Parmesan Lemon Asparagus in the Oven

Lemon Asparagus Recipe is a quick and easy way to roast asparagus in the oven. Crisp asparagus is tossed with lemon zest, parmesan cheese + olive oil to make the most delicious, low carb and gluten free side dish. Great for serving with chicken or fish.

This lemon asparagus recipe is a quick and easy way to roast asparagus in the oven. With just a few ingredients and our cooking tips, you can enjoy this healthy, gluten-free, low carb, and yummy side dish!

It seems that asparagus is a lot like roasted Brussel sprouts – people either love it or hate it. If you love the healthy green veggie, this oven roasted version, with its burst of citrus flavor, is likely to become one of your favorites!

This healthy lemon roasted asparagus is pretty much guaranteed to be a winner at dinner time in your house. Pair it with this Slow Cooker whole chicken and some Roasted sweet potatoes or Garlic Potatoes and you’ll have the perfect healthy weeknight dinner!

Ingredients for Lemon Parmesan Asparagus:

To make this healthy veggie side dish, you will need:

• asparagus – avoid using very thin stalks, because asparagus in the oven is very easy to overcook.
• lemon – you’ll need the lemon juice and the lemon zest\
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• parmesan cheese – We recommend grating a fresh block of cheese rather than using a pre-shredded variety. The flavor of freshly grated cheese just can’t be beat.

To make things easier, we also recommend using these kitchen supplies:

• baking sheet
• silicone baking liner
• citrus zester This kitchen gadget is also great for grating ginger and garlic. We use it when we make chicken stir fry with vegetables.
• citrus juicer

how to roast asparagus in the oven

Making lemon parmesan asparagus is very simple, and it only takes about 15 minutes to cook. But before you can roast asparagus, you will need to clean and trim it.

cleaning and trimming asparagus spears

1. Inspect the bunch. First things first, inspect your asparagus. Choose the bright green, firm spears with tightly closed tips – those are the freshest.
2. Wash them. You don’t need to soak them; just rinse them under cold running water to wash off any dirt or debris that shouldn’t be there.
3. Remove the woody ends. Spears of asparagus have a woody, tough part at the bottom, and most often, it’s a different color than the useable portion of the stalk.
   
   You can either bend and snap off the woody ends, or use a sharp kitchen knife to cut them off. Hold each spear near the bottom and bend it until it naturally breaks – it’ll snap right where the tough part ends and the tender part begins.

If you’re looking for the easiest way to make asparagus, this Healthy Lemon Parmesan Roasted Asparagus is it! Next time I make it, I’m definitely going to save it and chop/toss it with some pasta with some balsamic mushrooms, garlic corn, and summer tomatoes. I think it would be SO yummy!

serving suggestions for lemon asparagus

This side dish pairs well with virtually any protein, from beef and pork to poultry and seafood. Our favorite main dishes to serve it with are crockpot turkey breast, and baked chicken wings.

For fish that tastes great with asparagus spears, check out these healthy salmon recipes.

You can serve whole spears, or chop it for easier serving to kids. In fact, we like to chop the pieces about 1 inch long and toss them with pasta, some balsamic mushrooms, garlic corn, and roasted cherry tomatoes. It’s a fantastic summer side dish!

tips for the best tasting parmesan lemon asparagus

• Be sure to thoroughly preheat the oven. If you put the spears into a cold oven, they are likely to overcook, which can make them stringy and limp. Roasting asparagus in the oven requires high heat to cook them to crisp perfection.
• Arrange them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. To prevent the spears from sticking, it’s important to line your baking pan with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Season the asparagus with lemon, oil, and other spices, but wait until after cooking to add the cheese.