Roasted Balsamic Asparagus
Roasting fresh asparagus with a little balsamic vinegar gives it a tangy flavor. It’s a healthy side dish thats fast and pairs well with everything! You’ll love this simple recipe.
I’ve long been a big fan of roasted vegetables. Roasting brings out the flavor beautifully and means your veggies get tender with some charred bits. That’s a very good thing.
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables to serve as part of a weeknight meal because it cooks so quickly. While I do enjoy cooking, when dinnertime rolls around I’m usually ready to change into my cozy pajamas and sit on the couch with a good book. So I get excited about a quick meal that gets me relaxing sooner rather than later!
While asparagus is delicious sautéed, roasting it with a little olive oil is the best way in my opinion. This balsamic asparagus requires just a few ingredients so you can count on easy clean up. Add this vegetable side dish to your menu for a holiday dinner or any night of the week!
Need more great recipes for asparagus? Try my Air Fryer Asparagus, Sautéed Parmesan Asparagus, or Roasted Lemon Asparagus. How about a few healthy recipes (some are even one pot recipes) that feature asparagus? Check out my Pistachio Herb Crusted Salmon with Asparagus, Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry, Easy Baked Halibut with Vegetables, Savory Skillet Chicken and Veggies, or Easy Sheet Pan Steak Dinner.
Roasted Balsamic Asparagus Ingredients
- Asparagus: Asparagus season is late March to June so those are the best months to find it at your local farmer’s market. However you can find asparagus in the produce section of your grocery store all year long! You’ll likely get the best price during those in season months though. When selecting asparagus spears go with stalks are a vibrant color (bright green) and medium size (not too thick and not too thin).
- Olive oil: A little bit of oil helps us get this easy roasted asparagus tender. I recommend extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil but you can use any oil you’re comfortable cooking with.
- Balsamic vinegar: Balsamic vinegar adds a tanginess to this asparagus dish.
- Seasonings: A little salt and black pepper are the only spices we need in this simple side.
How to Make Roasted Balsamic Asparagus
To make this simple balsamic asparagus recipe, first rinse the asparagus and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a sharp knife to trim off the woody ends. Then lay the asparagus in a single layer on a sheet pan or baking dish. (You may use parchment paper if you like but it’s not required. I personally don’t use any and I have no issues with sticking.) Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the asparagus. Give your asparagus a little flip to get the oil and vinegar on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Now place in the oven and bake. The end result is tender asparagus with a little crispness. It’s pretty perfect!
How to Store Fresh Asparagus
It’s a good idea to store fresh asparagus the same way you do fresh herbs. As soon as I unload the groceries I stand the bunch of asparagus up in a glass jar and add about 2 inches of water. Then place the jar in the refrigerator (mine sits on a shelf in the refrigerator door) until you’re ready to cook the asparagus.
How to Prep Fresh Asparagus
Asparagus stalks have a tough woody end that you want to remove before cooking. It’s often white or a different shade of green than the rest of the stalk and it’s so fibrous that it’s not enjoyable to eat. There are two ways to remove these ends:
- One way to do this is to snap the ends of the asparagus off by holding a stalk in both hands and breaking the woody end off.
- Another option is to hold a few asparagus together on a cutting board using one hand and then using a knife in the other hand to cut the ends off. This allows you to trim faster because you’re doing more than one stalk at a time. The downside of this method is that you may waste some of the asparagus stalk by cutting too much.
How to Store Cooked Asparagus
Store the finished asparagus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to Serve This
Serve this balsamic roasted asparagus as part of a healthy meal. It pairs well with a protein like chicken, steak, seafood, or prime rib.
Roasted Balsamic Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Rinse the asparagus. Pat dry with a paper towel. Trim off the end pieces (approximately 1-2 inches).
- Lay the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet or baking dish. (Both work great.) It's Important that it's a single layer as it allows the asparagus to cook quickly and evenly.
- Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the asparagus. Give your asparagus a little flip to get the oil and vinegar on both sides. You do not want them completely coated. This amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar is plenty.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes. If you like your asparagus a little more firm you'll take them out around the 7 minute mark. 8-10 minutes will produce a more wilted stalk. The time also varies based on how thick your asparagus is so you'll want to keep an eye on them.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
