Roasted Asparagus

Roasted asparagus recipe is the easiest vegetable side ever and can go with just about anything.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated April 25, 2025
Elise Bauer

How to Cook Asparagus

Roasted asparagus in the oven is one of the easiest way to prepare asparagus. Just coat the asparagus with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and maybe a little minced garlic, and roast them until lightly browned and tender.

If you want to take the roasted asparagus up a notch, when they're done, drizzle them with a little lemon juice or balsamic vinegar or sprinkle them with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

A platter of roasted asparagus garnished with half a lemon

Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

Tip for Roasted Asparagus

Have you ever had roasted asparagus turn out tough and stringy? The best way to avoid that is to use the fat spears, not the skinny ones, for roasting. The skinny ones will dry out too quickly in the high heat of the oven.

More Great Asparagus Recipes

How Our Readers Make This Their Own

Everyone who makes this recipe loves it. It's so simple that it lends itself to lots of variations. See what readers have shared in comments.

  • Kathy: "Instead of lemon juice, I like to add a bit of lemon zest before it goes in the oven. Adds a decided bright, but delicate, hit of lemon."
  • Gwendolyn: " I used sesame oil instead of olive oil - delicious!"
  • Elaine: "I drizzle with olive oil, minced garlic, and balsamic vinegar. About 5 minutes before they are done, I drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle sesame seeds. If I want to take it up a notch I will sprinkle crisp prosciutto bit on them after they are done."
  • Maureen: "I put the spears and oil and seasonings in a one gallon zip bag and shook it all up instead of getting the stuff all over my hands. Delicious and easy!"
From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Roasted Asparagus

Prep Time 6 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Total Time 18 mins
Servings 4 servings

For best results for roasting asparagus, use thick asparagus spears, not skinny ones. The thin ones will dry out too quickly and will end up tough and stringy.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting)

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, to taste

Method

  1. Preheat the oven and prep the asparagus:

    Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Rinse the asparagus spears. If the ends are tough, break them off and either discard or save for stock. You can also use a vegetable peeler to peel away the tough outer skin of the fatter ends of the asparagus if you want.

    Lined Asparagus Spears with the bottom of the stalks cut off

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
  2. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic:

    Line a roasting pan with foil. Arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer on the lined roasting pan.

    Drizzle with olive oil and rub the spears all over with the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced garlic, and rub over the asparagus spears to evenly distribute.

    Asparagus lined up on a foiled baking sheet with salt, pepper, and olive oil drizzled on top

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
  3. Roast in the oven:

    Roast at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes, more or less, depending on your particular oven and how thick the spears are, until the asparagus are just lightly browned and tender when you pierce them with a fork.

    Roasted Asparagus taken out of the oven and resting on a baking sheet

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
  4. Drizzle with lemon juice or balsamic to serve:

    To serve, drizzle with fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, and if you want, a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese (skip if cooking vegan).

    Did you love this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!

    A pile of Roasted Asparagus on silver platter

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
89 Calories
7g Fat
6g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 89
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 98mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 9mg 45%
Calcium 34mg 3%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 268mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.