• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sweet Cayenne
  • ABOUT
    • Work With Me
  • RECIPES
    • All Recipes
    • RECIPES BY CATEGORY
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Main Entree
    • Sides
    • Snacks
    • How-To Guides
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • NEWSLETTER
    • CONTACT
    • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home > Recipes > Sides

    Simply Perfect Roasted Asparagus

    Published: Mar 26, 2019 · Modified: Nov 13, 2020 by Whitney Reist · This post may contain affiliate links |

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Roasted Asparagus is my FAVORITE springtime veggies - I love to serve it as a simple side as often as possible!

    A blue and white tray with roasted asparagus and a lemon slice on top.

    Is there really any tastier spring veggie than tender, buttery asparagus? Nowadays, you can buy asparagus year-round. But when it's in season in the springtime, it tastes SO much better than any other time of year. The flavor is sweeter, the texture is more tender, and the color is more vibrant. And of course, the price is better, too!

    Asparagus is one of my favorite - if not my all-time favorite - vegetables. I love to shave it and serve it raw in a salad, dice it into rounds as a pizza topping, stir-fry it, pickle it, put it in quiches and fritattas, and blanch it lightly for serving as a crudite. It's such a versatile produce option that you really can't go wrong however you choose to prepare it! But there's just something extra special about a simple pan of roasted asparagus. A quick stint in the oven at a high temperature brings the natural sugars from the inside of the stalk to the outside, the stalk gets perfectly tender, and the richness of a bit of olive oil brings out buttery flavor notes. I just love it!

    A sheet pan lined with parchment paper and filled with roasted asparagus.

    Tips

    • Choose wisely - choose stalks that are firm and look as fresh as possible. They should be completely dry and not have any wilted spots or leaves. The thickness you choose really depends on your preference and how you plan to cook the asparagus. Thicker stems lend themselves well to grilling, medium-thickness is great for blanching and serving as crudite or roasting, and really thin, tender stalks are best for quick-cooking methods like stir-frying and roasting. Thick stems may benefit from peeling tough leaf points on the outside, but medium and thin stalks are tender enough to not require any peeling.
    • Smart storage - to extend the shelf life of stalks, I like to cut off the bottom 1-1 ½ inches of a bunch of asparagus with the rubber band still on. Next, I fill a ramekin or small bowl with about 2 inches of water. I stand the bunch of asparagus up in the water, cover loosely with the plastic produce bag I purchased the stalks in, and then refrigerate until ready to use. It's good to change the water out when cloudy, and your asparagus should keep for about a week when stored this way. Just be sure to wash the stalks thoroughly before cooking!
    • Test often during cooking - when roasting asparagus, it's easy to overcook the stalks, as one minute can be enough to send them from being perfectly cooked to overcooked. I recommend starting with 6 minutes, and then checking for tenderness every minute or so after that.
    A sheet pan lined with parchment paper and filled with roasted asparagus.

    Pair with

    Asparagus is such a versatile and easy side dish that goes with just about anything! But for a special spring treat, I'm pairing this roasted asparagus with two additional recipes this week on the blog to give you a complete menu - so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, here are some great recipe options that would be delicious with a pan of this Simply Perfect Roasted Asparagus!

    • Cauliflower Parmesan
    • Tuscan Roasted Pork Tenderloin
    • Oven Fried Potato Chip Chicken with Bruschetta Topping
    • Miso Maple Roasted Salmon
    • Springtime Orzo Salad with Roasted Salmon
    • Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    • Poppyseed Chicken

    These asparagus perfectly with my spring dinner party menu of lemon risotto, lamb chops, and this fresh lime tart with blackberry sauce - enjoy!

    A dinner table with asparagus, risotto, and pork chops.

    Are you ready to try this simply perfect roasted asparagus? I’m so excited for you to try this recipe! Once you get the chance to make it, please let me know how it turns out for you!

    Leave a comment and rate the recipe below. This will help me with the creation of future recipes!

    I’d also love to feature your creation in my weekly newsletter, so you can upload a photo to Instagram with the tag @sweetcayenne5 to be featured! Quick and easy recipe videos are available on my YouTube channel, and lots of menu inspiration on my Pinterest boards.

