Roasted Asparagus

By á-51103

Why This Recipe Works
We roasted relatively thick asparagus spears on a preheated baking sheet in a 500-degree oven, which ensured that they browned deeply and quickly. Not moving the spears during cooking allowed them to get a rich sear on one side and remain vibrant green on the other, which helped them retain their freshness and tender snap. We trimmed the base of the spears with a knife and peeled away their tough skin to reduce waste.

Ingredients

• 2 2 2 pounds thick asparagus
• 2 2 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from cooksillustrated.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.

2. Trim bottom inch of asparagus spears and discard. Peel bottom halves of spears until white flesh is exposed. Place asparagus in large baking pan and toss with 2 tablespoons oil, salt, and pepper.

3. Transfer asparagus to preheated sheet and spread into even layer. Roast, without moving asparagus, until undersides of spears are browned, tops are vibrant green, and tip of paring knife inserted at base of largest spear meets little resistance, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer asparagus to serving platter, drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and serve immediately.

Note: This recipe works best with thick asparagus spears that are between ½ and ¾ inch in diameter.