Through Thick And Thin
Not all spears of asparagus are created equal. Thin spears are typically younger, with a more mild and fresh flavor, while thicker spears, which were left to grow longer, have a stronger asparagus flavor. Both are delicious. Just stay consistent with what you buy to cook, because cooking with some thick and others that are thin will make it hard to cook all the asparagus evenly.
Expert Tips And Tricks
- Snap the ends. Use your fingers to easily break off the tough ends.
- Single layer. Arrange the asparagus on the baking sheet without touching so the edges can get crispy.
- Brush, not pour. Coat the spears with the seasoning mixture with a pastry brush.
- The brighter the better. The asparagus is done when it turns a vibrant green color.
- Add a little zest. Lemon juice is good, but zest will give the most lemon flavor.
Oven Roasted Asparagus Step By Step
Preheat oven to 375 F.Wash and cut the ends of the asparagus off. Mix the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper together. Place the asparagus in a mixing bowl, drizzle the oil mixture over the asparagus and toss gently to coat. Not ShownPlace the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 10 – 15 minutes or until tender. Enjoy!
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How To Prepare It For Roasting
Star by cleaning it. To do so, Gently rinse under cool running water to remove any dirt or debris. Then, thoroughly dry the spears with a clean kitchen towel. The dry surface and hot oven ensure maximum crispness every time.
The best way to prepare asparagus is to snap off the ends one-by-one. This is the natural break between tender asparagus and the woody stem. The woodsy part should snap off easily.
If this is a task that seems too tedious, simply snap one spear. Then, bunch the asparagus spears together, line up the ends and cut at the point where the one asparagus spear was broken.
You can toss the ends or save them for later to use next time you make vegetable or chicken stock.
How To Store Asparagus
If you arent making this roasted asparagus recipe the day you come home from the grocery store, you are going to want to store it in your refrigerator.
- Give the asparagus a little trim.
- Put it in a glass with just an inch or two of water. No need to fill the whole glass.
- Store the glass in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
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How To Make Asparagus At 375
- Turn the temperature in the oven up to 375 degrees F. .
- If you choose, you may use foil to line a baking pan.
- Place the asparagus spears on the baking sheet in a single layer, making sure they are parallel to one another.
- Olive oil should be drizzled over the asparagus. If you are utilizing it, sprinkle some sea salt, ground black pepper, and garlic powder on top.
- To ensure that all of the pieces receive an equal coating of oil and seasoning, you should use your hands to toss and flip them.
- Rearrange everything so that everything is in one layer.
- To get a crisp-tender texture, roast the asparagus in the oven for 8-11 minutes for thin stalks, 12-15 minutes for normal stalks, or 16-20 minutes for thick stalks.
How To Season It & What To Put On It
Asparagus seasoning can vary based on your tastes, dietary concerns or what you are going to serve it with. I found the best seasoning for baked asparagus to be a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese, a clove of minced fresh garlic, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Adding ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs before cooking
- Sprinkling on ½ teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence
- Adding 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
- Finishing with balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze
- Squeezing on any citrus fruit lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit
- Adding roughly chopped fresh parsley, mint or basil leaves after cooking
- Replacing the olive oil with nutty and aromatic ghee
- Finishing the spears with a tab of butter
- My absolute favorite is garlic parmesan asparagus. Savory, cheesy and somewhat nutty.
- A few other additions can include toasted slivered almonds, lemon zest, or any hard, grated cheese!
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What Is The Difference Between Roasted Asparagus And Baked Asparagus
Roasted typically refers to a higher cooking temperature and results in a slightly browned, crispy end product. Baking, on the other hand, involves a lower cooking temperature, meaning that it doesnt always reach that crispy end texture. To be quite honest, most of the veggies on our website are labeled roasted vs. baked the two are really similar!
What Is Roasted Asparagus
While vegetables are often maligned in our culture, I think their poor reputation is to be blamed on how folks prepare it. Over time Ive found that oven roasting my vegetables, like oven roasted tomatoes or roast garlic really brings out the flavor in the vegetable.
Roasted asparagus is cooked in a hot oven instead of boiling or steaming, preparations that often result in soggy and stringy veg. Roasting imparts a richer flavor and a crisp-tender texture.
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Oven Roasted Asparagus With Parmesan
Oven Roasted Asparagus with parmesan is a recipe that is almost too good to be true! It is quick, easy and delicious. This is sure to be a family favorite!
