How to Bake Asparagus in Foil in the Oven

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Oven roasted asparagus is a fast and easy side dish to serve up with your family's dinner, needing just oil, salt, pepper, and lemon.

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What is asparagus?
What is roasted asparagus?
Serving suggestions
Ingredients
Instructions
Tips for success
Recipe costs
Kitchen equipment
Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Ready for spring? With the changing of the season comes the arrival of spring produce, like asparagus, artichokes, and strawberries. These are heralds of the end of winter so watch for great pricing.

Looking for a super simple, spring side dish? Roasted asparagus is it!

Tender green spears roasted in flavorful olive oil and seasoned gently with salt, pepper, and lemon juice promises to be a bright and cheerful addition to your table.

What is asparagus?

Asparagus is a vegetable in the lily family. Its season runs from February to June; it is available in green, white, or purple. Asparagus is best cooked the same day, but can be stored up to 4 days in the fridge. For longer storage, you can freeze asparagus.

What is roasted asparagus?

While vegetables are often maligned in our culture, I think their poor reputation is to be blamed on how folks prepare it. Over time I've found that oven roasting my vegetables, like oven roasted tomatoes or roast garlic really brings out the flavor in the vegetable.

Roasted asparagus is cooked in a hot oven instead of boiling or steaming, preparations that often result in soggy and stringy veg. Roasting imparts a richer flavor and a crisp-tender texture.

Serving suggestions

This is a great side dish to accompany your main sides, but I love serving it with some Slow Cooker Ham and the Tastiest Scalloped Potatoes on the Planet.

It's also delicious with Baked Salmon in Foil or as a nice alternative to the beans in Easy Chicken and Green Beans.

Ingredients

You don't need much for this recipe, just asparagus, oil, salt, pepper, and lemon.

Adaptations

You can swap out the oil for another fat, such as melted butter, ghee, or coconut oil. If you want to add a bit of extra flavor, try sprinkling on chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, or finely shredded parmesan.

Instructions

Making oven roasted asparagus couldn't be simpler! I always start with washing my asparagus spears and trim them by bending each spear until it snaps.

By bending them it will naturally snap off where the tougher end meets the tender shoot. is which can be tough to eat sometimes. You can also remove the woody, inedible ends with a knife or vegetable peeler.

Preheat your oven to 375 °. Line a baking sheet with foil, parchment, or a silat baking mat. Line up your spears in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Slide pan into the oven.

How long do I cook asparagus for in the oven?

The best part about making asparagus in the oven is that it roasts up quickly. I roast my asparagus for 5 to 15 minutes or until crisp-tender, depending on the thickness of the spears.

Tips for success

Don't overcook it.

Roasted asparagus is best when it's got a little bit of crisp to it, but has lost the "green" raw taste. Very thin spears will cook in as little as 5 minutes while thicker spears may take as long as 10 to 15. Don't hesitate to taste a bit during the cooking time to get the right texture.

Storing leftovers

Leftover asparagus can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheating

You can serve it cold, room temperature, or warm it back up in the microwave or on the stovetop in the pan.

Repurposing leftovers

If there's not enough leftover asparagus for another meal, you can easily work it into soup, such as Creamy Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup.

Recipe costs

The variable cost in this recipe is the price of the fresh asparagus. Depending on the season, it can range in price from $0.99 to $4.99/pound. Plan to serve asparagus when you see it on sale.

A pound should serve about four, meaning that you can get this dish as low as 25 cents/serving.

Kitchen equipment

This recipe really couldn't be easier than it is, but having the right kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I've honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs.

parchment paper – I hate washing pans. Parchment paper makes clean up a breeze.
sheet pans – I LOVE my set of steel sheet pans. They make such a difference in baking compared to those cheap grocery store pans I had as a newlywed.
liquid measure – these beakers are more accurate for liquids, such as oil

If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!

Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Oven Roasted Asparagus comes together quickly and easily. Baked in foil packets, the tender shoots are infused with olive oil and lemon.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Calories: 88 kcal

▢ 1 lb asparagus spears washed and trimmed
▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
▢ salt
▢ black pepper
▢ 1/2 lemon cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Line up your spears in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. The cooking time will depend on how thick your asparagus spears are. Very thin spears will cook quickly while thicker spears will take longer to cook.
Drizzle with lemon juice and serve.

Variation: you can substitute melted butter for the oil, if you prefer. Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.

Nutritional values are approximate and based on 1 packet.

This post was originally published on May 5, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.

How to Bake Asparagus in Foil in the Oven

Source: https://goodcheapeats.com/asparagus/

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