Lemony roasted asparagus
A few minutes in a hot oven turns asparagus tender with crisp tips, and a squeeze of lemon makes it taste like spring.
- 20 min total
- 5 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $1.12 a serving
- 70 calories
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: It’s ready in 20 minutes, start to finish.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 lb asparagus
- ½ lemon
From your pantry
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 70 calories, 3 g protein, 5 g carbs and 5 g fat, and costs about $1.12 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No lemons? Limes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Bend one spear until the woody bottom snaps off, then line up the rest and cut them all at that spot.
Dolly’s tip: The pale, tough ends stay stringy no matter how long they cook, so they’re worth losing.the asparagus on a with the oil, salt and pepper and lay the spears in one layer.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
10 to 14 minutes, until a spear bends a little when you lift it and the tips are .
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
Timer: 12 min
Dolly’s tip: Pencil-thin spears are done in about 8 minutes. Thick ones can take 15.a little lemon over the top, squeeze on the juice, and serve.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
When you host a dinner, Dollop builds the menu around your guests’ allergies, works out a cooking timeline back from when everyone sits down, and puts it all on one grocery list.
