Pan-Roasted Asparagus

5 from 1 vote

Pan-Roasted Asparagus is a simple and delicious way to highlight this fresh, vibrant spring-time veggie. Roasted in the oven with olive oil for perfectly caramelized, tender spears, then finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright, flavorful touch. Ready in just 20 minutes! Serve with Chicken with Panko Breading, Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles or Spring Roll in a Bowl for a delicious meal.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 108kcal

Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Ingredients

2 pounds asparagus fresh
2 tablespoons olive oil light olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Trim the ends off the asparagus stalks. Hold each stalk with both hands and gently bend it near the middle. The asparagus will naturally snap at the point where the tough portion of the spear meets the tender part.
Rinse the asparagus. For best results, I like to place the spears in a dish filled with cool water for a few minutes. Remove the spears from the water and use paper towels to pat the asparagus dry.
Place the asparagus on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the stalks in a single layer.
Pour the olive oil in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to spread the olive oil on each spear. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes. Check them at 8 minutes. Depending on how thin the stalks are, they may be ready sooner or need a few extra minutes for very thick stalks.
The asparagus should be sizzling, and fragrant, the stalks lightly charred on the side that was touching the pan and fork tender.
Note: The asparagus may create steam in the oven while it's roasting, that's totally normal but you may want to turn on your oven fan.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately sprinkle the asparagus with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
The asparagus is ready to serve!

Notes

Here's how to keep those spears of asparagus fresh longer. Trim the bottom of the spears and stand them upright in a glass bowl with an inch or two of water in the refrigerator. Asparagus is a little like a cut flower, the spears continue to absorb moisture through the ends. This will help keep your asparagus fresh for about a week in the fridge.

Serve with Lazy Lasagna for a delicious, comforting meal any day of the week!

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