It’s the perfect side dish; Roasted Asparagus spears in lightly seasoned lemon butter with parmesan cheese. It’s simple, but hard to beat! Roasted asparagus is our favorite way to prepare this vibrant and healthy vegetable.
I’ve tried several fancy asparagus recipes but I keep coming back to this one. Maybe it’s because I usually have all the ingredients in the pantry? Or maybe it’s just my favorite!
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We just love asparagus from Asparagus Casserole to Roasted Salmon and Asparagus and we even love it in our Baked Feta Pasta! It’s such a humble ingredient with so much potential. Thankfully it’s a vegetable my kids love so we get creative with it.
We’ve probably made this a hundred times and it is the most popular asparagus recipe on our site since 2012 because it’s easy and excellent
Ingredients for Baked Asparagus
This recipe makes a large batch, but can easily be cut in half to feed a smaller crowd.
- Asparagus – you’ll need 2 bunches (about 2 lbs), with the ends trimmed
- Lemon – we squeeze half of a lemon over the asparagus before baking and slice the other half into rings.
- Unsalted butter – to dot the top of the asparagus spears and it adds rich flavor.
- Olive oil – to drizzle the asparagus and keep it moist
- Salt & Pepper – these simple seasonings are all you need.
- Parmesan cheese – added at the end of cooking to creating a cheesy crust over the asparagus.
How to Cook Asparagus in the Oven
- Prep – Rinse, pat dry, and trim asparagus.
- Arrange asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roll asparagus lightly to coat.
- Add lemon and butter – Squeeze half a lemon evenly over the asparagus. Arrange lemon slices over the top then place pats of butter over asparagus (don’t worry, most of the butter will end up on the pan and not on your waistline).
- Bake at 400˚F for 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Remove asparagus from the oven and set the oven to Broil.
- Sprinkle parmesan over the center of the asparagus and broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
Pro Tip: Break off the fibrous asparagus ends by holding the asparagus with one hand at the base and the other hand in the middle of the stem. Bend until it snaps wherever it snaps. This ensures you remove the tough fibrous base that is very difficult to chew.
Common Questions
There is usually about 1 lb of asparagus in a bunch and it can range from 3/4 lb to 1 1/2 lbs+ per bunch depending on the thickness of your asparagus. For this recipe, you’ll need 2 pounds of asparagus before trimming.
One is not better than the other and they vary in thickness depending on their variety. Both work great in this recipe but keep in mind, thick asparagus will take slightly longer to bake (10-12 minutes) and thin asparagus will take less time (8-10 minutes).
Look for asparagus tips that are compact and closed. They should not be falling off or wet. The stalks should be bright green, firm, and smooth (not wilted or floppy).
Lemon, butter, and parmesan is a winning combination for Roasted Asparagus. P.S. If you love this flavor profile, definitely try our Shrimp Scampi Pasta with asparagus.
Serve With
We love serving roasted asparagus with just about everything – it’s such a versatile profile. These are our favorite pairings for main courses and sides to complete the meal:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Lemon Chicken
- Pan-Seared Steak
- Chicken Parmesan
- Baked Salmon with Garlic and Dijon
- Pork Tenderloin
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon, Butter, and Parmesan
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse 2 bunches of asparagus and break off the ends by holding the base end and snapping it wherever it snaps.
- Place asparagus in a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roll asparagus lightly to coat in oil and seasonings.
- Squeeze 1/2 of a lemon evenly over the asparagus. Line the top third of the asparagus with lemon slices from the second half of your lemon. Thinly slice 4 tbsp of butter and line the center of the asparagus with butter.
- Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Remove asparagus from the oven and set oven to Broil.
- Sprinkle the center of the asparagus with Parmesan cheese then return to the center of the oven and broil 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
Nutrition Per Serving
We first published this baked asparagus recipe in 2012. I updated the recipe with new photos and a video tutorial. Here is one of the original photos:
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
We have a very large asparagus patch and are always looking for ways to fix it. Well, I am. My wife won’t cook. I made this and she actually complimented me, an occasion more rare than a super blue moon. This one? She actually asked for it again! This pairs beautifully with everything from reverse-seared venison steaks to Chicken Cordon Bleu. Thanks, Natasha.
Made everyone love asparagus! Elegant and full of taste. I followed your recipe and all the flavors were so yummy!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Deborah!
My favourite too but I omit the parmesan and apply lemon rind instead. So good with baked lemon chicken thighs!
Sounds good, I bet it’s still delicious!