Here are all the best easy asparagus recipes for cooking up this healthy green vegetable! Try it roasted, in risotto, and more.
Are you an asparagus fan? This healthy green vegetable is feared because of its bitter flavor, but when cooked correctly asparagus can be irresistibly tasty. Combine it with the fresh flavors of lemon and Parmesan, and it’s absolutely fantastic. It’s good for you (one of the best vegetables to eat), loaded with fiber and vitamins C, A and K. Pair with risotto or mac and cheese to add a boost of fiber to the meal! It’s seasonal in the spring and often eaten in that season, but is typically available throughout the year.
Asparagus is not just for side dishes: it’s great as the star ingredient of a main dish. Add it to pasta with lemon and Parmesan and you’ve got a tasty dinner recipe! Throw it into a quiche or frittata, or alongside goat cheese scrambled eggs for brunch. And did we mention it is fantastic raw shaved into ribbons? Let’s get to the recipes.
And now: the best easy asparagus recipes!
A favorite easy asparagus recipe? Baked! Here the tender stalks are baked in a hot oven until tender, but still beautifully green. Then they're spritzed with lemon, and the finishing touch: melted Parmesan cheese. It’s the perfect way to eat asparagus. Even better, it’s a side dish that’s easy enough to whip up while you’re in the midst of cooking a main dish!
Creamy, savory, crunchy, and zingy: this asparagus risotto is truly sublime. Roast up some asparagus with lemon at the same time that you’re stirring up a creamy Parmesan risotto on the stove. Then throw the tender bright green asparagus into the risotto, right along with the lemon. You’ll wish the pot would never end.
Want a salad that’s as tasty as it is versatile? Enter: asparagus salad! It’s got savory sauteed asparagus, cooked up in a hot pan for a few minutes then spritzed with lemon. Add that to a bed of greens and sprinkle with peppery radishes and salty feta cheese. A Dijon mustard dressing tops it off. Even better: you can serve as a side dish, or add cooked quinoa and make it a main dish salad.
Here’s a genius way to cook asparagus to charred and tender without even preheating your oven. Yes, it’s our new favorite way to make it: Broiled Asparagus! Just throw it in the broiler with a few lemon wheels, and it comes out just like roasted asparagus…but even better.
Turns out grilled asparagus might be the most delicious way to cook it! It’s easy and requires only a few ingredients. It comes out incredible: tender and charred, with a hint of smoke. Spritz it with lemon juice, and it’s a fresh and healthy side dish you won’t be able to stop eating! It's perfect to throw on the grill while you're grilling a main dish.
Here's a tasty way to eat asparagus as part of a main dish dinner: combine it with pasta! This easy pasta recipe takes just 7 ingredients and about 20 minutes to make. The asparagus is combined with lemon, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese to make a pasta dish that tastes greater than the sum of its parts. Add a green salad and it's a healthy dinner! Also try: Vegan Pasta Primavera
Have you ever tried raw shaved asparagus? The flavor of asparagus raw and shaved is unlike anything you'd imagine: it's not bitter at all! Instead the flavor is lightly sweet and the crunch is refreshing. Here it's shaved with a vegetable peeler and then combined with olive oil, lemon juice and Parmesan into a salad that's incredibly flavorful.
Here’s a simple way to get a side dish on the table…fast: sauteed asparagus! When you’re trying to get dinner on the table, you don’t want to get stuck on a side dish. Here’s an easy side dish that requires little prep and almost no thought. Bright green asparagus is sauteed simply with olive oil and lemon, and we've got a list of flavor adders to amp it up!
Another great way to add asparagus to a main dish recipe: throw it in a frittata! This easy frittata recipe stars bright bursts of roasted cherry tomatoes along with fresh shaved asparagus. Many asparagus frittata recipes use the vegetable cooked: but shaving it and using it raw brings a sweet, fresh flavor. Top with feta cheese and it's perfect for brunch, lunch or a simple dinner.
Want a quick and healthy way to cook asparagus? Try steamed asparagus. Steaming is healthier than most ways since you don’t need to use as much fat! If you do it correctly, it comes out bright green and crisp tender: perfect with a zing of lemon. And it takes only 10 minutes!
Also try: How to Boil Asparagus or How to Blanch Asparagus
Fun facts about asparagus!
Want to know more about this super veggie? Here are some fun facts that will make you want to make all the asparagus recipes!
- It’s a great source of fiber: 1 cup of cooked asparagus has 4 grams of fiber. (Source)
- It’s also high in protein for a green vegetable: 1 cup also has 4 grams protein. (Source) That’s a similar level to broccoli and potatoes.
- It can aid in eye and hair health, it has potential anti-aging properties and it’s promoted as an aphrodisiac! Who knew. (Source)
- Why does asparagus make your pee smell? It’s caused by sulfurous compounds in the vegetable. (Source) If you’ve never smelled it, well: it’s actually genetic.
- Want simple cooking methods? Here are the best ways to cook asparagus.
Baked Asparagus (Quick & Easy!)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This baked asparagus is an easy side dish that’s a hit with everyone! The green stalks are roasted until tender, spritzed with lemon & topped with Parmesan.
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 lemon (Zest from half, plus slices from the other half)
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (omit for vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut off the tough bottom ends of the asparagus. Add the asparagus stalks to a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, and add the kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Add the zest of ½ lemon and mix with your hands. Thinly slice 4 lemon wheels from the lemon, then add them right on the tray. Sprinkle everything with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until tender when pierced by a fork at the thickest part. The timing will depend on the thickness of the asparagus spears (ours in the photo were done at 12 minutes). Serve immediately.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Easy Asparagus Recipes, Asparagus Recipes
