Perfect roasted asparagus

This perfect roasted asparagus is the simple side dish you've been looking for. It checks all the boxes: it's healthy, a little bit crunchy, a little bit crispy, and is SUPER easy to prepare, with minimal ingredients and babysitting.

In most parts of the US, asparagus season is February to June, peaking in April. So this roasted asparagus is a fantastic spring side! It's also a light partner for rich meals around the holidays.

Looking for more holiday sides? These vegan mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy are to die for. Have some extra roasted asparagus? Add to this simple vegetable risotto or spring pesto pasta.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
• Perfect roasted asparagus
• Food safety

Ingredients

We don't need many ingredients to make wonderfully crispy roasted asparagus. In fact, most of these are probably in your kitchen already!

• green asparagus spears
• salt and pepper
• cooking oil (such as grapeseed)
• garlic
• lemon (optional)

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

First, preheat the oven to 400 F.

Now wash asparagus and remove the thick fibrous bottom with a chef's knife. We want the size of our spears to be consistent so they cook evenly.

Then place spears into a bowl of ice water for 5-10 minutes. This will help our asparagus stay crispy when we bake instead of becoming soggy.

Meanwhile, place a frying pan on a burner over medium heat. Toast coarse pepper flakes for 1-2 minutes, then add oil and minced garlic. Fry for 1-2 minutes then remove from heat.

Pat asparagus dry and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Next, pour seasoned oil over the asparagus spears and gently mix using your hands.

Finally, bake for 10-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. When asparagus is done, it will be bright green or slightly yellow green, and the tips may be start to brown.

To serve, top with salt and a spritz of lemon juice as desired. Serve right away for crispiest, crunchiest asparagus.

Hint: add salt when ready to serve instead of earlier in the process. Salt extracts water from food, which will make your asparagus soggy if it sits for too long.

Substitutions

This perfect roasted asparagus recipe is naturally vegan, plant-based, gluten-free and dairy-free.

If you're oil-free, I recommend steaming asparagus. To steam asparagus, place a half inch of water into a wide-bottomed, flat pan and bring to a simmer. Place asparagus into pan and cover with a lid for 5-7 minutes. Serve bright green asparagus with salt, pepper, and a spritz of lemon juice.

Variations

While this roasted asparagus is simple, there are a few variations if you're feeling adventurous (or have kids):

• Extra rich - replace the oil with butter or vegan butter
• Spicy - toast red pepper flakes with black pepper grounds
• Cheesy - top roasted asparagus with Parmesan before serving. Violife has a great vegan Parmesan block that grates like dairy Parmesean.
• Kid friendly - leave out the garlic and lemon, go a little lighter on the pepper

Equipment

To make this perfect roasted asparagus, you'll need a few key pieces of equipment:

• Cutting board & chef's knife
• Garlic press (optional) - you can also mince with a chef's knife, but this is easy and leaves my hands smelling less garlic-y
• Large mixing bowl for ice water
• Small frying pan & utensil for lightly stirring
• Sheet pan lined with parchment paper for easy clean-up

Storage

This asparagus is best served hot, however you can store covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. If not served fresh out of the oven, it may be a little soggy.

To reheat, microwave in increments of 15 seconds.

Top tip

Remember: add salt at the end, otherwise your asparagus won't be as crispy!

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Food safety

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds - I'm a big fan of grapeseed oil
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.