Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Roasted Asparagus spears in a lightly seasoned lemon-butter sauce, topped with a crown of Parmesan cheese. It’s simple, but hard to beat! Roasted asparagus is my favorite way to prepare this vibrant and healthy vegetable. I’ve tried several fancy asparagus recipes, but I keep coming back to this one.

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Roasted Asparagus Video

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

This Roasted Asparagus with lemon butter and parmesan is my all-time favorite asparagus recipe, and I’ve probably made this a hundred times. It’s easy, has simple ingredients, and takes about 12 minutes in the oven. It is also a reader favorite – the most popular asparagus recipe on my blog since 2012 because it’s easy and excellent.

My whole family just loves 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.

Roasted Asparagus Ingredients

This recipe makes a large batch, but can easily be cut in half to feed a smaller crowd.

• Asparagus – I use 2 bunches (about 2 lbs before trimming). When shopping for asparagus, look for compact, closed tips. They should not be falling off or wet. The stalks should be bright green, firm, and smooth, not wilted or floppy. Thin or thick asparagus will work, just adjust the bake time (see chart below).
• Lemon – use half the lemon to add a squeeze of lemon juice over the asparagus before baking and slice the other half into rings.
• Butter – to dot the top of the asparagus spears, and it adds rich flavor.
• Olive oil – to drizzle the asparagus and keep it moist
• Parmesan cheese – added at the end of cooking to create a cheesy crust over the asparagus.

How to Trim Asparagus

Asparagus has a tough, fibrous base that needs to be removed because it is very difficult to chew and digest. I always just snap off the ends because it’s so quick and easy. I’ve been known to snap a few stems at a time to speed things up.

• Break off woody ends (Favorite Method) – Hold the asparagus spear with one hand at the base and the other hand in the middle of the stem. Bend until it snaps naturally (usually 1-2 inches from the base).
• For Thicker spears – use a potato peeler and peel off the fibrous skin on the bottom half of the asparagus.

How to Roast Asparagus

1. 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.
2. 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).
3. Bake at 400˚F for 8-10 minutes(or based on the time chart below). Bake until the asparagus is just fork-tender. Remove asparagus from the oven and set the oven to Broil.
4. Sprinkle parmesan over the center of the asparagus and broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.

What to Serve with Asparagus

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
• Lemon Pepper Chicken
• Air Fryer Whole Chicken

Fresh lemon juice, butter, and Parmesan are a winning combination for Roasted Asparagus. It has the best flavor. P.S. If you love this flavor profile, definitely try our Shrimp Scampi Pasta with asparagus.

More Roasted Vegetable Recipes

If you love tasty and easy roasted veggie sides, you’ll find some new favorites in this list:

• Roasted Cauliflower
• Roasted Broccoli
• Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
• Roasted Carrots
• Roasted Potatoes
• Smashed Potatoes
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes