Roasted asparagus is easy to make, and it comes out wonderfully tender-crisp. It's ready fast - I bake it in a 400°F oven for just 15 minutes.
Overcooking will make it stringy, so you definitely want to avoid that. As for the leftovers, try them cold, antipasti-style! They are delicious.
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, especially when in season. I enjoy steamed asparagus and microwave asparagus. But oven-baking is the best method of preparing it.
Roasting vegetables enhances their flavor and texture, and asparagus is a good example. When done just right, roasted asparagus is tender-crisp and flavorful.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Fresh asparagus: Try to find medium-thick stalks. Not ultra-thin and not super-thick.
- Olive oil: I use extra-virgin olive oil. I love its flavor!
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. I use garlic powder in this recipe because the fine granules coat the spears uniformly. If you prefer fresh minced garlic, that's fine.
- Parmesan: Finely grated parmesan works best.
Variations
- Sometimes, I use melted butter instead of olive oil. It's delicious!
- Add more spices. I like to add a pinch of dried thyme.
- Grated Pecorino Romano is a good substitute for parmesan.
- Sometimes, I sprinkle the finished dish with red pepper flakes, as shown in the photos on this page. They add a hint of spice and some color.
- Sprinkle the finished dish with bacon bits.
Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Arrange the asparagus spears on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The parchment is used to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup. After trimming the asparagus ends, you should be able to fit two rows of them on the baking sheet:
Drizzle the asparagus spears with olive oil. Use your hands to ensure they are well coated.
Sprinkle the asparagus with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and grated parmesan cheese.
Bake the asparagus in a 400°F oven for about 15 minutes until it's tender-crisp. Sprinkle it with more parmesan and serve.
Expert Tips
Use Medium Asparagus
Medium-sized asparagus spears are best. If all you can get is thin or thick spears, like the ones in the image below, you can use them in this recipe, adjusting the roasting time.
Very thin spears will need no more than 10 minutes in the oven. If using thick ones, check them after the first 15 minutes and see if their thickest parts are fork-tender. If not, keep roasting them for 2-3 more minutes.
Trimming The Ends
You should always trim asparagus ends, but if using thick spears, it's especially important to trim them; they tend to be woody and fibrous.
Dry Them Thoroughly
Wet asparagus spears will steam instead of roasting. After rinsing them, place them on paper towels and dry them thoroughly.
Recipe FAQs
I roast asparagus in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes. This is the optimal time and temperature when using medium-thickness stalks. Overcooking will ruin its texture and make it stringy.
This happens when asparagus is overcooked. It cooks fast! So, although you want it cooked and not raw, it's better to slightly undercook it and let it finish cooking on your plate.
The stems will be tender-crisp and flavorful if you don't overcook them. When overcooked, asparagus becomes mushy and stringy.
Yes, you should wash it. Dry it well with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel so it bakes rather than steams in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
Since I bake the asparagus in a 400°F oven, I like to serve it with a main dish that I can cook in the same oven, such as:
- Spicy baked chicken thighs
- Keto fried chicken
- Baked shrimp
- Keto meatballs
- Garlic parmesan wings
- Cheeseburger casserole
- Baked chicken drumsticks
In the photo below, you can see that I'm baking the asparagus and chicken drumsticks simultaneously. The drumsticks need 40 minutes in the oven and the asparagus 15, so I bake the chicken for 25 minutes and then place the asparagus in the oven.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. I keep them in a glass food storage container like this:
How do you enjoy them? I have a tip for you. Roasted asparagus, served cold, is delicious! Think antipasti - yes, that's the idea. I often have it for lunch with poached eggs.
Sometimes, I wrap the leftover asparagus in prosciutto slices for an improvised version of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus.
If you'd like to reheat the leftovers, you can do so in the microwave at 50% power.
More Asparagus Recipes
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Recipe Card
Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus - tough ends trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese - grated, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper.
- Place the asparagus on the baking sheet in a single layer. After it's trimmed, you should be able to fit two rows of it into the pan.
- Drizzle the asparagus with the olive oil, then toss with your hands to coat. Sprinkle with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and half the parmesan.
- Bake until the asparagus is tender-crisp, for about 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle the asparagus with the remaining parmesan and serve. Â
Video
Notes
- I use garlic powder in this recipe because its fine granules coat the spears uniformly. If you prefer fresh minced garlic, that works too.Â
- Medium-sized asparagus spears like the ones shown in the video above are best. If all you can get is thin or thick spears, you can use them in this recipe, adjusting the roasting time. Very thin spears will need no more than 10 minutes in the oven. If using thick ones, check them after the first 15 minutes and see if their thickest parts are fork-tender. If not, keep roasting them for 2-3 more minutes.
- You should always trim asparagus ends, but if using thick spears, it's especially important to trim them; they tend to be woody and fibrous.
- Dry the asparagus well with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel after washing so it bakes rather than steams in the oven.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can chop them and add them cold to a salad or gently reheat them in the microwave at 50% power.Â
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
CA
I tried the chicken drumsticks and asparagus recipe. These are awesome
Vered DeLeeuw
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed these recipes. Thank you for the review.
Mike C
Both recipes were a hit in my home. I did this as a suprise dinner and everyone is asking if I can cook this again! We normally have leftovers, but not this time! Just WOW!
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! I'm so glad to hear. Thank you for letting me know, Mike.
Suzanne
This is a good recipe. I don't usually eat asparagus, but bought some today at the store, as they were out of fresh green beans. The parmesan cheese and black pepper did a nice job of flavoring the asparagus. As I am on a low-sodium diet, I omitted the salt, and honestly, with the sodium content of the parmesan cheese, it did not need any additional salt. (Oh, and I used PAM spray instead of olive oil.) I did slightly overcook it, but it still tasted good. While I probably won't eat asparagus very often, when I do, I will surely use this recipe. Thanks!
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Suzanne! Thank you for the detailed comment.