Food & Cooking Recipes Seasonal Recipes Spring Recipes Oven-Roasted Asparagus 4.1 (37) 2 Reviews This is a classic way to prepare and enjoy this favorite spring vegetable. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 20, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Julia Hartbeck Servings: 6 Servings Jump to recipe We wait all year for asparagus season. Our favorite spring vegetable tastes delicious simply boiled or steamed, but roasting the asparagus in the oven results in a foolproof side dish that's just right for a weeknight dinner or special holiday. Roasting asparagus provides deeper flavor than other cooking methods. It gives the spears a meltingly soft texture. This recipe is simple, all you need is asparagus, olive oil, salt, and pepper. We roast asparagus at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing it to cook low rather than at high heat so that it caramelizes to perfection. Easy Vegetable Side Dishes You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less When Is Asparagus in Season? Asparagus is a spring delicacy, at its peak from February through June. Hothouse asparagus is available year-round. How to Prep Asparagus Asparagus is simple to prepare. Once it’s been carefully washed under cold running water to remove any traces of fine grit that can linger in the tips, the next step is trimming. Trimming Asparagus Asparagus spears have woody ends and many cooks use the bend and snap technique to remove them. They take one spear and bend it until it snaps, discarding the lower part. Others will argue that it is wasteful and time-consuming. They recommend cutting the ends off the spears: Line up the asparagus on your chopping board and see where the rough part starts (often where the stem starts to fade to white).Use a sharp knife to chop the rough end off all the spears at once (or work in sections if you’re working with a lot of asparagus). Once trimmed, the asparagus is ready to cook. The Best Asparagus for Roasting Asparagus can be pencil-thin, jumbo-sized, or somewhere in between. When you are roasting spears, choose a bunch that is similarly sized so they will cook evenly. And remember that asparagus roasts quickly—some cooks avoid thin spears for fear they will burn and shrivel. Medium or thick spears are generally the best choice for roasting. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 pounds asparagus, as fat as possible 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper Directions Julia Hartbeck Preheat oven and prep asparagus: Preheat oven to 350°F with a baking sheet inside. Trim and peel asparagus to the point on the stem where it is most tender. Wash well. Julia Hartbeck Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and season: While asparagus is still moist and wet, drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Julia Hartbeck Transfer to baking sheet and roast: Place on the preheated baking sheet, and roast until tender to the point of a knife, 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the asparagus. Julia Hartbeck Serve: Transfer to a serving dish; serve warm or at room temperature. Julia Hartbeck How to Store Oven-Roasted Asparagus If you have leftover oven-roasted asparagus, place it in an airtight food container. Store the container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Frequently Asked Questions Should I soak asparagus before roasting? No, you don’t need to soak asparagus before roasting, but you do need to wash it and pat dry. Then snap off the woody ends and season. What other cooking methods can I use with asparagus? Other cooking methods that you can use for cooking asparagus include boiling, steaming, grilling, and sautéing. Asparagus is a versatile vegetable that takes well to various techniques. We also like to use it in risotto and pasta dishes. Is it possible to overcook asparagus? Yes, it is possible to overcook asparagus. It's especially easy to overcook boiled asparagus; if it is limp, waterlogged, and has lost all its verdant green, it is overcooked. Iff you steam asparagus for too long the spears end up mushy and slimy, and if your grilled or roasted asparagus is all char and no green some would say you have overcooked it. How do I revive limp asparagus? You can revive wilted or limp asparagus spears by trimming the ends. After trimming, submerge the asparagus in a bowl of water. The asparagus will plump up after about an hour of sitting in the water. Try These Other Ways to Cook Asparagus Grilled Asparagus Salad With Caper-Cornichon Vinaigrette Boiled Asparagus Simply Steamed Asparagus Asparagus and Lemon Risotto Stir-Fried Asparagus Roasted Asparagus With Parmesan Originally appeared: Everyday Food, March/April 2003, Martha Stewart Living, June 1998, Martha Stewart Living, April 2000, Martha Stewart Living, April 2000 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.