I'm all about some easy recipes that get veggies on the table this time of year, when life seems to get crazy. I'm so excited to finally be sharing one of my favorite easy asparagus recipes ( Parmesan Roasted Asparagus ) with you today, plus some tips on trimming asparagus and roasting it, so you can get the most from these little green stalks.
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This is a really great basic method for how to roast asparagus in the oven, and if you are vegan or otherwise cheese-less, you can use this recipe ( sans cheese ) to make a really delicious vegan asparagus side dish. I like the cheese this time of year though - it adds just a little bet of festive funk to the veggies.
Don't let those bundles of raw asparagus at the grocery store intimidate you. Once you get one home from the store, follow these instructions:
How to store asparagus
Place the bundle ( yep, purple rubber band and all ) in a glass or jar, and fill the bottom of the jar with an inch or two of fresh water. This will keep your asparagus nice and fresh for a few days until you are ready to cook it.
There are a ton of methods for trimming asparagus, but after much trimming, I've realized the best method is just to use a good ol' knife.
And before the asparagus snappers go wild in the comments... yes, I know about snapping. I was a snapper for years. But you know what? You can lose a lot of asparagus due to rogue snaps or even less-than-stellar snapping form, but using a knife is very precise.
How to Trim Asparagus
First, you should know that the point of trimming asparagus is to remove the white/light green, super-wood-y end that is rather difficult to chew. Look at the image above -- the asparagus on the left has been trimmed and the asparagus on the top right of the cutting board has not been trimmed yet.
Look where the knife has cut through the stalk in the middle: RIGHT where the white melds into the green part. This is where you want to cut.
If you find pieces that don't have any white, still remove the last ½" or so in order to freshen them up and remove any long-ago-cut-off dry ends.
How to Make Roasted Asparagus
I prefer to roast asparagus at 425 F. However, if you've already got the oven roaring ( or want to make roasted asparagus along with another oven-dwelling dish ), here's a simple chart to follow to get perfect cooked/crisp asparagus:
- To Cook Roasted Asparagus at 450 degrees F: bake for 8 to 10 minutes
- To Cook Roasted Asparagus at 425 degrees F: bake for 12 to 15 minutes
- To Cook Roasted Asparagus at 400 degrees F: bake for 18 - 22 minutes
- To Cook Roasted Asparagus at 375 degrees F: bake for 22 - 24 minutes
- To Cook Roasted Asparagus at 350 degrees F: bake for 25 - 27 minutes
If baking at 375 or lower, I really recommend to only use a heartier size of asparagus that can withstand the long cooking time.
If you want to make this recipe even more interesting, top each portion with a fried egg right before serving. Trust me, it's delicious!
Here are some other Interesting Asparagus Recipes:
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs asparagus trimmed
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Toss all ingredients on a pan until asparagus are coated. Spread asparagus out into one layer.
- Bake for 12 minutes for thin asparagus, 15 for thicker.
Please share your thoughts on this recipe!