American
High-Heat Roasted Asparagus with Lemon
High-heat roasted asparagus with blistered tips, juicy crisp-tender stalks, fruity olive oil, and a last-minute lemon zest and juice finish that keeps the spears bright.
4 servings · 10 minutes prep · 9 minutes cook
Ingredients
Asparagus
- 1 1/2 pounds medium asparagus spears, dry ends trimmed; peel the lower third only if stalks are thick and fibrous
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Sort and Season the Spears
- Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the upper-middle position. Trim the dry ends from the asparagus and separate noticeably thin spears from thick ones so they can be checked independently.
- Dry the asparagus thoroughly, then toss with the olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Arrange in one uncrowded layer with tips pointing toward the center of the pan rather than overlapping.
Roast by Thickness
- Roast for 5 minutes, then turn the spears with tongs. Remove any very thin spear whose tip is browned and whose stalk bends slightly without hanging limp.
- Continue roasting medium spears for 3 to 5 minutes, checking the thickest lower stalk with a knife. Stop when it meets light resistance and the tips are browned at their edges; fully soft stalks are overdone.
Finish Off the Pan
- Immediately move the asparagus to a platter. Scatter the lemon zest over the hot spears, drizzle with the lemon juice, and roll them once to distribute the finish.
- Taste one thick stalk from tip to base and correct salt only if necessary. Serve at once while the tips retain a faint crispness.
