Easy roasted asparagus with a bright hit of lemon and finished with a heavy sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Vegetables were not something I had any interest in growing up, but every time my grandmother made her parmesan asparagus, I couldn’t get enough of it. It was just simple roasted asparagus, but she would finish it with Parmesan Cheese right out of the oven. The cheese got melty and gooey, which was absolutely delicious. For this recipe, I added some fresh lemon for a nice bright contrast to the warm asparagus and salty parmesan. This is the most simple side dish that can be used in so many ways but only takes 30 minutes to whip up!
What you need to make Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
The ingredient list for this recipe is incredibly simple, to allow those flavors to really shine. However, you could easily dress this up with some fresh or dried chilis, a remoulade, or even a breadcrumb topping!
- asparagus
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
- Parmesan Cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano is the real deal)
How to make Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
Preheat your oven to 425° then begin prepping the asparagus. There are two ways to remove the woody ends of asparagus. You can snap them off, as shown below, or simply cut them off. The bottom inch or so of each piece of asparagus is really tough and not great for consumption, so you want to make sure to remove it before cooking.
The snap method allows you to remove the woody end in its entirety because that part naturally breaks off when you snap the asparagus. However, cutting them with a knife is much faster. Either method works just fine!
Once the asparagus are all trimmed up, transfer them to sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil.
Next, season the asparagus with salt and pepper. Then add lemon zest and lemon juice. Toss to ensure all of the asparagus is coated in seasoning and lemon.
Place seasoned asparagus in your preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. Thinner asparagus will only take 20 minutes, but larger asparagus will take closer to 25 minutes to become tender. Keep an eye on them and pull them from the oven when they reach your desired doneness.
Once the asparagus comes out of the oven, immediately top with remaining lemon zest and juice, then top with parmesan cheese while still on the sheet pan. Let the cheese melt for just a minute then transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle on more cheese if desired.
What to serve with Roasted Asparagus
This recipe is great as a simple side to grilled chicken or fish. I have used this as a pizza topping for a springy pizza which was divine! You could also add these to a veggie sandwich or wrap. These asparagus are just as delicious chilled as they are hot from the oven, so the possibilities are endless! Adding a drizzle of my Creamy Balsamic Dressing would also take this dish to the next level.
Other ways to cook the asparagus
If you don’t want to turn on your oven this recipe can be altered to cook in the airfryer or even grilled on the barbecue. Follow the recipe exactly, just substitute the air fryer or grill for the oven and they will be just as delicious!
Questions about this recipe
This recipe can be made in advance, just leave off the Parmesan Cheese, lemon juice and zest from the topping and reheat just before serving. Once reheated, add cheese, lemon juice and zest to the top.
Once cooked, the asparagus are best when eaten within 4 days of roasting.
Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Asparagus washed
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest divided
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice divided
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Begin by prepping the asparagus. Trim off the woody end of each piece of asparagus. This can be done with a knife or by snapping the bottom of the asparagus off.
- Add trimmed asparagus to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt & pepper and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of lemon zest over top, then add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Toss to coat one more time then roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Thinner asparagus will only take 20 minutes, but larger asparagus will take closer to 25 minutes to become tender. Keep an eye on them and pull them from the oven when they reach your desired doneness.
- Once asparagus comes out of the oven, immediately top with remaining lemon zest and juice, then top with parmesan cheese while still on the sheet pan. Let the cheese melt for just a minute then transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle on more cheese if desired.
- Serve immediately.
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