How To Cook Asparagus in the Oven

We can't get enough of asparagus this time of year. Did you know that asparagus grows 6 to 10 inches a day during peak growing season?

We've been eating asparagus every which way — sautéed, blanched, even raw. But one of our favorite easy ways to prepare asparagus is to roast it in the oven. This is so easy; here's how to do it.

One of the benefits to roasting asparagus, as opposed to cooking it on the stove, is that this method is very hands-off. You can slide a tray of asparagus into the oven then go about your cooking business.

It also gives you a lot of control. Maybe you like your asparagus well done, tender and getting a little crisped-up on the ends. Or maybe you like your asparagus barely-cooked. It's easy to get exactly the texture you want without accidentally overdoing it, as I often do when blanching it.

Last but not least, this is a great way to prepare asparagus for a crowd!

1. Snap off the dry ends of the asparagus. Heat the oven to 425°F. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and discard.

Serves 2 to 4

What You Need

Ingredients
1 pound asparagus
Olive oil
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Equipment
Baking sheet

Instructions

Snap off the dry ends of the asparagus. Heat the oven to 425°F. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and discard.
Drizzle with olive oil. Spread the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Toss the asparagus to evenly coat with oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes. Roast on the top rack of the oven. The roasting time will depend on your tastes; you can roast until the asparagus are just barely cooked through or, as here, quite well roasted and getting a little crispy on the ends. It's up to you!

Recipe Notes

Serving tip: Roasted asparagus is wonderful served with a poached or hard-boiled egg on top.

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(Image credits: Leela Cyd)