    Recipe

    A blue and white tray with roasted asparagus and a lemon slice on top.

    Perfect Roasted Asparagus

    Roasted Asparagus is my FAVORITE springtime veggies - I love to serve it as a simple side as often as possible! The recipe uses less than 5 ingredients.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetcayenne5 or tag #sweetcayenne!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    • 1.25 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed (cut off about 2 inches off the woodiest part of the stalk)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ¾ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • ½ of a large lemon, zest and juice
    • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the asparagus on the baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil on top, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
    • Roast the asparagus for 7-8 minutes until tender but still slightly crunchy. The asparagus should be bright green and the stalks will only bend slightly (signs of overcooking include an olive green color and limp, floppy stalks). Remove from heat and sprinkle on the lemon zest, juice, and grated Parmesan. Toss to coat and serve immediately. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Note: if serving this with the pan seared lamb chops menu, roast the asparagus once the lamb chops are removed from the oven and resting on the stovetop.
    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.9g | Protein: 5.4g | Fat: 5.2g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 3.1g | Sugar: 2.7g | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3.1mg

    Pin this, pretty please!

    A blue and white tray with roasted asparagus and a lemon slice on top.

    Don't miss these recipes!

    • A white bowl filled with pizza pasta salad garnished with fresh basil leaves.
      Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad
    • An overhead shot of a glass baking dish with green bean bundles and a serving spoon.
      Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
    • Roasted potatoes on a white platter garnished with chopped garlic and herbs.
      Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs
    • A white ceramic bowl filled with roasted mushrooms garnished with chopped parsley.
      Roasted Mushrooms with Balsamic Glaze

    Want more?

    Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get exclusive content (like menus, cooking downloads, and more!), blog recaps, and a chance to connect or be featured!

    Affiliate Disclosure

    Many of the links in my posts are affiliate links, which means I can get a small commission for any click or purchases made through the links. I am also an Amazon Associate and I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hello there!

    I'm Whitney, the chef, photographer, dietitian, and blogger-extraordinaire behind Sweet Cayenne. Welcome to my online kitchen!

    About Whitney & Sweet Cayenne

    What's In Season

    • A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.
      Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach
    • A cinnamon roll on a white rimmed plate.
      Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
    • A cinnamon apple cake with two slices cut out on a piece of parchment paper with a navy blue background.
      15+ Healthy Apple Recipes
    • Bell Pepper Nachos
    • An up-close shot of a white bowl of Southern-style pasta e Fagioli.
      Southern-Style Pasta e Fagioli
    • Two Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders on a blue ceramic plate with a baking dish of sliders and blue napkin in the background.
      Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

    Free cookbook and menu planners!

    Subscribe to my weekly newsletter & receive a free e-cookbook of my 25 best recipes along with menu planning sheets!

    Cozy Cooking:

    A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.

    Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach

    An overhead shot of a white soup ramekin filled with ribolita soup and topped with crusty bread on black background.

    Instant Pot + Slow Cooker Ribolita (Italian Bread Soup)

    A gray plate of red beans and rice with a gingham dish towel and a glass of water on the side.

    Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

    An overhead shot of a white bowl filled with turkey and drop biscuit dumplings.

    Turkey and Drop Biscuit Dumplings (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

    A white bowl of soup filled with posole verde and garnished with avocado and cilantro.

    Instant Pot Chicken Posole Verde

    An overhead shot of a wicker charger with parchment paper and Mango Mojo Chicken Tacos with a side of mojo sauce and avocado ranch on the side.

    Mango Mojo Chicken Tacos

    Travel Here Next:

    • The product wall of skincare items at Lemon Laine Oil Bar in Nashville, TN.
      Nashville Finds: Lemon Laine Oil Bar
    • A girl standing on a beach in Positano, Italy.
      Positano, Italy: Budget-Friendly Travel Guide
    • A photo of Civita di Bagnoregio in Italy
      The Best Tuscan Road Trip Itinerary + Tips on Driving in Italy
    • A traveling foodie's guide to the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy - including what to taste in Parma, Modena, and Bologna! European travel guide and itinerary.
      A Foodie's Guide to Emilia-Romagna, Italy

    Cooking Guides

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Photography Services

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 SweetCayenne