20-Minute Garlic Lemon Asparagus

Is your meal missing a fresh, healthy, crunchy element? This Quick Garlic Lemon Asparagus is the answer. And the best part? Use this same recipe for any green vegetable.

This delicious and easy asparagus recipe is simple, requiring just 6 ingredients and one sheet pan! Plus, it’s ready in a quick 20 minutes, making it nice and quick! (If you need even quicker, check out my 10-Minute Cast Iron Asparagus!).

As a champion of eco-friendly practices, I always try to eat seasonally! It’s one of the easiest (and most delicious!) ways to support local farmers and improve your carbon footprint.

Green tip: Seasonal and local foods have less associated transportation costs and fuel emissions. Check when asparagus is in season in your area with this Seasonal Food Guide.

Garlic Lemon Asparagus Tips and Tricks

---

Here’s everything you need:

• Asparagus. One bunch is usually roughly 1 pound or 16 ounces, so you’ll only need about 1/2 a bunch. Make sure to snap off the ends.
• Garlic.  Fresh garlic goes a long way in this recipe, but you can also opt to buy the already-minced garlic. In that case, use 2 tablespoons.
• Olive oil. To roast the asparagus and garlic in.
• Steak seasoning. You can make your own steak seasoning or use ready-made. My favorite is Montreal Steak Seasoning.
• Lemon. You’ll get all the juice you need from about 1/4 of a lemon.
• Grated Parmesan. I love the added texture and salinity the grated Parm adds, but truly this recipe is delicious with or without it. For a dairy-free version, simply omit the Parmesan or you can substitute nutritional yeast.

Garlic Lemon Asparagus Tips and Tricks

---

How to Store Fresh Asparagus

Once you find your beautiful asparagus and take it home, it will stay fresh for about a week or so, as long as you store it correctly.

Place the asparagus in a cup or glass jar, tips facing up, and fill it with about 2 inches of water so the ends are submerged.

You can then place a reusable storage bag on top and store the whole jar in your refrigerator to keep it fresh.

Prep Your Asparagus

Asparagus are notorious for having rough or “woody” ends. It’s best to take the ends off before roasting.

But don’t throw those ends out! Save them in the freezer along with your other veggie scraps to make your own vegetable broth.

The easiest way to remove your ends is to hold the asparagus in two clean hands and snap it in two. It will naturally break right where the ends start to get tough.

Season Your Asparagus

Once you’ve prepped your asparagus, line them up on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat.

Then, you can drizzle your olive oil and lemon juice on top and add your minced garlic and seasoning. Use clean hands to toss the asparagus in the oil, juice, garlic, and seasonings, so that it is all evenly coated.

Then, spread the asparagus out in a single layer, ensuring they are not stacked on top of one another.

Roast It

In this easy asparagus recipe, you will roast the asparagus for about 15 minutes, until the tips are crispy, and the stalks are tender. I like to add some lemon slices to the sheet pan to roast next to the asparagus for serving.

Green tip: Get to know your oven! Get an idea of how long it takes your oven to preheat. By not pre-heating the oven too early, you can save energy.

Add the Cheese Last

Once your Garlic and Lemon Asparagus is out of the oven, transfer it to a serving dish and add the Parmesan cheese.

Should You Have Leftovers

Leftover Garlic Lemon Asparagus will last in the refrigerator up to 5 days in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for up to a year.

To thaw, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it rest there overnight. To reheat, bring your oven up to 400°F and roast it again as is (no need to add any extra oil or seasonings). for 8-10 minutes until heated thoroughly.

Green tip: Did you know that of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes? It’s always best to properly store and reheat leftovers to avoid food waste.

Serving Your Garlic Lemon Asparagus

The fresh flavors on this roasted asparagus are complementary to almost any dish. The citrusy flavor works really well with fish, and between that and the Parmesan, I love to serve this on the side of my Baked Cod with Panko.

It’s also an incredible accompaniment to this Yellow Saffron Rice and these Boursin Mashed Potatoes.

Why You Should Make This Garlic Lemon Asparagus

---

• It’s easy. Just a baking sheet and 6 simple ingredients required.
• It’s quick. Ready and roasted in under 30 minutes.
• It’s fresh. The naturally fresh flavors are only amplified by the lemon, garlic, and cooking technique.