How to Roast Asparagus in the Oven
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Let’s learn how to roast asparagus in the oven! All you need is asparagus, salt, and olive oil to make this quick, easy, and simply delicious Thanksgiving side dish.
Do you have any vegetables that you never cook because you just have no idea what to do with them? I think we do that more than we realize. If we didn’t grow up eating it or haven’t ever seen anyone cook it, we just walk on by without even noticing. So those of you who’ve been eating asparagus all of your life may be surprised to find it was pretty much a foreign obstacle to me and my entire family (including grandparents) until recently.
But times are a-changing around here! Last November, I was talking to my friend Jyl about our Thanksgiving menus and she said her most requested dish was asparagus. I decided that if it was that big of a deal on her family Thanksgiving dinner table it had to be something good. So I learned how to roast asparagus in the oven and we ended up having an asparagus side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and several dinners since then.
This roasted asparagus recipe is terribly easy to make and just delicious. Even though there is no butter involved (we use olive oil instead), this asparagus ends up tasting buttery, with flavors of the garden and just the right touch of salt. I’m glad I tried it and I’m sure it will be a staple in the Jordan family for generations to come.
I’ve since shared a couple more easy asparagus recipes on Southern Plate: for grilled asparagus and the best roasted asparagus seasoning. But however you prepare it, I hope you add asparagus to your Thanksgiving table this year.
Oooh! Let me show you how to roast asparagus the easy way!
Recipe Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh asparagus
How to Roast Asparagus in the Oven
Okay, so here is what you do.
Grab your fresh asparagus spear and we want to snap the end off.
The trick is that there’s a part of the where it will snap really easily so we have gotta find that by just bending it 2-3 inches from the end and seeing if it snaps easily. If it doesn’t, go up another inch and it should.
After you get all of the ends snapped off, spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet (or a jelly roll pan).
Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle them with kosher salt.
at 425 for about 20 minutes, stirring them once halfway through, until the asparagus spears are just lightly brown.
And that’s all there is to it. Enjoy!
Storage
- Oven-roasted asparagus is best served immediately. However, you can store asparagus leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the oven or air fryer briefly before serving.
- Can you freeze baked asparagus? You sure can! When stored in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag it’ll last up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating as above. However, please know that frozen asparagus can sometimes become mushy.
Recipe Notes
- I highly recommend going that extra step and using kosher salt. It really is amazing and it doesn’t cost much at all.
- Olive oil is pretty expensive, so I go for generic whenever I can get it and have no qualms whatsoever about substituting vegetable oil in a pinch.
- are best for this . If you’ve only got your hands on , just keep an eye on them in the oven as they tend to cook quicker.
Recipe FAQs
How do you store fresh asparagus?
The best way to store fresh asparagus is to place the spears in a jar filled with a couple of inches of water. Pop this in the fridge (cover with a plastic bag as well if you like) and they’ll stay fresher for longer.
Do you have to peel asparagus before roasting?
No, you don’t have to peel fresh asparagus. Recipes usually only call for peeling if it’s being used in a shaved salad or as a pizza topping.
What are the best seasonings for roasted asparagus?
We’re keeping things simple here with oil and salt, but if you want to add more flavor here are some seasoning suggestions:
- For garlic roasted asparagus, toss the spears in 1 or 2 minced garlic cloves or use garlic powder instead.
- Add black pepper to complement the kosher salt.
- Roasted asparagus is often paired with freshly grated parmesan cheese, so shave some on top before serving if you like (about 2 tablespoons).
- Try za’atar seasoning.
- To serve, drizzle with fresh lemon juice and/or serve with lemon wedges.
- You can also drizzle with balsamic vinegar (to taste) before serving.
- Add some fresh herbs before serving as a garnish, like finely chopped mint or parsley.
- Opt for some heat instead and toss them with a pinch of red pepper flakes before baking.
- Another option is Italian seasoning before baking.
- Sprinkle the asparagus with toasted sliced almonds before serving.
What do you serve with roasted asparagus?
