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This oven-roasted parmesan asparagus requires very little effort, and in 15 minutes, they're ready!
Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
When it comes to asparagus, there’s no better way to make them irresistible than roasting them in the oven. Compared to other cooking methods, the oven caramelizes the natural sugars and they retain a great texture.
Sometimes I bake delicious asparagus with lemon, but topping the roasted asparagus with sharp Parmesan cheese adds a nice cheesy and salty flavor and place this recipe at the top of the list for an easy and healthy side dish.
Ingredients
When choosing asparagus, look for bunches with firm buds and bright green stalks. And don’t skip oil! It enhances the texture and prevents the veggies from sticking to the baking sheet.
Roasting this vegetable is a synch and with a few ingredients, you'll be able to reap the benefits of asparagus in your meal.
How to Prep Asparagus for Roasting
While the oven preheats, rinse the asparagus under warm water and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Remove the woody ends with a sharp knife, or break them off by hand.
Prepping them is essential before roasting and it should be done before cooking not when you bring them home from the store. If you wash them too soon, the moisture will shorten the life of your asparagus quickly in the fridge.
How to Roast Asparagus with Parmesan
Are you ready to make deliciously cheesy roasted asparagus with Parmesan? Let’s get to it! You’ll simply:
- Season
Place the asparagus on a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to coat and spread the veggies in an even layer on the baking sheet. - Bake to perfection
Roast the spears to 425F for 15 minutes or until fork-tender and golden brown. - Sprinkle and bake again
Remove the asparagus from the oven, add the Parmesan cheese, and bake for another minute or until the cheese is melted.
How to Know When Roasted Asparagus is Done
Asparagus is cooked through when the tips have golden-brown crispy bits, and the spears are easily pierced with a fork. When you pick them up, there should be a slight bend; it’s the mark of perfectly roasted asparagus.
Preventing Sogginess
Before roasting, make sure the spears are evenly spread out on the baking sheet. Crowding, putting too many and too close together on the pan, will create steam during cooking, causing the asparagus to become soggy instead of crispy.
If you are roasting more than one bunch, use two sheet pans, and swap the position of the trays halfway through the cooking time.
What to Serve with Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
For some equally delicious entrees to serve alongside these Parmesan roasted asparagus, you can’t go wrong with my garlic baked chicken thighs. The flavors of tender dark meat chicken work so well with savory, cheesy asparagus.
If you’re looking for a 30-minute meal, there’s my easy air-fryer salmon which is ready in less than 20 minutes, about the same amount of time you’ll need for the asparagus.
Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved or shredded
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse the asparagus under warm water and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Remove the woody ends with a sharp knife, or break them off by hand, usually about 2″ from the bottom.
Season:
- Place the asparagus spears onto the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, put the garlic or garlic powder on top, and season with salt, and black pepper. Toss the spears around to coat with the seasonings an garlic.
Roast:
- Roast in the preheated for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the middle of the spear is tender when poked with a fork. I recommend checking for doneness around the 12-minute mark.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the spears.
- Place the baking sheet back into the oven and allow the cheese to melt, for about 1 minute.
Notes
- If you only have grated Parmesan, the one with the powder-like texture, use that. It will work too!
Jules says
I made these asparagus with parmesan. they had the right texture and just enough parm to make them savory and tasty.
Laura Fuentes says
Thanks for sharing Jules!