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This Parmesan Baked Asparagus is ready in just 25 minutes with 7 simple ingredients. Crispy, cheesy, and perfect for any night of the week. I toss fresh asparagus with garlic, lemon, and olive oil, top it with parmesan, and broil it until golden. My kids, who normally won’t touch asparagus, ask for this one on repeat.
If you need an easy vegetable side dish that everyone will actually enjoy, this parmesan baked asparagus is a great one to make. Even my kids, who normally are not fans of asparagus, love it with the parmesan on top. The asparagus is tossed with garlic, lemon, and thyme, then baked until tender and finished with melted parmesan cheese.
It’s perfect for holiday dinners or easy weeknight meals, and it comes together in about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Recipe Overview
Summary
- So easy: This baked asparagus side dish recipe is super easy to make with a handful of ingredients and takes just about 30 minutes.
- Good for you: Made with clean and nutritious ingredients, they are perfect and a great addition to your dinner table to get those fiber and nutrients in.
- Delicious: they are so cheesy and full of flavor. With added parmesan, garlic, and lemons! so good!
Ingredients you will need
Below is a list of ingredients you will need to make this recipe. Full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.
- Asparagus: Fresh is essential here. Look for firm, bright green spears with tight tips. Thinner spears cook faster and get crispier; thicker spears stay meatier in the center.
- Olive oil: Coats the asparagus evenly and helps it roast rather than steam. Avocado oil works just as well at this temperature.
- Fresh garlic cloves: Minced fresh garlic gives a deeper, more savory flavor than garlic powder. It’s worth the extra minute.
- Parmesan cheese: Grate your own if you can. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting and crisping properly.
- Lemon: A squeeze of fresh lemon right before serving brightens the whole dish and cuts through the richness of the parmesan.
- Fresh thyme: Adds a subtle earthiness. Dried thyme works in a pinch. Just use half the amount.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Season generously before baking. Asparagus can handle more salt than you think.
How To Make Parmesan Baked Asparagus
Preheat oven: First, preheat your oven to 400F and get a nonstick sheet pan or a low-rimmed baking dish.
Prepare the asparagus: Then, add in the asparagus and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, and pepper and add the minced garlic. Use your clean hands to toss the asparagus and get it evenly coated with the seasonings.
Bake: Next, bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
Add the cheese: Immediately sprinkle with parmesan cheese and broil until cheese is golden and starts to crisp up about 2-3 min.
Serve: Finally, garnish with lemon sliced and fresh thyme leaves.
Tips for success
Recipe Tip
- Trim the bottom hard edges of the asparagus.
- Do not overcook the asparagus
- Use any oil of choice
- Fresh garlic cloves are preferred, but if you don’t have those handy you may use garlic powder
- Thyme: use fresh or dried
- Parmesan cheese is preferred. Grate your own if you can.
- Fresh lemon juice is preferred, if needed use bottled lemon juice.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in a container for up to 4 days
Recipe Notes
- Trim the woody ends by snapping each spear where it naturally breaks, or slice about an inch off the bottom.
- Don’t crowd the pan: asparagus needs space to roast. Overlapping spears will steam instead of crisp up.
- Add the parmesan only after the first bake, not before. Going straight under the broiler after 10 minutes of roasting gets you that golden, slightly crispy crust without burning.
- Thin vs. thick spears: thin spears are done in 10 to 12 minutes total, thick ones may need 14 to 16. Watch them, not the clock.
- For extra flavor, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice directly over the asparagus before it goes in the oven, then use sliced lemon for garnish after.
Common Questions
Treat asparagus as you would flowers. Trim the edges and place them in a cup filled with about an inch of water. Cover the cup with a plastic bag or ziplock bag and store it in the fridge.
Properly store leftover asparagus in a tightly sealed container and store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Two ways to prevent asparagus from overcooking. If the asparagus is seasoned, it is best to remove them from heat 1-2 minutes before you think they are done. The asparagus will continue to cook slightly. If you are only steaming the asparagus, you can blanch them in an ice bath to prevent them from over cooking.
Yes. You can trim and season the asparagus a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to bake. For best results, bake it fresh. Reheated asparagus can go limp. If you do have leftovers, reheat in the oven or air fryer at 375°F for a few minutes rather than the microwave.
Bake asparagus at 400°F. This temperature is hot enough to roast the spears quickly without making them soggy. For a golden, crispy parmesan crust, finish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes after baking.
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Parmesan Baked Asparagus (Easy Oven Recipe)
Video
Equipment
- baking dish
- Sharp Chef's knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 bunches asparagus, about 28 spears , woody ends removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 lemon, sliced to garnish
- 2-3 spears of thyme
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and get a nonstick sheet pan or a low-rimmed baking dish. Wash and trim the asparagus.
- Add in the 2 bunches asparagus (trimmed) and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and add the minced 2-3 garlic cloves.
- Use your clean hands to toss the asparagus and get it evenly coated with the seasonings. (3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper)
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Immediately sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan cheese and broil until cheese is golden and starts to crisp up about 2-3 min.
- Garnish with 1 lemon sliced and fresh thyme leaves from 2-3 spears of thyme.
Notes
- Trim the bottom hard edges of the asparagus.
- Do not overcook the asparagus
- Use any oil of choice
- Fresh garlic cloves are preferred, but if you don’t have those handy you may use garlic powder
- Thyme: use fresh or dried
- Parmesan cheese is preferred. Grate your own if you like.
- Fresh lemon juice is best, if needed use bottled lemon juice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just used this recipe for the first time. Absolutely delicious! The only thing I might try next time is squeezing some lemon juice on before putting it into the oven (or at least at a later stage). Many thanks for this!
Perfect! Glad you loved it.
I noticed this and many other recipes state the nutrition info but not the serving size. What is 1 serving?