfer to the upper rack of the oven and roast the asparagus for 5 to 10 minutes depending on your desired doneness.
  • Remove the asparagus from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. They will be bright green, tender and crisp if you cook them for 5 minutes (our favorite). If you cook them much longer, they will get soft and loose some of their bright green color. Sprinkle with salt and squeeze lemon juice over them. Garnish with the lemon slices.

Notes

To get the asparagus more evenly roasted, place a rack on top of the baking sheet and then spread the asparagus out on top of the rack. The rack will allow hot air to circulate around the asparagus stalks as they roast.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 89mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g

This post was first published on May 5, 2014. We updated the photos in the post. One of the original photos is below.

Roasted Asparagus

Pat Nyswonger

Pat is a wife, mom of four adult children, and grandmother to seventeen beautiful children. She is a self-taught home cook and loves creating delicious meals for her family and friends. Her kitchen is the hub of activity in her home, and she loves to entertain.

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John@Kitchen Riffs

Wednesday 7th of May 2014

Oh, I love to roast asparagus! It's so good, isn't it? Lovely pictures and post -- thanks so much.

Pat

Wednesday 7th of May 2014

John, roasting asparagus is my #1 favorite way of preparing them. Thanks for the comments. :)

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