Name: Roasted Lemon Asparagus with Fresh Basil
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 11 min
Ingredients: 1 bundle of asaparagus (about 3/4 to 1 lb in weight); 1 Tablespoon Oil; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1-2 cloves of minced fresh garlic); 2 Tablespoons lemon juice ((depending on how much juice is in your lemon this could be half of a lemon or one whole lemon)); 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil; 1 healthy pinch of salt; 1 healthy pinch of black pepper

Roasted Lemon Asparagus with fresh basil! This easy spring side dish has bright flavor notes from only a few ingredients and takes just minutes to make. It perfectly pairs alongside almost any meal!

A large white plate with roasted asparagus on it. The asparagus is topped with fresh basil leaves and lemon slices. Arranged next to the plate is a small dish of salt and a fresh basil leaf.

Asparagus is one of my favorite side dishes when spring rolls around! It’s easy to make, and you don’t need fancy ingredients to make it delicious. This roasted asparagus with lemon and basil is delicious and pairs perfectly with just about any meal!

This popular spring veggie has a slightly crunchy texture and the flavor is a little earthy and slightly sweet. Once it’s cooked it softens beautifully, but still has a subtle bite of texture to it! We love to cook asparagus because it’s quick to prep and only takes a few minutes to cook. Plus it’s so tasty!

Key Ingredients

The best thing about this recipe is you only need 4 main ingredients to make it! Asparagus, fresh basil, olive oil, garlic powder, and fresh lemon. If you’d like to add even more flavor, see our tips below for extra toppings and seasonings you can add!

Ingredients for lemon asparagus with basil arranged on a tan background.

How to Make It

This recipe is specifically for roasting the asparagus in the oven. If you would like instructions on additional ways to cook asparagus, see below for more details!

Three photos in a collage showing how to make roasted lemon asparagus. The first photo is a small bowl with herbs and oil in it with a spoon. The second photo is raw asparagus tossed in herbs. The third photo is the asparagus with herbs roasted on a pan.

1

Mix the lemon basil sauce ingredients together. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, chopped fresh basil, garlic powder, and lemon juice.
2

Toss the asparagus with the sauce. After trimming the asparagus ends, lay the asparagus on a pan lined with parchment paper and toss with the lemon basil sauce and salt & black pepper.
3

Roast it. Then bake in the middle rack of the oven at 450F for 6-8 minutes for smaller asparagus, and 10 minutes for thicker asparagus.

Tips for Success

Additional toppings: to add more flavor, we also love pairing cooked asparagus with fresh parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes for some heat, or additional herbs like fresh oregano, thyme, and parsley!

Don’t snap the asparagus ends, use a knife: One thing you have to do with asparagus is trim the bottom because it can be tough when cooked. I know a lot of people may advise using your hands to snap the ends off the asparagus, but this can result in more waste than needed. Use a knife for more accuracy and cut just 1 to 2 inches off the bottom of the asparagus!

The size will determine the cooking time: the cooking time for the asparagus will depend on its size. For smaller/thinner asparagus it should cook in 6-8 minutes, but if it’s large/thicker stalks you might need to cook them for 10 minutes. You can check the doneness by piercing with a fork!

Fresh basil is best! I know dried herbs can be convenient, but this dish shines with the pop of fresh flavor from using FRESH basil! I don’t recommend using dried basil for this recipe.

Additional Ways to Cook Asparagus

If you don’t want to roast/bake the asparagus you can also steam it or grill it!

How to steam asparagus: use a saucepan and fill it with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Place the trimmed asparagus in the pan of water and cover, steam on medium to low heat for about 3-5 minutes. Use a fork to test. Drain the water, then toss the steamed asparagus in the lemon basil oil & salt & pepper. Then serve!

How to grill asparagus: Preheat the grill to 400F and brush the grills clean (or use a grill tray). Toss the asparagus in a bowl with the lemon basil sauce and salt & pepper. Place on the grill and cook with the lid closed for about 6-9 minutes, turning the asparagus halfway through the cooking time. Test with a fork to check the doneness.

What to Serve with Asparagus

Asparagus is one of the easiest vegetables to pair with dinners with because it goes great with so many meals!

Chicken. One of our go-to ways is serving it with chicken! Whether it’s grilled or roasted. We often make it with our lemon rosemary chicken with potatoes or these crispy roasted chicken thighs!

Fish. Asparagus is one of our favorite side dishes when we make fish! Such as salmon, cod, or halibut. You can also serve them alongside our grilled fish tacos for the perfect summer pairing!

Steak. Another one of our favorites! When we make steak, we love to serve it with asparagus.

Grilled tofu. If you want a plant-based option for meat, we love to pair asparagus with grilled or baked tofu too!

More Asparagus Recipes

Love asparagus? Try our 15-minute lemon asparagus pasta! It’s so easy to make and filled with this beautiful spring veggie. You can also add asparagus to our veggie breakfast egg casserole!