Fresh asparagus spears tossed with oil and seasoning before roasting to delicious perfection! Ready in 15 minutes, roasted asparagus is the taste of summer.
I know that summer has truly arrived when asparagus is cheap enough to gorge on regularly! My whole family loves asparagus, and when it comes into season we take full advantage.
The bright green asparagus spears have a unique and delicious flavour, and freshly picked, local asparagus is the best of all. It won’t be around for long though, so make sure you eat plenty now, before the season is over!
Why you should love asparagus!
Firstly, for it’s incomparable and delicious flavour, of course!
And then, because it’s so good for you.
Asparagus is low in fat and calories, and contains a wide range of different vitamins and minerals. It provides iron, B vitamins and folic acid among others. Asparagus also contains prebiotic compounds, which are beneficial for gut health, and polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory properties.
Just five spears of asparagus (approximately 80g) counts as one of your 5-a-day, so it’s an easy and delicious way to add health-boosting veggies to your diet.
How to prepare asparagus for cooking
While the tips of asparagus spears are the most tender and flavourful part, the other end of the stem can sometimes become quite fibrous and woody. It’s best to remove this part before cooking.
If you are simply looking at your fresh asparagus, there is sadly no easy way to judge which part of the stem is tough and where the delicious tender part begins. Fortunately, the asparagus itself helps us out!
Simply hold the cut end of the asparagus in one hand, and grip about ¼ – ⅓ the way up the spear with the other hand. Bend the asparagus between your hands and it will snap off in just the right place! See the video below for the technique.
You can save the ends to make into stock or flavour soup, or you can just add them to your compost or throw them away!
Different ways to cook asparagus
I remember growing up, asparagus was always served steamed, with melted butter. It’s a wonderful way to eat it, but now that I’m in charge of the cooking, I do like to try different ways to prepare my asparagus.
I’ve included it in a pasta carbonara, put it on top of a pizza, and used it as the filling for some delicious buckwheat crepes, among other things. One of our favourite ways to cook it is on the barbecue or in a griddle pan when the weather isn’t playing nicely!
The important thing is not to overcook the asparagus. It should always retain a little ‘bite’ – nobody wants soggy, flaccid asparagus!
Roasted asparagus
I recently found myself with almost a kilogram of fresh asparagus, and wanted a way to cook it all in one go, and quickly! While griddling adds a delicious flavour, I can only cook a few spears at a time, so it’s a lengthy and labour intensive job to do such a big bunch. I decided to cook the asparagus in the oven instead.
The asparagus was simply tossed with olive oil and a little salt and pepper before being spread out on a baking tray. The preparation could not have been simpler!
Ingredients in roasted asparagus
The ingredients for this delicious side dish could not be simpler! All you will need to make roasted asparagus yourself is:
- Fresh asparagus spears – of course!
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to season
- That’s it!
You might also like to add a squeeze of lemon when your asparagus come out of the oven, but it’s totally optional. It does provide a bit of extra zing and freshness though.
Roasted asparagus – High temperature = delicious flavour
To keep cooking time short, I cranked up the oven temperature. This also helped the roasted asparagus spears to char slightly and develop lovely savoury flavours.
Fast, easy and delicious – roasted asparagus is the taste of summer!
Top Tips and FAQs
- Is this roasted asparagus suitable for special diets?
Yes! This easy roasted asparagus is naturally vegan and gluten-free. For a low-sodium version, simply omit the salt or replace with a low-sodium alternative. Like all vegetables, asparagus do contain plenty of fibre, so if you need a very low-fibre diet this recipe might not be suitable. Full nutritional information is included in the recipe card below. - Can you prepare roasted asparagus ahead of time?
Yes! The asparagus are best served hot from the oven, but they are almost as good warm or at room temperature. They should be eaten within a few hours and definitely on the day they are made. - Can roasted asparagus be frozen?
Unfortunately not. Freezing adversely affects the texture of the asparagus, and nobody likes soggy asparagus. - What can you serve with roasted asparagus?
We love to eat this as a side dish with almost anything! It goes brilliantly with quiche, salads, fish dishes etc. You can also serve it with some fresh bread and butter as a tasty starter.
Enjoy the asparagus season while it lasts!
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📖 Recipe
Roasted asparagus
Ingredients
- 500 g asparagus
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- good pinch salt and pepper
- fresh lemon for squeezing – optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and discard. Wash the spears well.
- Spread the asparagus out on a large baking tray. Drizzle over the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss the asparagus in the oil until they are coated, then spread out in a single layer.
- Roast the asparagus at 200°C (400°F) until cooked and just beginning to char. This will be approx. 8-10 minutes for thin spears, 10-12 minutes for thicker asparagus.
- Pile onto a serving dish, squeeze over some fresh lemon juice if you're using it, and eat hot!
Nutrition
More delicious asparagus recipes
Some more delicious ways to use asparagus include:
- Asparagus pasta carbonara with sun dried tomatoes
- Asparagus, pesto and mushroom pizza
- Buckwheat crepes (galettes) with creamy asparagus, beans and mushrooms
And from around the web:
- Wild rice and asparagus salad with lemon thyme and sumac, from Thinly Spread
- Asparagus with sesame vinegar dressing, from Kavey Eats
- Simple griddled asparagus with zingy lemon, from Tin and Thyme
- Asparagus, avocado, blue cheese and beetroot salad, from Tinned Tomatoes
I’m linking up with #CookBlogShare.
This recipe was originally published on 30 June 2020. It was updated with additional information on 12 June 2023.
Sisley White - Sew White
I really need to remember to roast asparagus more. It never occurs to me at all! This recipes made it so easy I will be making a lot more.
Helen
Thanks Sisley. Especially if you have the oven on anyway, it’s so easy and soooo delicious!
Janice
Asparagus is so delicious, this simple recipe is all that’s needed.
Helen
I couldn’t agree more Janice – simple and so so tasty!
Choclette
Ooh what a lovely big dish of roasted asparagus. Roasting is such a delicious way to eat this most gorgeous of spring vegetables. I’ve not had any yet this year, but the season must surely be here.
Helen
Thanks Choclette. I’ve seen a few around so they are just starting. Hopefully it won’t be much longer before there are big bunches to be had for a reasonable price!
Sharon Chen
These look so good and healthy! I’m making this for dinner tonight.
Helen
Yay! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did Sharon 🙂
Jo
This is my go-to side dish! So healthy and yummy!
Helen
Thanks Jo, that’s great to hear 🙂
Devy
I always find asparagus is one of those tricky to handle vegetables. So your recipe gives me good tips to cook perfectly. Thank you.
Helen
Thanks Devy, so glad to hear that you found it helpful.
Claudia Lamascolo
this was the best recipe for asparagus I ever made, I even overcooked it and it was still fabulous! thanks for sharing
Helen
Thanks Claudia, that’s great to know. So glad you enjoyed it!
Alisa Infanti
We make this all the time in our house. A summer staple!
Helen
Thanks Alisa – great to hear that!
Kushigalu
What a great side dish to try this Summer. Love asparagus
Helen
Thanks Kushigalu! It’s a great summer dish – we love it!
rika
Summer is the perfect time to cook asparagus! So light and healthy!
Helen
Thanks Rika – I totally agree.
Sue
Perfect timing, i just brought home 2 big bunches of asparagus, and now I know what’s for dinner!
Helen
Yay! I hope you enjoy these as much as we did. We polished off two huge bunches between the four of us 🙂
Juli M
I love asparagus in the summer too when its plentiful. I love this simple roasting method, so delicious.
Helen
Thanks Juli. Yes, we’re enjoying it while we can! Only a few more weeks of this year’s season…