Oven Roasted Asparagus (Vegan)

About This Recipe

Come April, we’re always hunting out the best quality white and green asparagus to use in cooking. The relatively short white asparagus season affords the albeit brief opportunity for a flurry of asparagus recipes, but in all honesty, we’ve absolutely nailed it with this recipe and will transform your thinking on this often overshadowed vegetable superhero. 

Asparagus is one of those vegetables that is often overlooked, and for most, the confusion lies in how to cook asparagus. Oven-roasted asparagus is a dish that really transforms this humble vegetable and brings the deliciously smooth and soft flavors of white asparagus to the spotlight. 

With just 5 ingredients (plus one secret ingredient), oven-roasted asparagus will quickly become a favorite dish, and can find its way into many varieties of spring salad recipes too!

What is white asparagus?

Come around Easter each year you may to curious as to why strange white-colored asparagus stalks start appearing in your supermarket or Wholefoods. White asparagus typically have a season that starts off in early April and finishes up around the beginning of summer (June or July depending on the season). 

White asparagus (often referred to as German asparagus) is usually characterized as having larger white-colored stems compared to green asparagus. White asparagus is also slightly tougher and more sinewy making it a curious proposal for recipes. 

Is white asparagus only grown in Germany?

While Germany, as a nation is quite obsessed with white asparagus, and the humble veg holds the title as the most cultivated vegetable in Germany (did somebody say Spargelzeit?!!!), white asparagus is actually grown all over Europe.

European varieties of asparagus:

• Beelitzer Spargel (Brandenburg, Germany)
• Strobenhausener Spargel (Strobenhausen, Germany)
• Marchfeldspargel (Marchfeld, Austria)
• Asparago di Badoere (Treviso, Italy)
• Espárrago de Huétor-Tájar (Huétor-Tájar, Andalusia, Spain)
• Asparago Bianco di Bassano (Vicenza, Italy)
• Walbecker spargel (Walbeck, Germany)
• Abensberger Spargel (Abensberg, Germany)

We find locally grown Spanish white asparagus in most supermarket chains from April until the end of June. Espárrago de Navarra is a white asparagus grown in the Spanish northern regions of Navarre, Rioja, and Aragon. 

Espárrago de Navarra has a thick white stalk that is tender and crunchy with a soft, butter-like flavor and no bitterness in the aftertaste.

Why is white asparagus white?

White asparagus gets its distinctive appearance due to a slightly different growing technique compared to everyday green asparagus. For white asparagus, the soil is piled into knee-high mounds, which in turn shields the asparagus stems from the sun and prevents them from turning green. Another technique is to use black plastic to shield the asparagus stalks from the rays of the sun.

Due to the lack of sunlight, white asparagus has a mellow flavor that can be slightly bitter to taste (depending on the variety), but once cooked, white asparagus becomes tender and has a more subtle flavor compared to its green cousin.

Oven roasted asparagus (green)

This is a quick and easy way to cook green asparagus and by adding a little salt and pepper for seasoning and a good glug of olive oil, the roasted flavors of the green asparagus really shine. 

For tasty roasted green asparagus that’s not too tough or crunchy, you’ll want to roast your green asparagus at 356°F/180°C in a fan-forced oven on the middle shelf for around 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it when you’re roasting it, and if it starts to blacken at the tips, it’s time to take it out. 

More green asparagus recipes: roasted asparagus wrapped in Serrano ham, baked cod with asparagus and cherry tomatoes, asparagus tortilla.

Oven roasted asparagus (white)

White asparagus is usually in season from April until June in the Northern Hemisphere and makes a great addition to the roasting tray. White asparagus is slightly tougher and as we’ve mentioned, can be quite sinewy so it’ll take longer to roast compared to green asparagus. 

Roasting your white asparagus in the oven will take around 45 minutes at 356°F/180°C in a fan-forced oven. Give the asparagus stalks a turn every 15 minutes to make sure that they roast up nice and evenly. 

Marinated roasted asparagus

Marinating your asparagus is a great way to infuse some flavor, although, in all honesty, we’ve yielded the best results by simply using a little olive oil and some seasoning. 

For seasoning add a little salt and cracked black pepper with some good quality extra virgin olive oil. Keep the seasoning light if you’re hoping to get the most of the delicious flavor, and add a couple of tablespoons of white wine vinegar as that’ll help soften the white asparagus while it cooks.

Are other roast vegetables worth adding?

Roasted garlic, leeks, peppers? Sure, as the saying goes, “strike while the oven* is hot” 

(* ok, ok, not really the saying but you get the point!🤣🤣🤣)

When it comes to roast veg, the sky’s the limit here, but just make sure you make compartments in your baking tray so the flavors don’t mix too much (unless that’s your aim of course!). We always throw a head of garlic in the oven as roasted garlic is just oh so delicious with pretty much anything! 

If you’re planning to add garlic, chop the top ¼ inch of the heads and drizzle a little olive oil into the garlic head. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper and you’re good to go. Roast the garlic for around 30 minutes, or until you see the top of the head of garlic start to crisp up.

How to make oven-roasted asparagus

Equipment

• Oven 
• 2 x large baking trays (one for each type of asparagus)
• Aluminum foil or parchment/baking paper

Method (step-by-step)

Method (step-by-step)

• Preheat the oven to 356°F/180°C.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the bottom ½ inch off the green and white asparagus stalks and discard the ends. 
• Line a large baking tray with aluminum foil and fold the foil to make 2 compartments (one for each type of asparagus).
• Pour some of the olive oil into each compartment (using more for the white asparagus) and add the asparagus. 
• Season both asparagus with some salt and cracked black pepper. 
• Add the two tablespoons of white wine vinegar to the white asparagus only. 
• Roast the green asparagus for around 15 minutes, remove it from the oven once done and continue to cook the white asparagus for around 45 minutes in total or until the white asparagus begins to slightly blacken on the tips.
• To serve, add all asparagus stalks to a large plate with a ½ lip. Carefully pour any of the remaining juice from the asparagus over the stack. Season with some salt and cracked pepper to taste.