Servings:

6 Servings

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 is an easy technique for cooking asparagus and provides deeper flavor than other methods—it also gives the spears a meltingly soft texture. All you need for this recipe is asparagus (you can use any asparagus for roasting, but we prefer thicker spears), olive oil, salt, and pepper—and a preheated oven. We roast asparagus at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, rather than at high heat, so it caramelizes gently.

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 argue that 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 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 or 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.

Ingredients

2 pounds asparagus, as fat as possible
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

ingredients for roasted asparagus — Julia Hartbeck

Preheat oven and prep asparagus:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 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

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I soak asparagus before roasting?

Asparagus does not usually need to be soaked before roasting or any other preparation. To make sure the asparagus is clean, wash it in cold running water.

Is it possible to overcook asparagus?

Yes! Some people prefer their asparagus more cooked than others, but if your boiled asparagus is limp, waterlogged, and has lost all its verdant green, it’s overcooked. Boiled asparagus is easy to overcook but it is possible to overcook asparagus when you use other techniques—if 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.

Can asparagus be undercooked?

Most recipes call for asparagus to be cooked until crisp tender. Some people prefer their spears more cooked than that, but few people enjoy undercooked asparagus. Undercooked asparagus is not the same as raw asparagus—asparagus can be eaten raw, as in our Asparagus and Walnut Salad.

Try Our Other Favorite Ways to Cook Asparagus

Originally appeared: Everyday Food, March/April 2003, Martha Stewart Living, June 1998, Martha Stewart Living, April 2000, Martha Stewart Living, April 2000