This baked asparagus recipe tastes delicious as a side dish with so many different mains, such as:
- Turkey On The Grill
- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Butter Roasted Chicken
- Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Velvet Cream Sauce
- Pot Roast Recipe In A Crock Pot
If you’re serving your asparagus at Thanksgiving, pair it with some of these other side dishes:
- Southern Dressing With Cornbread
- Green Bean Casserole
- Honey Roasted Sweet Potato With Cinnamon
- Homemade Mashed Potatoes With Evaporated Milk
- Turkey Gravy
Finally, also tastes delicious when served for breakfast with a and some hollandaise sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Wash asparagus spears and break off the bottom two inches or so of each stalk.1 bunch asparagus
- Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.1-2 tablespoons olive oil, 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Place in oven and cook asparagus for about 20 minutes, stirring once, until lightly brown on the edges.
“Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want,
but the realization of how much you already have.”
~Anonymous
Submitted by Janet. Thank you, Janet!
I really love asparagus. I prepare it by roasting, then drizzle with a THIN stream of roasted sesame oil (you can find it in the Asian section of the grocery store). Toss and enjoy either hot or cold. (Add some white or black sesame seeds on top if you have them). Super good!
Oh my goodness, I will have to look for that next time I go to the store! Thanks for sharing!!
I Love asparagus. I remember when my sister was pregnant with her son in the 70’s, she craved it. When we would go grocery shopping, she would buy 9 cans at a time. This was when they were big fat cans, not the skinny ones they sell now. She would get in the car, open up the glove box, take out a can opener, get out a can & start eating it before I had loaded up everything. She would drink all the juice out of it & eat it with her fingers. Always had 3 cans eaten by the time we got home. I used to think that was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen. Now I buy fresh, frozen, and canned & eat it all the time. It’s a wonderful vegetable. By the way, I love the quote about contentment. It is so very true.
Oh wow, I haven’t tried it anyway but fresh yet.
I recently took a vegan cooking class. I’m not vegan, but I wanted to learn to cook vegetables some way other than boiling them with pork or breading and frying them. The local vegan restaurant has introduced me to kale and Swiss chard. Yum! I now have several rainbow chard plants in my garden that I hope will be ready to harvest in a week or two! The grocery stores don’t carry it and it is kind of pricey at the health food store!
So what do you do with it Sonya??
The vegan chef recommended steaming it, but I was too lazy to get more cookware dirty so when I made it at home, I just sauteed it in a little olive oil in the pan that I’d just cooked the tofu in, then sprinkled it with a simple vinaigrette as she recommended.
I cut up my asparagus and pop in it the pressure cooker with a small amount of water and steam it for 2-3 minutes. That’s the only way my husband will eat it & it’s ready in a very short time. The leftover broth is great for adding to soup.
Oh, that is a great idea Becky!!
I grew up eating asparagus ONLY because of my Yankee mother. I never saw my southern relatives eat it though, maybe AL/TN border is still too south for asparagus? But I’ve never tried fiddlheads, supposedly popular in the North, but we weren’t allowed to visit until summer, in case of a late cold spell.
My ex’s family was southern, yet ate asparagus, even if they cooked it so much it was floppy like spaghetti!
One day I’ll try SUNFLOWER HEARTS. There used to be a movie of a chef prepping/cooking a sunflower heart, but host site is all wonky now. Most of what I found on sunflower hearts all linked to the movie from the wonky site, but here’s a blog post with some pictures and explanation:
http://www.wickedtastyharvest.com/wicked_tasty_harvest/2009/10/braised-sunflowers.html
(she embedded the wonky movie, so good luck with it – hopefully I’ve just hit the site while they’re tweaking things and the movie reappears).
I am going to have to check that out. Sunflower Hearts, haven’t ever tried that either.
I have eaten asparagus all my life, though I never really learned to love it until I was an adult and learned not to overcook it as my Mom always did (that was the way they did it then). Recently I learned a new and easy way to cook it which really took it up another notch. I wash it, break the stems (as you did), and place on a sheet of parchment. I sprinkle with Himalayan sea salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil, sometimes with lemon powder, then seal up in parchment packet. Roast at 350 for about 12 min depending on size and number of spears. Delicious.
Yummy!!
Oh, Christy, you are missing one of the GREAT veggies! Put one artichoke per person in a pot of boiling salted water. Turn the heat down to medium, put on the top, & cook for 20 min.(small) to 30 min.(large). Drain. Dredge each leaf in garlic butter (one at a time). Scrape off the “meat” with your teeth. When you get down to the middle (heart) take a spoon & scrape off the furry choke. What you have left is the best part! Cut the heart into pieces & enjoy with the garlic butter. Some people eat them with mayo but I prefer garlic butter. Try it; you’ll like it!
I will have to try it. I have just always been scared about how to cook it.