Oven Roasted Asparagus

A simple, straight-forward guide to make your BEST ever Oven Roasted Asparagus that is tender, yet crisp, and the perfect side dish for any meal! Simple enough for weeknights and elegant enough for holidays!

Oven Roasted Asparagus

This Oven Roasted Asparagus is not only easy to make, it's tender yet crisp, perfectly seasoned, and full of flavor. Of course, I had to a little parmesan on it too. While the asparagus bakes the cheese browns a bit, giving it a deeper more intense cheesy flavor.

It is very quick to prep and can even be prepped or made ahead. And with this full guide to making your best asparagus ever, from start to finish, you'll be making this spectacular oven roasted asparagus all season long!

How to Store Fresh Asparagus

Asparagus is best enjoyed fresh, so keeping it fresh is important!

1. Trim about an inch off of all of the asparagus.
2. Place about an inch to inch-and-a-half of water in the bottom of a mason jar or large glass.
3. Place asparagus upright in the jar.
4. If you need your asparagus to last longer, place a plastic bag over the top of the asparagus to keep them from drying out in the refrigerator.
5. Store in the refrigerator for about 3 to 5 days, as necessary.

How to Trim Asparagus

Trimming your asparagus is an important step because the bottoms are very woody and difficult to chew.

The easiest way to trim asparagus is the snap-and-cut method, where you snap a test spear to the correct length and then uniformly cut the remaining asparagus using the snapped spear as a guide for length.

To do this,

1. Hold a medium-sized stalk by the middle and the woody bottom end.
2. Bend it until it snaps. Don't worry! It won't break off too much! (Even though sometimes it looks like a lot.)
3. Line up the tip of the snapped stalk with the tips of the remaining stalks.
4. Slice off the ends of the remaining stalks, so they’re the same length as the snapped stalk.

Now your asparagus are ready for their olive oil rub and seasonings!

What's the Best Way to Cook Asparagus

I love any method that gets the tips a little crispy, so my two favorite methods are this oven-roasted asparagus OR this easy air fryer version.

How Long to Roast Asparagus

The time needed to cook asparagus will vary based on the size of the asparagus. Very thin asparagus will have a much shorter roasting time, about 9 to 11 minutes, while much thicker asparagus may need quite a bit longer, up to about 15 to 20 minutes.

The best way to know is to check at about 8 to 10 minutes. If your asparagus is tender, but still a little crisp, and crispy and browned in all of the desired places (even if that happens to be not at all for you personally), then your asparagus is done. If it's still too crisp or not crispy on the ends yet, put it back in the oven for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Recipe Variations

Since oven roasted asparagus is such a simple recipe, it's also versatile and easy to personalize! Here are some ways to personalize it to your own tastebuds.

• Herbs - Fresh herbs add both flavor and elegance to pretty much everything. Try dill, parsley, or chives before or after roasting.
• Lemon - One of the best ways to liven up this dish! Cut a lemon into wedges and squeeze a wedge over the asparagus before serving.
• Lemon Pepper - This seasoning is a savior if you don't have any fresh lemon. All that same lemon flavor in a seasoning with earthy, spicy black pepper!
• Everything seasoning - A simple way to pack in a lot of flavor, and it's a really pretty seasoning too!
• Red pepper flakes - Add a little spice with some crushed red pepper flakes. Sprinkle until they're as spicy as you like!
• Ranch seasoning - This one is great, especially if you have kids! It adds a garlicky tanginess and kids will eat anything ranch flavored.
• Balsamic vinegar - Another way to add a little sweet acidity other than fresh lemon.
• Pesto - Fresh basil pesto with a high quality olive oil and creamy, nutty parmesan is basically asparagus-heaven.
• Nuts or seeds - Chopped or slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or chopped pecans would be great additions for a little extra crunch.
• Cherry tomatoes - I love a burst of zesty flavor from roasted cherry tomatoes in between bites of asparagus. It adds extra freshness, acid, and even a little sweetness. But be careful. If you roast them whole, they can pop right in your mouth (and they are hot!)
• Hollandaise sauce - This creamy, buttery, lemon sauce is basically made for asparagus. Slather a little on top just before serving.

What to Serve with Oven Roasted Asparagus

Oven roasted asparagus makes a versatile side dish for any meal! Try it with any of these main courses:

• Salmon
• Chicken
• Prime Rib
• Eggs Benedict (or Eggs Benedict Casserole)
• Pork Chops
• Ham
• Pasta

It will go well with pretty much any kind of meal you can imagine!

More Veggie Side Dish Recipes Recipes You'll Love

• Bourbon Glazed Carrots - These little carrot discs are addictive with their sweet, garlic and bourbon glaze.
• Creamed Peas - This side is a winner for even pea haters. How can you turn down the rich, buttery, savory creaminess with bursts of bright sweet peas?!
• Brussels Sprouts Gratin - Brussels sprouts get a cheesy upgrade in this baked cheesy casserole version with a crispy, savory toping.
• Sauteed Zucchini and Squash - This one's one of my all time favorite sides. It's so quick and easy and everyone always loves it. Bites of sauteed zucchini and squash with onions and a little sprinkle of nutty parmesan.
• Green Beans with Shallots - Buttery green beans with savory, flavorful shallots to give a favorite a flavor boost.

Oven Roasted Asparagus Video

Storage:
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

UPDATE INFO: This post was originally published in April 2017. It was updated with new pictures, tips, and video and republished in April 2024.