Roasted Asparagus Parmesan Lemon (Printable)
Tender asparagus with nutty Parmesan and bright lemon, roasted for an easy savory side dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
→ Dairy
02 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Oils & Seasonings
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Citrus
06 - 1 lemon, zested and 1 tablespoon juice
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Place trimmed asparagus spears in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over asparagus, then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper; toss gently to coat evenly.
04 - Roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.
05 - Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with grated Parmesan and lemon zest; drizzle with lemon juice.
06 - Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm, garnished with additional lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It takes just 25 minutes from start to table, which means you can make something genuinely impressive while dinner practically cooks itself.
- The Parmesan and lemon transform simple asparagus into something that tastes like you fussed, when really you barely tried.
- It's the kind of side dish that actually gets eaten—no sad leftovers pushed around the plate.
02 -
- Don't crowd the pan—asparagus needs space to roast, not steam, so if your baking sheet feels full, use two sheets.
- The lemon zest and juice go on after roasting, not before, or the acid will prevent the Parmesan from settling in and the heat loss will matter less than you'd think.
03 -
- Buy asparagus from a farmers market when you can—they're picked fresher and roast with better texture than grocery store versions that have been sitting for days.
- If your Parmesan is aged and dense, use a microplane to grate it so it distributes evenly and melts into the warm asparagus instead of clumping.