Why did it get mushy or stringy?

This is most likely a case of the asparagus cooking too long. To prevent this, make sure your asparagus is dry before you start. Coat it well with oil. Additionally, it is not overcrowded on the pan and the oven is good and hot. With really fresh asparagus, straight from the garden, less cooking time is better!

Can I use parchment paper?

I find that the asparagus browns best if it is directly in contact with the hot metal of the pan so I don't recommend using parchment for roasting asparagus.

Should I peel the stalks?

It is not necessary to peel the bottom third of the stalks with a vegetable peeler. While it looks pretty, it will not affect the texture of the final dish. What is more important is to snap off the tough bottom part of the stalk before cooking them.

Why Does The Lemon Make the Color Fade?

Lemon and asparagus taste great together, but it or other acidic ingredients should be added at the last minute, just before serving, because the asparagus will quickly turn from bright green to faded brownish army green. When the asparagus is cooked the lemon reacts with the chlorophyll in the cells of the asparagus.

Roasted Asparagus

Description

If you are wondering the best way to make roasted asparagus without it turning mushy, limp and watery you are in the right place! I am going to show you how to roast asparagus, and a simple way of jazzing it up with just a couple simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale

2 bunches asparagus, pithy ends snapped off

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lay asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and then spread out into a single layer.
Roast the asparagus, rolling them over once if desired, until crisp tender, 8 to 12 minutes for very thin to thin spears and 13 to 15 minutes for thicker spears. Serve immediately.

Notes

For additional flavor, top the roasted asparagus with any of the following combinations:

Lemon and Herbs: 1 tablespoon chopped Chives, 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon, ½ lemon zested and juiced
Pesto: Thin two tablespoons pesto with 1 tablespoon olive oil (or water for a lower calorie option.)
Vinaigrette: Drizzle on 3 to 4 tablespoons favorite vinaigrette.
Hollandaise: Drizzle with 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup fresh warm hollandaise sauce.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6th batch
Calories: 50
Sugar: 3 g
Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 3 g