If you need an easy side dish that takes just minutes to prepare, this is truly the perfect Oven Roasted Asparagus! With a touch of olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic, the flavorful veggies are finished with shaved Parmesan cheese for a healthy spring dish that complements just about any meal!
There’s one main vegetable that instantly makes me think of spring: fresh asparagus.
These days we’re spoiled and can find the vegetable in grocery stores year-round; but it’s truly at its best just as we’re emerging from our winter hibernation and anxiously awaiting the bright, nutritious flavors straight from local farms.
As with any perfectly fresh vegetable, it doesn’t take much to highlight the plant’s natural flavors.
This Oven Roasted Asparagus recipe is my favorite easy way to enjoy a spring vegetable…while keeping it very simple.
How to Fix Oven Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan:
The roasting process brings out the natural sweetness in the asparagus, and also allows you to control the texture of your finished dish. If you like it really charred and crispy (like me), let it bake even longer. If you prefer mild, tender-yet-still-a-bit-crisp asparagus, pull it out sooner.
It’s all good!
The instructions and ingredients for this dish are incredibly simple. You’ll need:
- Asparagus
- Olive oil
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Just toss the asparagus with the oil and seasoning. Roast in a 425 degree F oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the asparagus reaches your desired level of char and tenderness.
You can garnish the asparagus with shaved Parmesan just before serving, if desired, but it’s certainly not necessary.
What to serve with Oven Roasted Asparagus:
Pair the vegetable with a fresh piece of grilled fish, Mom’s crab cakes recipe, this shrimp and rice recipe, blackened shrimp, poppy seed chicken, chicken alfredo casserole, dump-and-bake chicken marsala, sundried tomato pasta, homemade lasagna, with your favorite baked (or rotisserie) chicken, baked chicken legs, a grilled New York strip steak, a crescent roll stromboli, baked meatballs, johnny marzetti, baked ziti pasta, dump-and-bake wagon wheel past casserole, Bisquick cheeseburger pie, this Frito pie recipe, cornbread taco bake, with a pork tenderloin, oven baked pork steaks, a classic tuna noodle casserole, a ham and noodle casserole, hamburger casserole, chicken broccoli pasta casserole, this Sloppy Joe tater tot casserole, or with a breakfast casserole for Easter brunch.
No matter how you serve it, this Roasted Asparagus really is perfect!
Other unique or interesting asparagus recipes that you might enjoy:
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Perfect Oven Roasted Asparagus
Equipment
- large rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder (or ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic; about 1 small clove)
- Optional: shaved Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Optional: fresh lemon juice or chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley), for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. To find the natural breaking point, hold one spear at each end and bend gently until it snaps. Use that as your guide and trim the rest with a knife.
- Arrange the asparagus in a single even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss to coat, then spread back into a single layer.
- Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of your spears, until tender and lightly charred at the tips. Stir or shake the pan once halfway through for even browning.
- Transfer to a serving platter. Top with shaved Parmesan and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Don’t crowd the pan. Asparagus needs space to roast rather than steam. If your baking sheet is full, use two pans.
- Adjust time to spear thickness. Thin spears: 10 to 12 minutes. Medium spears: 12 to 13 minutes. Thick spears: up to 15 minutes. Tips will crisp and spears will turn deep green when ready.
- For melted Parmesan: Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the asparagus during the last 2 to 3 minutes of roasting rather than shaved Parmesan after.
- Lemon finish: A squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving brightens the flavor and pairs beautifully with the garlic and Parmesan.
- Fresh garlic option: Swap the garlic powder for ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic for a more pronounced flavor.
- Scaling: Easy to scale up or down. For 2 servings, halve all ingredients. For a crowd, double the recipe and use two baking sheets. Cook time stays the same.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 400°F oven for 5 minutes to restore some crispness, or enjoy at room temperature. Freezing is not recommended.
Ooh, I love asparagus – but for some reason I’ve never eaten it roasted before?! I need to change that ASAP!
Asparagus is THE BEST when roasted, it brings out the rich nutty flavor.
Yes! I totally agree! 🙂
This is absolutely divine!!! The only way to fix asparagus. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, Kay!