Oven roasting is the perfect method for cooking fresh asparagus. It is so easy, only requiring 3 ingredients, a sheet pan, and 10 minutes. It also leaves the spears crisp-tender, which is the perfect texture, exactly how it should be.
Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese or lemon over the top and you have a stand-out side dish.
If you love fresh asparagus you should also check out my Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto with Asparagus, and Asparagus Egg Cups Recipe.
How to Trim & Roast Asparagus in the Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
Grab a large sheet pan that will allow your asparagus enough room to roast. If you overcrowd the pan the asparagus will steam instead of roast.
You always want to make sure you trim the woody hard stem end from your fresh asparagus. You will never be able to chew thru it and you don’t want your guests politely chewing for 10 minutes!
Tip for Trimming Asparagus
Grab one spear by the larger stem end with one hand, and a little below the flower end with the other hand. Gently bend the asparagus until it snaps. Right where it snaps is the point between the tender portion we eat and the woody portion you toss.
Now line that piece up with the rest of the bundle. Then cut the rest of the asparagus at the point where the pre trimmed piece ends. Voila- you’re left with tender, yummy asparagus, ready to cook!
Place all your trimmed asparagus on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. With clean hands toss the asparagus so it is coated in the oil. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
At the end you can zest a little lemon over top or sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan.
Oven Roasted Asparagus for Dinner
This beautiful side dish can really sit alongside almost any dinner menu. Here are some of my favorites:
- Grilled Filet Mignon, Oven Roasted Asparagus, and Rosemary Cauliflower Puree
- Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Oven Roasted Asparagus, and Oven Roasted Red Potatoes (all made in the oven, too easy!)
- Ham Balls, Baked Potatoes, and Roasted Asparagus
- Bacon Jam Burgers, Oven Roasted Asparagus, and Parmesan Fries
This recipe is also a staple on our Easter dinner menu. It just screams SPRING and adds beautiful color to the menu!
Picking wild Asparagus
Asparagus grows wild in the Midwest especially in Iowa, where I grew up. When I was little, in the Spring, my entire family would gather at my grandparents house and we would have an asparagus hunting day.
Everyone would put on their grubby clothes, tie their hair up in bandanas and pack a pocket knife to cut down the wild spears. We would spend the afternoon trekking thru the ditches of Iowa looking for asparagus to harvest. At the end of the day we would be loaded with more asparagus than one family could possibly eat in a week!
After coming home we would do a quick tick check and then move on to preparing our feast from the afternoon spoils. My grandpa would grill farm fresh T-Bone steaks and my grandma would prepare all the asparagus you could ever want to eat. After the weekend everyone would be sent home with their own bundle of wild asparagus.
I still think about those days every time I eat asparagus… or a T-Bone steak!
More Fresh Veggie Side dishes
Oven Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- large pinch of kosher salt
- *Optional- parmesan cheese or lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Trim the hard ends from the asparagus and discard. Mom's Tip: An easy way to do this is grab the thicker end of the asparagus, then grab right below the flower end and bend the asparagus until it snaps. That is the exact split between the tender end and the woody end. Now line up all the asparagus and cut the same amount of woody end from the other spears.
- Place the asparagus on a large sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Using clean hands, toss the asparagus to coat with the oil.
- Sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, shaking the pan half way thru to rotate the asparagus.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
- Optional– sprinkle with lemon zest or parmesan cheese.
John says
Reminds me of Easter dinner but great anytime!
Sandi says
We love asparagus…thanks for including so much information!
Susie says
We love it too- one of my favorite veggies!
Jessica Formicola says
This is my favorite way to make asparagus! So delicious!!
Susie says
It is perfectly cooked every time!
Jill McOwen says
I had no idea you could hunt asparagus! I’m in Ohio – if there’s a place to do it around here I don’t know where it is. But I’m always excited about asparagus season, even if I have to buy mine at the store 🙂
Susie says
It grows wild in Iowa (just in the ditches, nothing fancy!). I’m not sure about Ohio, but I imagine you have a similar climate as Iowa. Luckily you can snag a bundle for $1.00 at the grocery store or farmers market when it’s in season!
jerry fisher says
LOLOL……..where do you find asparagus for a buck a bundle? I live where much is grown and the best you can find is $3 bucks a bundle….!
Susie Weinrich says
I think you will only find those prices in the spring and summer!
Ali Randall says
This is exactly how I prepare my asparagus and it never fails me. I love the idea of adding a little lemon zest. Perfect for any dinner and yes, locally grown is always best.
Susie says
It truly is a never fail method! Those are the best recipes. Definitely try a little lemon!
Laineey says
Yummy! Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables! I usually just steam it and call it a day, but I love the idea of roasting it! I can’t wait to try it!
Susie says
My favorite veggie too, and I love it when I can get a bundle for $1.00 at the store or farmers market! Definitely try roasting it in the oven. You’ll never go back.
carolinafarmhousekitchen says
This recipe is amazing. Love the Parmesan on the asparagus. We grew it on our family farm in Connecticut. Pinned for later!
Susie says
Thank you for pinning! FRESH asparagus cannot be beat. I love food memories like that!