A quick and easy vegetable dish — roasted asparagus with a lemon vinaigrette dressing, green onions and fresh lemon zest. 

Roasted asparagus — it’s not a complicated recipe, but more of a crazy simple way to enjoy asparagus, the vegetable harbinger of spring.

Asparagus has a relatively short season, and it’s so easy to cook you might want to bookmark a handful of different ways to prepare it before getting bored.

The fresh, grassy flavor of asparagus is a perfect match with anything citrusy and acidic.

While plain roasted asparagus tastes wonderful, the spears soak up this lemony shallot dressing like a champ.

How long to roast asparagus at 450 degrees

Trim the woody ends off the asparagus and lay on a baking sheet, then put into a preheated 450-degree oven.

Asparagus will take just 10-12 minutes to cook.

The roasted asparagus makes a perfect vegetable side, but you can also make a salad out of it by arranging on a bed of greens.

Yield: 2 - 4 servings

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Vinaigrette

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Thicker asparagus spears are best for this recipe. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus
• 2 tablespoons very finely chopped shallot
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Freshly grated zest from one lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 green onion, root end and one inch green top trimmed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
• Flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Trim off the tough ends from the asparagus and place on a small rimmed baking sheet.
3. Whisk together shallot, vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
4. Pour 2 tablespoon of the vinaigrette over the asparagus and season to taste with black pepper. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon water. 
5. Slice the green onion into thin rings. Combine the green onion, parsley and remaining lemon zest in a small bowl. 
6. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast 10 - 12 minutes, until the asparagus is beginning to brown at the tips.
7. Transfer asparagus to a serving plate. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and sprinkle with the parsley mixture. Finish the dish with a pinch of flaky sea salt, if you like.

Notes

Inspired by a recipe in Vegetable Harvest by Patricia Wells.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 97 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 6g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 561mg Carbohydrates: 8g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 2g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate with your favorite calculator.