Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus (Sheet Pan Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Why is my oven roasted asparagus soggy? ›

If your roasted asparagus is soggy, you may have overcooked it. In a hot oven at 425 degrees, asparagus only needs to roast for about 10 minutes—any longer and it can become limp and soggy. You should also be sure to pat the asparagus dry and spread them out into a single layer before roasting.

Blanching seasons the spears and also gives them a kick-start in the cooking process. "Whenever you grill, sear, or roast, you're using a really high temperature. Without blanching, you'd char the outside but the inside would still be raw." To blanch, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and salt the hell out of it.

The number one mistake made when preparing asparagus is overcooking it. Take into account that the vegetable continues to cook for a few minutes after you remove it from heat or boiling water. Because it only takes a few minutes to cook, keep a close eye on it to avoid soggy, limp stems as the outcome.

Does asparagus get softer the longer you cook it? Yes, it does. But you don't want to cook it too long or it will be soggy. That's fine when using in a soup, but not so much as a roasted side.

Pile asparagus onto a baking sheet. Combine lemon, shallot, extra-virgin olive oil and tarragon. Pour the dressing over the asparagus and turn to coat spears in fat. Season the asparagus with salt and pepper and roast 15 to 17 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Roasting asparagus is one of the easiest ways to cook this vegetable. Simply drizzle with olive oil and pop in the oven. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Snap any woody tips off the asparagus where they naturally break apart.

The truth is that the bend-and-snap method can actually waste delicious asparagus. Where a stalk breaks depends on the overall thickness of the stalk (skinny stalks are more flexible), how you bend it, and even how fresh the asparagus is (super-fresh asparagus tends to be more rigid).

Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture, taste, colour and nutritional value of asparagus deteriorates. Make sure you blanch or cook the veg first to preserve these elements.

While both types tasted equally sweet, nutty, and grassy, we expected the delicate-looking thin spears to be more tender. To our surprise, the thicker spears actually had the better texture (if only by a hair).

Why is my asparagus tough after cooking? ›

Asparagus contains an enzyme that creates a woody compound called "lignin," at the end of each spear. Lignin is not softened by heat, so it remains fibrous and tough after cooking. To eliminate lignin, snap (don't cut) the end of each spear just before cooking.

By the time the tips turn black, you'll notice they're completely mushy and probably smell a little funky, too. If your asparagus is slimy or sticky, feels mushy and soft, smells foul or has visible signs of mold, it's time to toss it.

Soggy asparagus is usually the result of overcooking.

Signs Your Asparagus Has Gone Bad

By the time the tips turn black, you'll notice they're completely mushy and probably smell a little funky, too. If your asparagus is slimy or sticky, feels mushy and soft, smells foul or has visible signs of mold, it's time to toss it.

Your vegetables are about to get even crispier with this simple tip. The next time you roast vegetables, add some cornstarch. Yes, cornstarch—that box in your pantry is the secret to a super-crispy exterior on veggies, from potatoes to cauliflower.