Roasted Lemon Garlic Asparagus
Asparagus lovers - REJOICE! Spring has sprung! While this power vegetable can be enjoyed year round, April is inarguably the best month for the freshest and most delicious asparagus crop. Not only is asparagus one of the most versatile vegetables when it comes to being able to create something for virtually any meal of the day (doubtful breakfast lovers, check out our Bacon Asparagus Hash), it’s also ultra-healthy and nutrient-rich. A good source of fiber (digestion), folate (cognitive function), chromium (blood-sugar support), and vitamins A, C, E, and K; this awesome vegetable also contains only 40 calories for every 1 cup cooked!
Today, we’re sharing with you our favorite and easiest way to prepare asparagus: oven roasted! Oven roasting is a great way to prepare a multitude of vegetables that are tender, flavorful, can be cooked in bulk, and can be stored for later. So for those of you cooking for more than a couple mouths or trying out meal prepping tactics to save time in the kitchen, oven roasted vegetables are going to quickly become your new best friend.
Our recipe for oven roasted asparagus is about as quick and simple as they come. The results, however, look and taste anything but - making this is a perfect recipe for holiday meals and gatherings where you may want to "show off" a little bit. Prep, cooking, and cleanup is an absolute breeze with just 1 pan and a few staples you've probably already keep in your kitchen regularly. From start to drying the cleaned pan, this whole process takes less than 30 minutes!
Our favorite flavor pairings for asparagus are garlic and lemon; so, that’s what we’re sharing with you below. But the simplicity of this recipe actually lends itself to a plethora of variations. For a little kick, add ½ tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes. Cheese lovers, this recipe is the perfect place for a sprinkle of ½ - 1 oz. grated parmesan overtop just before baking*. Or throw some other fresh vegetables you might have around your kitchen that don’t have a recipe plan yet (sliced mushrooms or cherry tomatoes pair wonderfully here). No matter how you slice and dice it this time, we’re pretty sure you’re going to love it - so, there’ll be plenty of time to experiment with this recipe again later!
Ingredients:
- 16 oz. asparagus, ends trimmed
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- To taste: sea salt, cracked black pepper, and dried rosemary
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can simply spray lightly with cooking spray over a non-stick baking sheet.
- Wash asparagus and pat dry with a paper towel. Lay flat across the baking sheet.
- Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, lemon zest, and garlic over asparagus. Toss to coat.
- Bake in a preheated oven until spears are cooked through and crispy.
For skinnier spears, cooking times could be as little as 9-12 minutes.
Thicker spears could take as long as 15-18 minutes to cook through. - Squeeze lemon juice overtop just before serving. Serve warm and enjoy!
Servings: 2 | Serving Size: ½ pan of asparagus | 1 Serving Replaces: 1 vegetable serving, ½ healthy fat serving
*For those following an MRC Menu plan, be sure to factor parmesan cheese into your protein serving for the meal if you elect this variation
