Download Printable version of the Roasted Asparagus
Image Credits: Sweet C Design
Asparagus is in season from April to May in Skagit County.
Roasted Asparagus
Time needed: 30 minutes
Serving: 4 1/2 cup servings
Asparagus is super nutritious and easy to prepare. Take advantage of the spring season when asparagus is fresh and affordable — you can always freeze some for future meals! Roasting asparagus spears will sweeten the vegetable and is an easy, popular way to prepare it. Try the toppings listed below–which one does your child like best?s
| INGREDIENTS 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 pound asparagus 1/2 teaspoon salt DIRECTIONS 1. Wash hands with soap and water. 2. Rinse asparagus spears under running water to clean, then snap or cut off woody ends. 3. Lightly grease a large baking pan with oil. 4. Place spears on a baking pan, drizzle with remaining oil, then toss asparagus spears to coat with the oil. Spread into a single layer. 5. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender but still crisp. Variations: When roasting is almost done, sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and roast for another 5 minutes. Squeeze half a lemon over asparagus before roasting. Add 1 T brown sugar and 1 T soy sauce (replaces salt) to the oil, drizzle and toss to coat the spears before roasting. Dipping sauce ideas! Which does your child like best? Smooth and savory – 1/2 t garlic powder, 1 lemon juice, 3 T mayonnaise or plain yogurt. Stir well to mix. Sweet and tart – 1/4 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt, 2 T Dijon mustard, 2 T maple syrup or honey. Stir well to mix. Creamy and smooth – 2 T sour cream and 2 T mayonnaise. Heat in microwave for 20 seconds or until melted and stir well to mix. |
Kids in the Kitchen
Asparagus is a fun food to use in learning activities to help your child develop fine motor skills – children can easily help prepare asparagus by snapping ends to remove woody sections or snap each spear into bite-sized pieces.
Build on math skills by counting the number of spears in a pound, and expand their food knowledge by introducing this vegetable that might be new to them.
For a fun activity, make an asparagus forest! Using roasted spears, arrange “trees” on a plate to create a forest.
Change the seasons by adding Parmesan cheese for snow, or tiny bits of red pepper for fall apples.
You may also wish to use raw spears, the base of which may be pushed into a thick slice of cheese or bread for a stand-up forest!
about 5 spears = 1 cup of asparagus
The Family Farms to Healthy Kids project is based upon work that is supported by the USDA Award CN-F2S-IMPL-20-WA-3. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this flyer are those of the author(s) and author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S.D.A. WSU is an equal opportunity provider.
How to Store Asparagus
Asparagus prefers moist, cold storage. Refrigerate fresh asparagus for up to 5 days. Stand stalks in 1 inch of water like a flower bouquet and cover loosely with a plastic bag, or wrap cut ends in a damp paper towel, and cover the towel with plastic. Thin asparagus typically has a slightly shorter storage time as the thinner stalks tend to dry out more quickly.