This year is the third year for our asparagus bed. Those little babies have given delicious fresh asparagus – we can now cut it for as long as we want!
It is hard to believe that we planted the asparagus bed three years ago! There was a lot of preparation for three, forty foot rows!
The rows were first dug 2 ½ feet deep then about 10 inches of manure were added and drip irrigation was laid – you can see pictures of the actual process in Asparagus Bed.
That was just the prep work!
Then came planting the crowns. I remember opening the box of crowns when it came in the mail and thinking, “What in the world!”.
The crowns looked like a ball of spaghetti noodles that had gone bad – reeeaaallly bad!
I laugh now as I think back to my city-girl naivety! I have learned so much – to put it another way – I’ve come a long way baby!
So, in my anticipation of all the asparagus that is to come, I decided to begin experimenting with ways to cook it.
Last year as we cut asparagus, much of it was eaten raw.
It was delicious but, this year we will be able to harvest a lot more. I am determined to find delicious recipes and not just eat it raw or in scrambled eggs!
I went shopping while I was hungry! You know how it is when you are hungry and in the grocery store – eeeeverrryyyything looks good!
And, I answered!
Other Seasonings For Oven
Ginger, soy, and sesame seeds are delicious ingredients to season the roasted asparagus with, or you could try wrapping the asparagus in bacon before it hits the oven. A touch of lemon juice or a sprinkle of any tender herbs after the asparagus comes out of the oven is another delicious way to finish the dish instead of adding almonds.
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Does Asparagus Get Softer The Longer You Cook It
Yes, Asparagus Get Softer The Longer You Cook It but this is only if you bake it covered because the aluminum foil will traps heat and the water inside and make the asparagus more soft and tender.But if you bake it uncovered this will make the asparagus more crunchy and sometimes hard, because the water inside the asparagus spears will evaporate and you will end up with hard and crispy asparagus spears am not telling you its bad but it is only perfect for certain recipes.
How Do You Cook Asparagus Like A Pro
Cooking asparagus like a pro can seem overwhelming, but with a little practice youll be able to create delicious and succulent spears that are perfect for your next meal. Here are 5 tips to help you get started:
Start by prepping the asparagus by washing it, trimming off any tough ends, and peeling if desired.
Slice the asparagus into thin strips or thin slices using a sharp knife or mandoline.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat up some oil over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until just starting to turn brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Once the asparages are cooked through, add salt and pepper to taste and toss everything together to combine well. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
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How To Choose Asparagus
Picking out the perfect asparagus as the market or grocery store isnt really rocket science but there are a few tips you should know to picking out the BEST asparagus out of the bunch.
- FRESH asparagus is best so look for asparagus stalks that are firm and straight, not limp, soft or wrinkly.
- Check the tips, the tips are the first indicator of asparagus past its prime. The tips should be bright green, firm and compact, not spreading, soft or mushy.
- Thin or thick, there really isnt a different in freshness. I love thin stalks of asparagus where my husband prefers thicker stalks. You can choose either for this Baked Asparagus recipe, youll just need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Stalks should be standing upright in a small amount of water at the grocery store to keep the ends from drying out and the stalks from becoming limp. If your store or market isnt displaying the asparagus properly move on and pick something else that day.
How To Cook Asparagus
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How To Know When Chicken Tenders Are Done
As previously mentioned, cooking chicken tenders is quite simple. They only require a brief period of baking before they are ready to eat.
However, because they cook quickly and easily, you should take extra care to avoid burning them when baking.
It is simple to burn their coating and cause them to dry out from the inside by baking them at a higher temperature or for a longer period of time than is advised.
You wont have to do much if you have a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer in the middle of your chicken tenders.
The tenders are prepared for eating when the temperature reaches 165 degrees. Check the tenders centers if you dont have a meat thermometer. Take them out once the center is no longer pink. Alternatively, you can just leave them to bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees if you cant check that.
How To Store Fresh Asparagus
Not unlike herbs, it’s best to store asparagus standing up in a cup of water in the fridge until ready to cook. Makes sure to trim the ends first and cover the upright spears loosely with a plastic bag.
Best practice is to use asparagus soon after buying, as the sugars naturally found in the stalk will migrate to the ends and can make the spears tough and stringy, but the water glass technique can make fresh asparagus last three to five days. Want to store it for longer? Try freezing it.
