Roasted Lemon-Parmesan Asparagus

At the beginning of asparagus season, when it’s so fresh and exciting that I can’t believe I get to live on the same planet as it, I like asparagus cooked as simply as possible. 

For me, that means barely boiled in a shallow panful of salted water and dotted with a bit of butter before serving. Later, though, I like to expand my repertoire. In this case, roasting brings out all the sweetness of the vegetable, and the cheese and lemon add a bit of richness and tang. 

If you’ve never prepared asparagus before, here’s a tiny note about trimming them: The bottoms are woody, so you’ll want to snap them off. Pick up an asparagus, bend it gently, and you’ll feel the natural snapping place. 

Recipe details

Total time: 22 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

Total carbohydrates: 5 grams per serving

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of asparagus (around 1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon table salt)
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• Juice and grated zest of around ¼ of a lemon

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Rinse the asparagus in a sinkful of cold water, trim or snap off the bottoms, then dry them briefly on a clean dish towel.
3. Put them on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle them with the olive oil. Toss them around with tongs, then spread them out and sprinkle with salt.
4. Put them in the oven and roast until they’re starting to color and seem mostly tender when you pierce one with a knife – usually around 10 minutes (thinner ones may take less time, so check them at 5).
5. Sprinkle the cheese over the asparagus, toss again, then roast another 2 minutes until the cheese has mostly melted.
6. Sprinkle on the lemon zest and juice and serve right away or at room temperature.

Photo credit: Catherine Newman