Garlic Roasted Asparagus
- PREP 10min
- COOK 15min
- TOTAL 25min
Garlic asparagus is one of my favorite easy side dishes. The asparagus comes out perfectly tender with just the right amount of crispy tips. I love serving it with our 5-minute garlic tahini herb sauce for an extra kick of garlicky, fresh flavor. Plus, it’s vegetarian and always a hit at our table.
You Will Need
- Garlic Asparagus
2 pounds asparagus (907 g)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 medium cloves)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 thin lemon slices, halved, optional
- Garlic Herb Tahini Sauce
⅓ cup well stirred tahini, try homemade tahini (80 ml)
1 garlic clove minced very finely into a paste or use a microplane, see note
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from half a lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch fine sea salt
3 to 6 tablespoons lukewarm water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Directions
- Roast Asparagus
1Heat oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2Break off or slice the tough ends of the asparagus. If the asparagus is thick, peel them (see tips below).
3Place the asparagus on the baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, minced garlic, a generous pinch of salt, and a generous pinch of black pepper.
4Spread the asparagus out in one layer. Nestle the lemon slices around the asparagus. Roast until tender, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how thick they are. If you can pierce them with a fork, they are done.
5Serve alone or alongside the garlic herb tahini sauce, which can be drizzled over the roasted asparagus or used as a dipping sauce.
- Garlic Herb Tahini Sauce
1Garlic herb tahini sauce can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
2Whisk the tahini, garlic paste, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a bowl until combined. The mixture will thicken; don’t worry about this. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition until desired consistency. For a dip, look for the consistency of thin peanut butter. For a sauce to drizzle over the asparagus, add enough water until the consistency of runny yogurt.
3Stir in the herbs. Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt or lemon juice.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Thick asparagus stalks: We peel the outer layer, which can be a little stringy. A vegetable peeler makes quick work of this. If you have thin stalks, skip this step.
- About the sauce: This sauce is an extra herby version of our tahini sauce (click for a video showing how to make it). We make the sauce with homemade tahini. You can buy your tahini, but if you have sesame seeds, you won’t believe how simple it is!
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.