How to Roast Asparagus (Recipes Kids Should Know Before Leaving Home)
Asparagus is a wonderful vegetable, filled with nutrients and flavor. That is why we are including it in our series on Recipes Kids Should Know How to Cook Before Leaving Home.
Asparagus is one of those vegetables that when it’s cooked wrong, well, it’s doesn’t live up to all it can be. Roasting is a really great way to cook asparagus properly and is really simple, too. Here we teach kids how.
Pro-tip for cooking asparagus:
Before we get to the cooking part, let’s quickly talk about how to prepare asparagus for cooking. Wash asparagus how you normally would any produce, under running water at the kitchen sink. The cut ends of asparagus tend to get tough and woody, but there is an easy way to trim asparagus so you know you have removed the tough portion without wasting any of the delicious tender parts of the spear. Simply pick up a spear and bend it with your hands. Keep bending to eventually break the woody end off, feeling gently where the natural breaking point is. You will definitely be able to tell where that is and the spear should break where it’s supposed to. If you just simply cut off all the bottoms of the spears at the same spot, you may end up with tough pieces or waste good parts. Bending and breaking takes a little more time but it is worth it! Toss the broken ends in the trash or compost when you’re done.
I find using my hands to add the oil and seasoning is the best way to finish off the preparation. Once you’ve drizzled the oil and sprinkled the salt and pepper, go ahead and use those hands to get everything evenly coated in the pan. While simply using salt and pepper is foolproof and delicious, feel free to try out seasoned salts or other spices and herbs, like garlic or parsley. A squeeze of fresh lemon is also great on asparagus!
How to Cook Roasted Asparagus
Part of series on Recipes Kids Should Know Before Leaving Home
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus spears
- 1 to 2 tablespoons oil (canola, vegetable or olive)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper for sprinkling
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Wash asparagus under running water at the kitchen sink. For each spear, hold it in your hand and bend the asparagus, feeling for the “breaking point.” Snap end of asparagus off where it naturally breaks. Discard or compost ends.
3. Place asparagus spears on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the asparagus with the oil, then sprinkle with the sale and evenly with a bit of black pepper. Using your hands, move the asparagus around on the pan to even distribute the oil and seasoning on the spears.
4. Cook for 5-10 minutes, depending on how thick the asparagus is. Skinny asparagus will cook much faster. You will know it’s done when a sharp knife can pierce the asparagus fairly easily and the asparagus has gotten brighter green in color.
More Vegetable Recipes Kids Should Know How To Cook Before Leaving Home:
1. Teach Your Kids How to Roast Yummy Vegetables
2. Teach Kids How to Cook Delicious Carrots
3. Teach Your Kids to Make the Best Mashed Potatoes
