This roasted parmesan asparagus is the perfect way to cook this beautiful seasonal vegetable! You’ll love the contrast between the crisp tender asparagus and the crunchy parmesan panko topping.
Ready in just 15 minutes! It takes only 5 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to roast. So, if you’re looking for a simple and quick weeknight side dish, this is it!
I promise, even if you’re not a huge fan of asparagus, you’ll love this roasted parmesan asparagus!
Temperatures are slowly rising and flower buds are starting to sprout. You know what the means…spring is almost here! This winter has been pretty brutal, at least here in Michigan. We had one big ice storm that took power down for days. So, I’m really happy to see longer sunlight days and warmer temps!
I always get excited about spring because of all the fresh produce! Asparagus is my favorite seasonal vegetable, and today I want to share a very simple yet elegant side dish: Roasted Parmesan Asparagus!
What I love about this roasted parmesan asparagus is the texture. It’s perfectly crisp tender, topped with savory, crunchy, crispy, and buttery parmesan panko topping. I love it!
Roasted parmesan asparagus is a side dish that pairs really well with almost anything! It goes so well with my Baked Salmon Florentine and Creamy Lemon Chicken. Or if you want to keep it simple, try it with this pan-seared chicken breast.
And because I can’t get enough of it, I’ve also been making a lot of this wonderful Cream of Asparagus Soup and Roasted Asparagus Sweet Potato Salad. We also love to use it in my Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies, it’s perfect for weeknights!
Why we love making roasted parmesan asparagus:
- A super simple yet elegant side dish that is very easy to make.
- Texture, texture, texture! The crisp tender asparagus is topped with savory parmesan and crunchy, buttery panko breadcrumbs.
- Ready in just 15 minutes! Super quick.
- It’s a versatile vegetable side dish that pairs so well with almost anything!
Jump to:
The Parmesan and Panko Topping
Asparagus on its own is such a simple and humble vegetable, which means that you can transform it in endless ways!
Because it’s tender when cooked, I like to add a little texture. For this recipe, I top it with freshly grated parmesan cheese with panko breadcrumbs, butter, and seasoning. The results? Crisp tender roasted asparagus with buttery, crispy, crunchy savory parmesan panko breadcrumbs. It’s seriously SO GOOD!
If you’re not a fan of panko or if you want to keep it gluten-free, simply omit it and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese 5 minutes before the cooking time is up. It’s delicious either way.
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients used in this beautiful roasted parmesan asparagus recipe are quite easy to find. Below are helpful ingredient notes from recipe testing. As always, the full ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Fresh asparagus: Look for bunches that are straight, firm, and bright green. Avoid wilted, wrinkled, dull-colored, or mushy ones.
- Olive oil
- Grated parmesan cheese: I’d highly recommend grating a block of parmesan yourself, or buying freshly grated from your local store.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs will add texture.
- Unsalted butter: You know what’s better than crunchy panko breadcrumbs? BUTTERY crunchy breadcrumbs.
- Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and ground black pepper for seasoning
Notice how we don’t use salt here? It’s because the grated cheese is already salty enough. However, if you’d like, add a few pinches of salt to taste.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Making this roasted parmesan asparagus at home is super simple! Below is a step-by-step overview, but please refer to the recipe card down below for detailed instructions.
Step 1 | Make the parmesan panko topping
First of all, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the freshly grated parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and ground black pepper. Drizzle with the melted butter and toss until the breadcrumbs are moist. Set aside.
Step 2 | Arrange and toss with olive oil
On a large sheet pan, arrange the asparagus in a single layer without overcrowding. Overcrowding may cause steaming rather than roasting. If needed, use two sheet pans. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine.
Step 3 | Top with the mixture and bake
Top with the prepared parmesan panko mixture. Roast in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender and the topping is golden brown and crunchy.
Serve immediately. Roasted parmesan asparagus is always best when served straight out of the oven when it’s perfectly tender and crisp. I like to squeeze a little bit of fresh lemon juice on top – it really ties everything together!
How to Trim Asparagus
If you’ve ever cooked with asparagus, you may have noticed that the bottom part of the stalks are tough. The ends need to be trimmed.
