Roasted Lemon Asparagus

Name: Roasted Lemon Asparagus
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 14 min
Ingredients: 24 Asparagus spears; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 1 Lemon ((juice only)); 1 pinch Sea salt; 1 pinch Ground black pepper

Diet: Gluten Free / Low Carb / Vegan

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A light and bright side dish that is super easy to prepare. Roasted Lemon Asparagus takes just 12 minutes in the oven and only uses 5 ingredients (including seasoning). An impressive but simple side dish that is easy to cook in bulk and can even be done on the BBQ. Cooking asparagus in the oven is a game changer.

Roasted asparagus and lemon slices on a serving dish next to a lemon.

Roasted vegetables are the best way to enjoy vegetables in my opinion and this is one of my favourite roasted veggie side dishes. Crispy on the outside and tender in the middle.

Lemon asparagus is perfect for the warmer months to eat along side grilled salmon or chicken, this is a healthy way to have a veggie boost, and still with plenty of flavour.

If you are looking for more ways to use asparagus, try our super quick Air Fryer Asparagus, tasty Asparagus Salad, comforting Asparagus Soup or simple Asparagus Frittata.

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Ingredients needed
How to roasted asparagus - Step by step
How to pick asparagus
Health benefits of asparagus
Serving suggestions
Extra tips
FAQs
More side dish recipes
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Ingredients needed

Asparagus - To ensure that this is the BEST asparagus salad, make sure you are making this with in-season asparagus. Not only will it have the best flavour and texture, but it will be cheap too. Try to go with medium thickness spears - not the really thick ones. To get the perfect asparagus, look for spears that are firm and a nice bright green colour. The tips should be dry and held tightly to the stalk. Thinner asparagus spears are younger and therefore more tender.
Lemon - Make sure you have a juicy lemon. You could add some lemon zest too if you wanted extra lemon flavour.
Oil - Use a good quality olive oil.
Salt and pepper - Generously season.

A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

How to roasted asparagus - Step by step

Prep: Preheat your oven to 190°C/170°C(fan)/375°F/Gas 5.
One: Chop the woody ends off the asparagus.

A wooden chopping board with raw asparagus spears on it.

Two: Lay the asparagus on a baking sheet and add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Add some slices of lemon on top.

Three: Put into the oven for 12 minutes, until the asparagus is tender.

How to pick asparagus

Before you even get to making this recipe, you want to make sure that you pick the perfect asparagus.

Try to pick the thinner asparagus, as the thicker ones can be more woody and overripe. You want them to be firm, and not limp and a nice bright green colour. Make sure the spears aren't wet and mushy - you are looking for them to be closed.

To keep your fresh asparagus at its freshest, check out this detailed guide for tips on how to store asparagus.

Health benefits of asparagus

Asparagus is a nutrient dense vegetable and definitely one you should be trying to include in your diet more often. It is high in fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K and packed full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Read more about the health benefits of asparagus.

Roasted asparagus spears and slices of lemon on a white and grey plate.

Serving suggestions

Roast asparagus is such a versatile side dish, and we have lots of suggestions of recipes that it will pair beautifully with. If you love salmon, why not try this Creamy Dill Salmon, Air Fryer Salmon or Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary Salmon.

Is chicken more your thing? Then roast asparagus goes well with these Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Paprika Chicken Skewers, Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken, or Honey and Lime Chicken.

If vegetarian dishes are what you are looking for, then this side goes well with our Vegetable Halloumi Kebabs, Mushroom and Spinach Risotto, or Shakshuka.

Extra tips

Make this roasted asparagus recipe a little more indulgent by by sprinkling over grated Parmesan just before serving.
You could also add some fresh crushed garlic before roasting.
You can prepare it in advance by mixing everything together, putting it on a baking tray and keeping it in the fridge until it is ready to go in the oven.
For a little bit of spice, you can sprinkle this lemon asparagus with some red chilli flakes before serving.
Put the asparagus in a single layer on the baking tray so it can get nice and crispy. If they are too close together, then everything will just steam.

A plate of cooked asparagus and lemon slices on a plate sat on a striped towel.

FAQs

Can asparagus be prepared in advance?

Yes, and that's what makes it such a great dish for serving up at a dinner party. Mix everything together and lay it on your baking sheet and then keep it in the fridge until you are ready to put it in the oven. Note that it may need a few minutes extra to cook if coming out of the fridge.

How to store cooked asparagus

Roasted asparagus is a great batch cook dish, as it will store in the fridge for 2-3 days. Roast up a big tray of it and then keep in the fridge to add to meals throughout the week. It's a good addition to salads and pasta dishes for easy work lunches. Or even just to snack on.

How long to roast asparagus for?

This will take about 12 minutes in the oven, but it does depend on how big your asparagus spears are. Every oven cooks differently too.

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If you’ve tried this roasted asparagus recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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