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What To Serve With Roasted Asparagus
This asparagus recipe makes a great veggie side dish for chicken or fish, and is especially tasty as a side to an egg dish for a spring brunch. But Ive also been known to snack on it directly from the pan its that good! You can even add a drizzle of hollandaise sauce if you like.
Here are some simple meals to pair with easy asparagus recipes like this one:
Do You Wash Asparagus Before Cooking
Yes, you should wash your asparagus before roasting or baking it, especially if you use store-bought asparagus. Cleaning vegetables under running water is always a good idea and a need for all vegetables. To avoid losing color and making it unusable, wash your asparagus only when you are sure that you will cook it. If you wash it and store it wet, it will become unusable.
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Oven Asparagus Will Redefine Easy In The Kitchen The Result Is A Perfectly Tender Crisp Asparagus Side Dish And No Clean
You know that feeling when you go to tackle an easy recipe, but end up having a pile of dishes to wash? I hate that feeling. In my book, in order to qualify for easy, it must be easy to make and quick to clean up after. It must take next to no effort and be possible to do while drinking a glass of wine.
This oven asparagus is definitely easy in my book. You dont even need a knife or cutting board and clean up includes tossing some aluminum foil into the trash or recycle bin. Seriously easy.
Its one of those recipes that I make all the time, in fact whenever my oven is on this is the side dish I serve. I almost didnt share. Its so easy I wasnt sure what to write about it. Then, on Valentines Day, I screwed it up. It was the simple error of not setting the timer, but it was an error that had me starting the dish over again from scratch.
The problem was that when I pulled the asparagus from the oven it smelled bitter. I know that I have a sensitive nose but when fresh, sweet, tasty asparagus turns bitter, you know its over cooked. I picked up a piece of it and it drooped. It was sad. Then I squeezed it. It was mush. I became sad.
One day, out of sheer laziness, I realized that baking asparagus is the way to go. Granted, its easiest when you are using the oven anyway. You can just slide it in next to whatever else is in there. Once you try it, this oven asparagus will have you inventing reasons to use the oven for dinner.
Find the full recipe below.
How Long To Bake Chicken Breast Tenders At 375
Chicken RecipesWebster WestBaking chicken tenders at 375 degrees Fahrenheit take about 20 minutes in a conventional oven. This temperature permits the chicken to finish cooking while remaining juicy and tender. If your tenders are tiny and thin, the cooking time may go closer to 15 minutes.
You might be pleasantly surprised by the rich flavor of the seasoning for these baked chicken tenders. This recipe does not include any bread, making it ideal for people who rarely consume bread these days.
When I previously shared my recipe for Zesty Bread Seasoning with you guys, I made a promise to show you other recipes to use it with, like this baked chicken tenders recipe. Even though the bread seasoning is subtle, it complements the chicken tenders nicely. Please click here if you missed the post on how to make my seasoning.
The fact that this recipe for baked chicken tenders is so simple confirms my sincere belief that the best food is simple food Lets all heave a sigh of relief as we use only three ingredients here in a world where it seems like people are trying to impress you with an ingredient list that reads like an encyclopedia.
Heres one more reason to make my Zesty Bread Seasoning if you havent already. If you simply dont feel like making it, simply combine your preferred herbs, kosher salt, and garlic powder in whatever amounts feel right to you at the moment and continue with the rest of the recipe. .
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How Long To Bake Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
One of the best ways to spruce up your asparagus and turn it into something a little bit special and different is to wrap it with bacon. The combination of meat and veggies is a wonderful one, and it takes an ordinary dish and gives it a different look, different texture, and a beautifully salty taste.
You have to go through the same preparation process for your asparagus as I outlined up above, perhaps changing some of the seasoning ingredients, though. Make sure you trim off the edges and then after you season your asparagus, you can wrap them in bacon.
This is going to extend the cooking time a little bit, so expect them to take anywhere from 22 to 28 minutes to cook. The range of time there depends on how thick your asparagus is and how tightly wrapped with bacon.
If you wrapped the bacon loosely, theres some space between the two foods. That makes it easier for the heat to reach the asparagus inside the bacon and cook it thoroughly. So, loosely wrapped bacon asparagus will not take as long to cook as if its tightly wrapped.
You can also prepare this a few different ways, like in the microwave, on the stovetop, or on the grill , depending on whats available to you and how you want the asparagus and bacon to turn out.