Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Preheat oven and prep pan

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it to prevent sticking.

Trim asparagus

Rinse the asparagus under cool water and pat dry. Hold a spear near the base and bend until it snaps to find the woody end; use this as a guide and trim the remaining spears with a knife so all are roughly the same length (about 1–1½ inches trimmed).

Place the trimmed asparagus in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. Add the 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and the minced garlic clove. Toss the spears with your hands or tongs until evenly coated. Spread them out so they are not crowded—this helps them roast rather than steam.

Zest the lemon over the asparagus, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze about 1 tbsp lemon juice evenly over the spears (reserve any remaining juice for serving).

Roast in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 10–14 minutes, depending on thickness: thin spears 10–11 minutes, medium 12 minutes, thick 13–14 minutes. Turn once halfway through cooking to promote even browning. The asparagus is done when the tips are lightly browned and the stalks are tender-crisp (pierce easily with a fork but still have some bite).

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. If using, sprinkle the roasted asparagus with the 2 tbsp grated Parmesan and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes while still hot so the cheese softens slightly.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add a light sprinkle of additional salt or a squeeze of the reserved lemon juice if desired. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.