Perfect Asparagus – Delicious and Ready to Serve
I once was afraid to cook asparagus, but not anymore!
Thanks to my mother-in-law, my asparagus now turns out perfectly every time, and yours can, too! During her recent visit to Austin, she shared these simple tips with me:
INGREDIENTS
–Fresh bunch(es) of asparagus
–Olive oil
–Salt and Pepper (I use sea salt)
–Baking sheet
–Non-stick aluminum foil
DIRECTIONS
–Pre-heat your oven to 400°
–Rinse asparagus thoroughly with cold water. Dry using a clean kitchen towel.
–Reach for one of the asparagus spears. Hold it horizontally with both hands, palms down. Gently begin to bend the asparagus spear toward the floor. Eventually, a small piece of the end of the spear will snap off at its natural breaking point.
Like this:
Bending the Asparagus
Eventually it snaps in two at its natural break point
–Line up the remaining asparagus on a cutting board, using the freshly-snapped stalk as your guide. Chop off the end pieces in one motion with a kitchen knife.
Like this:
Lining up the Asparagus
— Line your baking sheet(s) with non-stick foil.
–Loosely place asparagus on lined baking sheet.
–Drizzle with olive oil and lightly salt and pepper. Using your hands, roll the asparagus around so that it is covered with the oil mixture.
Like this:
Prepare Asparagus using olive oil, salt, and pepper
–Place in center rack of oven for ~10-15 minutes, depending on how tender you like it. Some prefer a nice bite to their asparagus, but I like mine tender, so I leave it in closer to 12-13 minutes.
Your cooking times and oven temperature may vary depending on where you live. My mother-in-law lives in Denver and leaves her asparagus in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
When finished cooking, it should look like this:
Asparagus when finished cooking
Now enjoy the fresh, grilled flavor of asparagus, with the convenience of your oven!
Question: What main entree do you most enjoy serving alongside asparagus?
Around My Home 
I’ve tried asparagus steamed, grilled, and microwaved and I *always* overcook it. Part of it is learning how my new range works and part of it is being distracted by a preschooler! However, on one of my rushed attempts, I did use the simple salt, pepper, olive oil method (great on so many veggies!) and discovered that both my girl and I like it on raw asparagus, too! Yum, yum! Next, attempt: your oven method, but with a timer… 🙂
Let me know how it turns out for you!
i like mine with a little more crunch to it. should i try it in on the grill or would oven work too?
I’d try the oven – just reduce the time by about 2-3 minutes. Let me know how that works out for you! Bon Appetit!
Melanie