BEST SEASONINGS FOR ASPARAGUS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wash the asparagus and dry it well by patting it with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
• Hold one spear of asparagus with a hand at each end and bend it until it snaps into two pieces. Discard the woody stem end that snapped off. Repeat this process with the remaining asparagus. Or, line up the rest of the asparagus next to the trimmed one and use a sharp chef's knife to trim off the ends so that the spears are the same length as the first one.
• Place the asparagus spears on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer, with a little room between each spear if possible.
• Sprinkle on salt and pepper. If you plan to add minced garlic or a sprinkle of Italian seasonings, toss it with the asparagus now. All other seasonings can be added after roasting.
• Bake asparagus in the preheated oven for 10-18 minutes, until the spears are tender when pierced with a fork. Thin asparagus will cook very quickly, and thicker spears will take more time.
• Serve roasted asparagus as is, or add one or more of the optional seasonings, as desired: a sprinkle of grated Parmesan, some crumbled goat cheese, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and/or toasted sliced or slivered almonds. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wash the asparagus and dry it well by patting it with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
• Hold one spear of asparagus with a hand at each end and bend it until it snaps into two pieces. Discard the woody stem end that snapped off. Repeat this process with the remaining asparagus. Or, line up the rest of the asparagus next to the trimmed one and use a sharp chef's knife to trim off the ends so that the spears are the same length as the first one.
• Place the asparagus spears on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer, with a little room between each spear if possible.
• Sprinkle on salt and pepper. If you plan to add minced garlic or a sprinkle of Italian seasonings, toss it with the asparagus now. All other seasonings can be added after roasting.
• Bake asparagus in the preheated oven for 10-18 minutes, until the spears are tender when pierced with a fork. Thin asparagus will cook very quickly, and thicker spears will take more time.
• Serve roasted asparagus as is, or add one or more of the optional seasonings, as desired: a sprinkle of grated Parmesan, some crumbled goat cheese, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and/or toasted sliced or slivered almonds. Serve immediately.