Easy Roasted Asparagus Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the best way to cook asparagus? ›

Chop the spears into 1-inch pieces and drop them into the boiling water for about 1 minute, or until tender but still bright green. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the blanched asparagus to the ice water and chill for 1 minute. Drain, pat dry, and toss into salads, pastas, or squeeze with lemon and enjoy!

Bake the asparagus for 9 to 11 minutes (for thin stalks) or 15 to 20 minutes (for thicker stalks), just until it easily pierces with a fork. Sprinkle the asparagus with your toppings of choice. My favorite is lemon zest and juice, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

If it sits too long in the oil without cooking, it can get soggy. So make sure it's hot enough before roasting! Season Generously: Toss the asparagus stalks well so they're entirely coated. They won't brown evenly if not – and the seasoning will only stay on one side!

I trim the ends and then rinse the stalks and let them sit in cold water for five minutes. It hydrates the asparagus, and they cook more quickly, for they are already wet with some moisture within them. Do not soak them for thirty minutes, you are not trying to get them soggy.

Cut 6 to 8 cleaned and trimmed medium asparagus spears into 2-inch lengths. Add olive oil or butter to pan; when hot, add asparagus, season generously with salt and pepper and cook about 3 to 4 minutes, until bright green, shaking or stirring the pan frequently.

Why Isn't My Asparagus Crispy? Whether you Air Fry, steam, broil, or roast asparagus — if the spears come out soggy and limp it means they're overcooked. I usually categorize asparagus spears into thin, medium, and thick categories.

First things first, you'll need to remove the tough, woody ends on your asparagus. We prefer to do this by quickly snapping off the ends. If you're working with thick stalks, peel the ends first with a vegetable peeler to make them easier to snap.

Another way to prevent overcooking is to shock the asparagus in an ice bath. Once you remove asparagus from the heat, pour the veggies into a bowl of ice-cold water. The cold water will stop the cooking process as well as bring out the vegetable's naturally bright color and maintain its crisp texture.

The tips tend to go soft first, followed by a shriveling of the stems. The stalks will go from bright green and firm to dull-colored and limp when it's starting to reach its expiration date. By the time the tips turn black, you'll notice they're completely mushy and probably smell a little funky, too.

Lignin is not softened by heat, so it remains fibrous and tough after cooking. To eliminate lignin, snap (don't cut) the end of each spear just before cooking. It will break right at the point where the stalk becomes tender. Do this just before cooking so you leave no time for asparagus to accumulate yet more lignin.

Can you cook asparagus too long? ›

Does asparagus get softer the longer you cook it? Yes, it does. But you don't want to cook it too long or it will be soggy. That's fine when using in a soup, but not so much as a roasted side.

Asparagus develops a rich flavor when roasted, making this one of the most popular ways to eat the vegetable. Wash and trim spears, lightly peel the base of tougher stalks, and pat dry. Place on a baking sheet and mist or drizzle with olive oil, rolling each spear to coat.

On a baking sheet, toss the trimmed spears with enough olive oil to coat and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Then roast the asparagus in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. That will give the veggie a sweet, roasted depth of flavor and hearty-yet-tender texture.

Remove woody ends: We recommend trimming off the woody ends because they're difficult to chew and result in stringy roasted asparagus. Cook at a high temperature: A higher temperature is what produces the lovely grilled flavor and al dente texture.