Here’s how: Bend a stalk until it snaps naturally (it’s usually around the lower third part). That will give you an idea of how much to trim. Then, simply cut that much off the rest of the stalks.
Another trick is this – slice off the ends where it naturally starts to turn paler and white-ish in color. Sometimes, thicker ones can be tough even if you trim them. If that’s the case, use a Y-peeler to shave it off the skin off the lower half of the stalks.
Make sure to thoroughly pat the asparagus dry so they roast up crisper in the oven.
How Long to Roast
Asparagus is quite a delicate vegetable, so it should be roasted at 400 degrees F. Anything higher than that could cause them shrivel and become dry and tough.
10 to 12 minutes in the oven is all you need to get them perfectly tender but still crisp.
If cooking in the air fryer, about 7 to 9 minutes at 390 or 400 degrees F should be enough. Remember to arrange them on a single layer.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
There are so many main dishes to serve with roasted parmesan asparagus. Our absolute favorite is this Creamy Lemon Chicken!
It also goes really well with roasted chicken. Try my Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken or Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken. For a quicker dinner, use my simple pan-seared chicken recipe or this easy lemon marinated chicken (can be grilled or seared).
More delicious recipes using fresh asparagus:
- Cream of Asparagus
- Roasted Asparagus and Sweet Potato Salad
- Spring Salad
- Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies
Recipe FAQs
Look for ones with straight, firm, and bright green stalks. Avoid wilted, wrinkled, dull-colored, or mushy ones.
Bend a stalk until it snaps naturally (it’s usually around the lower third part). That will give you an idea of how much to trim. Then, cut off about the same length for the remaining ones.
Don’t overcook it. 10 minutes is all you need. If they are thicker, give it an extra 2 minutes or so.
I’d recommend freshly grated parmesan for best flavor, but if all you can find is the pre-packaged grated kind, that’s fine too.
Yes! 7 to 9 minutes at 390 or 400 degrees F in your air fryer. Do it in batches in a single layer.
This recipe was published in 2021 and updated in March 2023 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- How to pick asparagus: Look for ones with straight, firm, and bright green stalks. Avoid wilted, wrinkled, dull-colored, or mushy ones.
- I’d recommend using freshly grated parmesan for best results, but if pre-packaged shredded parmesan is all you can find, that’s fine too.
- The exact roasting time depends on the thickness. If it’s very thin, reduce the baking time (keep an eye on it). If they are on the thicker end, add an extra 2 minutes or so until tender.
- Serve with some freshly squeezed lemon juice at the end. It will bring everything together!
- Serve immediately so you can savor all the amazing texture!
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Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
Equipment
- Large sheet pan you may need two
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh asparagus, ends trimmed - see notes
- Olive oil - for drizzling
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Make the parmesan panko mixture: In a bowl, mix the grated parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, ground black pepper, and melted butter until evenly combined. Note: no need to add salt since the parmesan is already salty, but if desired, add a few pinches of salt to taste.
- On a large sheet pan, arrange the asparagus on a single layer. Toss the asparagus with a few drizzles of olive oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan, overcrowding can cause steaming rather than roasting.
- Evenly top the asparagus with the parmesan panko mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until the asparagus is just tender. If the asparagus is thicker, it may need 2 extra minutes or so. If you want the topping to be more golden brown, broil for 1-2 minutes but I didn't find that necessary. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- How to trim asparagus: Bend a stalk until it snaps naturally. That will give you an idea of how much to trim. Then, simply cut that much off for the rest of the stalks.
- How to pick a good bunch of asparagus: Look for ones with straight, firm, and bright green stalks. Avoid wilted, wrinkled, dull-colored, or mushy ones.
- Freshly grated vs. pre-shredded packaged parmesan: Of course I’d recommend using fresh for best flavors, but if you can’t find it, the latter is fine too.
- Roasting times vary depending on the thickness of the asparagus. If it’s very thin, reduce the baking time (keep an eye on it). If they are on the thicker end, add an extra 2 minutes or so until tender.
- Air fryer method: Air fry for 7 to 9 minutes at 390 or 400 degrees F in a single layer.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Add some Italian breadcrumbs to the parmesan panko mixture for extra texture and flavor.
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