Easy Roasted Asparagus Recipe

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My parents stopped by our house on their way home on Sunday to drop off a treat: fresh asparagus that had been cut that morning!   

Right away, I trimmed the edges and wrapped them in a wet paper towel and put them in a zipper-lock bag in the vegetable crisper in our refrigerator. The ends of asparagus should stay moist (but don't wash or wet the rest or the asparagus stalk). Watch our video on how to clean, trim, and store asparagus.

The next day, I roasted the asparagus using a simple recipe from The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden-Fresh Cookbook (see below). The best way to cook truly fresh asparagus is to roast it with nothing more than a drizzle of good-quality olive oil. 

We had the fresh-cut asparagus for dinner, along with chard from a friend’s garden and leftover enchiladas. The asparagus was phenomenal! I didn’t realize how incredible these lovely green spears taste when they are so fresh! My husband and I laughed because we both wolfed down all of the vegetables on our plate before touching the enchiladas—a first for us.

Roasted Asparagus
The Old Farmer’s Garden-Fresh Cookbook (page 102)

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the spears and snap off the ends (they'll snap in their natural place). 

Spread the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with the oil. (Don't pile up.) Season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat.

Roast for 15 minutes, or until tender (time will depend on the thickness of the stalks). Makes 4 servings.

Here's another fun way to use the spring green: Asparagus Hummus!

Also, check out asparagus' health benefits.