This lemon-garlic roasted asparagus is so easy to make and makes a perfect light side dish. You can cook it in the oven, sauté it on the stove, or grill it on a gas grill or on charcoal.
This recipe is one of my favorite ways to have asparagus. I have tried many different ways over the years, but I always return to this lemon garlic asparagus roasted in the oven. I personally love how easy it is to put together, how you can place it in the oven and forget about it, and how it comes out perfectly every time.
Table of Contents
Why Lemon-Roasted Asparagus is Amazing
- Simple Ingredients This recipe is made with common ingredients that are easy to find or that you may already have available.
- Easy Method One of the nice things about this recipe is how you just place it on a baking sheet, roast it in the oven, leave it, and come back to perfectly cooked asparagus.
- Any time of the year This dish can be made any time of the year; it doesn’t have to be in the spring or summer. So whenever you have a craving for roasted asparagus, with a few simple ingredients, you have a great side dish.
Is asparagus good for you?
When it comes to asparagus, everyone seems to want to know if it’s healthy for you. The great thing about this delicious green vegetable is that it is very nutritious for you and full of antioxidants.
- Asparagus is a light side dish and there for light in calories, in just ½ cup (90 grams) of cooked asparagus contains.
- Calories: 20
- Protein: 2.2 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Fiber: 1.8 grams
- Vitamin C: 12% of the RDI
- Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 57% of the RDI
- Folate: 34% of the RDI
- Potassium: 6% of the RDI
- Phosphorous: 5% of the RDI
How to pick the best asparagus
When it comes to picking asparagus, you want to make sure you’re picking non-woody, crispy asparagus. Here are a few things to look for:
- Look for thinner, slender pieces of asparagus; the thicker pieces are more mature and are more likely to be woody than sweet and tender.
- The best asparagus is bright green and slightly purple.
- You want to look for asparagus spears that are firm and not limp.
- These tips will hopefully help you make sure you choose the freshest asparagus available to you.
Ingredients for Lemon Garlic Asparagus
- Asparagus You will generally find asparagus in 1-pound bunches; you will want 2 pounds for this recipe.
- Butter You can use salted or unsalted for this recipe; both work well. You will be placing bits of butter over the top of the asparagus.
- Lemon Nothing compares to fresh lemon, but if you don’t have it, the bottle will work as well.
- Garlic I like to use fresh garlic, but in a pinch, you can use granulated garlic powder.
- Olive Oil to drizzle over the asparagus the keep it moist during baking.
How to make Lemon Garlic Asparagus
- Prep rinse, pat dry with a paper towel, and trim asparagus
- Arrange asparagus on a baking sheet with rimmed sides in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and roll around to lightly coat.
- Add lemon and butter Squeeze half a lemon over the asparagus and place pieces of butter over the asparagus.
- Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes until asparagus is fork tender and serve immediately.
What to Serve with lemon garlic asparagus?
- Garlic butter steak and shrimp
- Pesto Chicken
- Mashed potatoes
- Roast Beef
- Garlic Butter Salmon
Expert tips and suggestions
- Snap the ends Break the ends of the asparagus by holding it with one hand at the base and the other hand in the middle of the stem and bending slightly until it snaps. This will help you remove the tough, fibrous base that can be tough to eat.
- Single layer Place the asparagus spears on a baking sheet in a single layer. If they have a little bit of room between them, they can get nice and golden and crispy on the edges.
- Lemon zest lemon juice is very good but if you can use lemon zest that will give you the best lemon flavor you can get.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pounds are in a bunch of asparagus?
There is usually around 1 pound in a bunch, but it can range from 1 pound to 1-1/2 pounds depending on the size and thickness of your asparagus. You’re looking for around 2 pounds before they have been trimmed for this recipe.
How do I know when the asparagus is done?
The easiest way to tell when the asparagus is done is to poke the spears with a fork; they don’t take very long to cook. So check on them if you have smaller, thinner spears so they don’t go mushy.
How to store fresh asparagus?
Place the bunch in a small glass or mason jar filled with enough cool water to cover about ¼ to ½ inch up the stem. Fresh asparagus stalks should always be kept in cold water in the fridge so they won’t dry up.
Easy Lemon Garlic Asparagus
Ingredients
- 2 lbs asparagus about 2 bunches
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 4 tbsp butter cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Rinse 2 bunches of asparagus and break off the ends by holding the base end and snapping it wherever it snaps.
- Place asparagus in a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roll asparagus lightly to coat in oil and seasonings.
- Squeeze 1/2 of a lemon evenly over the asparagus. Line the top third of the asparagus with lemon slices from the second half of your lemon. Thinly slice 4 tbsp of butter and line the center of the asparagus with butter.
- Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Thanks for the recipe. I will have to give this a try. I love asparagus.
Glad you liked it!
This is an interesting way to prepare asparagus. I am sure the lemon and garlic flavors will take it to another level. Thanks for sharing the tips on how to choose asparagus; it will come in handy next time we go shopping.
I’m obsessed with asparagus as I grew up having them from my grandmother’s garden. Nothing fresher than that. I consider asparagus the center of any meal! Love this recipe!
Thank you!
I really do not like asparagus honestly, but you made this recipe sound delicious. Thanks for sharing 😊
Looks so yum!! must try!!