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:
THE best asparagus recipe that we have ever tried! Very tasty! Thank you!☺️
Made this recipe today and it turned out to be so amazing!Great spring recipe,now that the fresh asparagus is abandant!
Yes they’re perfect for the spring. Great to hear that you loved it!
I want to try this recipe, but I live in a country where ovens aren’t part of every kitchen. I have a microwave/ oven. What can I do if I don’t have a broil option on my oven?
HI Shennen, I haven’t tried this in a microwave oven. You might google that to see if anyone has prepared asparagus with instructions for your microwave oven and then adapt with the flavorings here. Sorry I can’t be more helpful with that.
I have always disliked asparagus, but my wife loves it, so for her and her 96 yo mother, I made this as a part of her Easter dinner. It was very good, it made an asparagus eater out of me. I used really skinny asparagus.
Thanks, Adeline
This came out perfect for our Easter dinner. Even the asparagus haters went back for seconds! I haven’t made a recipe of yours yet that wasn’t a complete hit!
My husband loved this recipe! Delicious. And very simple to make. This takes roasted asparagus to a new level.
To make this vegetarian, what margarine do you think comes closest in flavour to butter? And can I use Nutritional Yeast for the parm? Thanks for your lovely recipes and tips!
Hi Rosette! I haven’t tested anything like that and have no experience with vegan butter substitutes. You can also use oil like avocado or olive oil. Let us know if you experiment.
This was sooo good. This was my first time cooking asparagus and it was a success! Thank you for all your delicious recipes.
That’s wonderful, Lynn! You’re very welcome.
Best way to cook Asparagus ever!!!!
I am not an asparagus lover but I cooked asparagus for Thanksgiving and I used this recipe. Everyone at the table said that this was the best asparagus they had ever eaten. It looked beautiful and tasted even better! Thank you for this recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Dotian!
This was delicious!
Everyone loved it.
I find myself coming back here more & more to try your recipes.
Amazing recipes!
Happy to hear that it was a huge hit, Jeanine!
Hi Natasha
This came out great
keep up the great work
Thx❤️
You’re welcome, Sherry! I’m so happy you loved it!
Best asparagus recipe ever! I’ve made it a bazillion times! Even grandkids love it. Thx
That’s wonderful, Debbie! So glad it’s being enjoyed.
Great recipe, as yours are always great.
I love it when you have your pic on options to save. I can quickly see when it is yours.
Hi Sue! I’m so glad you are loving the recipes. Thank you.
An easy recipe but roasted asparagus usually come out shrivelled, limp and unappealing. Best to save for use in risotto, frittatas or simply steamed.
I enjoy following you.
Hi Linda! Thank you, I’m glad you are enjoying my channel.
Linda, I have found that the only time I roast asparagus and it comes out limp and shriveled it’s because the pan was overloaded. In which case they steamed instead of roasting. Asparagus needs to be in a single layer with a sliver of space between each stalk.
Made this last night and it was so easy and tasted amazing . Thank you for posting looking forward to more of your recipes .
That’s great, Loretta! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Could you make this so it will remember so you don’t have to sign on ever time you want to save a recipe? Love your recipes & attitude!
Nataha’s I Love you very much, because you just don’t give a video and and list of Ingredients, Nutrition Facts. you make cooking fun and funny. thank you very much. Have happy day
Hi Robert! That is very kind. Thank you so much for the love and support.
I am making this right now, second time! Absolutely delish! My daughter raved about how good it was and we love the parmesan cheese! Honestly, your recipes are amazing and I tell everyone!
That’s so much, Martha! That means a lot to me.
I just love all you do! I love your bio also!
I made this last night and it was a super hit …… as usual with your recipes! xoxoxoxox
Hi Dawn! I’m glad you love my recipes. Thank you!
Thanks for an easy, quick and delicious recipe! I have made this dish several times l!
Hi Claudia! You’re very welcome. I’m glad you loved it.