Rinse the asparagus under cold water. Trim tough ends by bending each spear near the base until it snaps, or line them up and cut off the woody ends (about 1 to 1.5 inches). Pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Season

Place the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil (from the garlic butter ingredients) and toss to coat. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, turning spears to distribute evenly.

Roast (or grill/sauté options)

Roast in a preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for 10–14 minutes depending on thickness: thin spears 8–10 minutes, medium 10–12 minutes, thick 12–14 minutes. Roast until bright green and tender-crisp with slight browning. Alternatively, grill over medium-high heat 6–8 minutes turning once, or sauté in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes with 1 tablespoon olive oil until tender and slightly charred.

Finish

When asparagus is done, transfer to a serving platter and immediately spoon the garlic butter over the hot spears so it melts and coats them. Zest half the lemon over the asparagus and serve remaining lemon cut into wedges for squeezing, if desired.

Garlic butter

Mince garlic and parsley

Peel and finely mince 3 garlic cloves. Finely chop fresh parsley so it measures about 1 tablespoon.

Melt butter and bloom garlic

In a small saucepan or skillet over low heat, combine 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook gently for 1 to 1.5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just softened but not browned (browned garlic becomes bitter).

Season and finish

Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Keep warm until ready to spoon over asparagus.