Asparagus in the Oven Is the Crispy, Easy Side Dish You Deserve

updated Aug 22, 2023
How To Cook Asparagus in the Oven

This hands-off method yields lightly browned, crisp-tender asparagus every single time.

Serves2 to 4

Prep5 minutes

Cook10 minutes to 15 minutes

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Credit: Leela Cyd

We can’t get enough of asparagus this time of year! We’ve been eating asparagus every which way — sautéed, blanched, grilled, even raw. But one of our favorite easy ways to prepare asparagus is in the oven. It’s a foolproof, hands-off method that requires just a couple minutes of prep, and rewards you with crispy-tipped, tender asparagus every single time. Grab a rimmed baking sheet, a cutting board, and a sturdy chef’s knife – here’s how to do it.

Credit: Leela Cyd

One of the benefits to roasting asparagus, as opposed to cooking it on the stove, is that this method is totally 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 or even steaming it in the microwave.

Last but not least, this is a great way to prepare asparagus for a crowd. It’s easy to scale up the recipe and cook a large quantity at the same time.

Do You Soak Asparagus Before Cooking?

Nope! There’s no need to soak asparagus before cooking.

How Do You Know When Asparagus Are Done?

Knowing how long to cook the asparagus (more on that below!) is helpful, but the easiest way to know when asparagus is done is knowing the visual cues to look for. These are the telltale signs that roasted asparagus is done:

  • bright green coloring
  • light browning or char on the tips
  • stalks are crisp-tender

How to Cut Asparagus

You can cut asparagus in a few different ways:

  • Trim asparagus (snap a first piece of asparagus and use it as a guide to trim the others in the bunch).
  • Cut the asparagus into bite-sized pieces if you don’t prefer the long, lean stems.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus.

How Long to Cook Asparagus in the Oven

Just 10 to 15 minutes is all you need to cook asparagus in the oven.

What to Serve with Roasted Asparagus

How To Cook Asparagus in the Oven

This hands-off method yields lightly browned, crisp-tender asparagus every single time.

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes to 15 minutes

Serves2 to 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 pound

    asparagus

  • Olive oil

  • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Equipment

  • Baking sheet

Instructions

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  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.

  2. 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.

  3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

  4. Roast for 10 to 15 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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