Oven Roasted Asparagus is a perfect side dish for any meal. It’s crazy easy to make, requires just a few pantry staple ingredients, and takes about a total of 20 minutes to make.

Roasted vegetables are an easy way to add a flavorful, healthy side dish to just about any main dish. Because of their beautiful, intense green color, asparagus is often the vegetable of choice for more elegant dishes as it looks gorgeous on the plate and pairs well with lots of different flavors from pastas to steak.

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Before we can talk about how to roast, you should know the difference between roasting and baking. When you “roast” something it means:

Higher temperatures. Roasting was traditionally done over an open flame, but these days it’s done in an oven at temperatures above 400 degrees F.
Open Cooking. When you roast something (think chicken, veggies) you will cook without a cover. This allows the food to cook and brown at the same time, adding flavor.
Added fat. Baked goods typically have fats mixed in (oil, butter). Roasted foods will be coated in oils or butter to aid in the browning process.

Roasted Asparagus is coated in olive oil (or your favorite oil is fine too, like coconut or avocado oil) and seasoned. For this basic recipe I used a simple salt and pepper seasoning and a little lemon so the flavor and freshness of the vegetable can shine through.

AT WHAT TEMPERATURE DO YOU ROAST ASPARAGUS?

Like I mentioned above, roasting is done at temperatures above 400 degrees. For softer vegetables, like asparagus, I set my oven to 400 degrees F. If I’m roasting more dense veggies like carrots and potatoes I will set the temperature a little higher. I like my asparagus a little more crisp, so I will cook on the low side at about 15 minutes. I wouldn’t cook longer than 20 minutes though as the asparagus will begin to break down and become quite mushy.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN ASPARAGUS GOES BAD?

When choose a bunch of asparagus in the store, look for bright green tips with a little purple with firm stems (not limp). Fresh asparagus will last 5-7 days in the refrigerator. When it begins to go bad, the tips will be soft and mushy and starting to turn black.

When it comes to size, it doesn’t matter with asparagus, to me it’s more of a personal preference. I like the thinner stems, while other members of my family prefer thicker ones. Thicker stems will take slightly longer to cook, while thinner stems will take a little less time.

Do you have to wash asparagus before cooking?

It’s always good practice to wash fruits and vegetables, to rinse off potential pesticides and dirt. Rinse the spears under cold water to remove dirt. Dry the spears with a towel. Snap off the woody ends of the spear; it should break naturally where the tough woody part of the stem becomes tender.

LOOKING FOR MORE VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES?

Tools used in the making of this Oven Roasted Asparagus:

Sheet Pan with Sides: Also known as a Jelly Roll Pan, this is a staple in my kitchen and I use it nearly every day. The sides keep food from sliding off onto the bottom of your oven.

Tongs: Used for tossing the asparagus in olive oil. I prefer the metal ones as the silcone tend to get slippery.

Olive Oil: This is the brand that I buy as it’s generally readily available at most grocery stores, and it’s one of the best.

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