Crispy, slightly salty baked asparagus with parmesan is an easy, delicious side to pop in the oven and have on the table in no time at all.

Baked Asparagus with Parmesan

Baked asparagus is fork-tender and slightly crisp on the edges. Topped with Parmesan, it’s a side dish that we all enjoy.

My preference is to use a freshly shaved or shredded Parmesan. That tends to work better than the finely grated Parmesan.

If you want to make clean-up super easy line your baking sheet with parchment paper first. No crispy cheese to soak or scrap off your baking sheet this way.

Baked Asparagus Ingredients

The beauty of this recipe is the amount of flavor you can get from such simple ingredients. All you really need are asparagus and shredded parmesan cheese.

A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper from the pantry will season this perfectly.

Parmesan Asparagus Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss with your hands to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan. Bake until the cheese begins to melt and lightly brown, about 5-10 minutes more.

Asparagus Cooking Tips

Just a note about asparagus, like many vegetable recipes, the quality of the asparagus will make a difference in the final result. Avoid asparagus whose tips have opened up or are mushy in texture when you touch them.

The longer you store asparagus, the woodier or stringier it will be. So, harvest or purchase your asparagus as close as possible to the time you plan to cook it.

If you do wind up with slightly woody asparagus, you can peel the woody ends with a vegetable peeler (we really like this one that swivels!) and this will soften it a good bit.

For a few more asparagus options, crispy, tender, honey glazed asparagus is an absolutely unforgettable side dish for any meal. Grab a fork, skip the plate, you are going to be eating this sauteed asparagus with bacon before it gets to the table. Or combine with broccoli for Parmesan Asparagus and Broccoli.

The rich flavors of butter, garlic, and lemon come together with the earthiness of fresh asparagus to create a pasta you will immediately crave again. I have never had leftovers when making this recipe.