Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms -

Springtime is officially here and I am living for it.

This is my most favorite time of year, food-wise. There’s all of these fresh herbs and veggies popping up right now, and the farmer’s market is at its peak. Spring veggies, since they’re now in season, are also drastically reduced price-wise. I’ve been buying up asparagus for the low-low price of $0.98 a pound. In the winter, a bundle of aspragus can run upwards of $3.99 a bundle. Whack.

In celebration of spring, I’m also going to be posting a Family Favorites – Remix recipes over the next 1-2 weeks. Expect to see some cherished family recipes, and some of my favorite foods made into something new and different. I like revisiting favorites (lox and cream cheese bagels, for one!) and then trying them out in a different way.

Now, this recipe doesn’t really fit into that category, but roasting vegetables is definitely my favorite way of cooking them. Roasted asparagus is just about the best thing you can do to that stalky green in terms of flavor and texture. There are a few rules you do need to abide by to get the most out of your spring asparagus:

Cut off the stalky ends. I’m talking cut 1-2″ off from the bottom. There’s nothing worse than chomping down onto a piece of asparagus and it being stringy and stalky. If you cut up from the bottom, and throw out the ends (compost it if you’re not into wasting that much food), you’re left with a perfect piece of asparagus.
Don’t go to town on the seasoning. Asparagus doesn’t need a heavy hand for the seasoning. I usually only season with salt and pepper, then toss it with some butter or vinegar after roasting…or both, like in this recipe. Asparagus has a great flavor on its own, so you don’t need to cover it up with a thousand different seasonings.
Roast it lightly. Nothing more than 20 minutes in my book, especially if the stalks are still thin. The more in season the asparagus is, the thicker the stalks will be. Right now, the asparagus I’ve been seeing is still tiny, so a bundle can contain up to 30 stalks. As spring progresses, the stalks will get larger, and a bundle might contain just ten. Still, you only need to roast them for 15-20 minutes—it doesn’t take long for them to get crisp-tender.

This roasting pan dish makes a quick side that is delicious and flavorful. I served this alongside the Greek chicken I made last week, and honestly, I was more excited to eat this than the main dish! Finishing off the roasting by tossing the asparagus and mushrooms in melted butter made it even more delectable. Who can say no to extra butter?

Enjoy!

Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms

Servings: 4
Time: 20 mins
Difficulty: Easy
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Tasty roasted asparagus and baby portobello mushrooms tossed in butter and balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients

1 lb. or 1 bundle of asparagus, bottoms trimmed
12 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, quartered
2 TBS. olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 TBS. butter, melted
1 TBS. balsamic vinegar
Pinch of flaky/coarse sea salt, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss asparagus and mushrooms with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Lay out in one layer on a large, rimmed foil-lined baking sheet.
Roast asparagus and mushrooms for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with melted butter. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top and top with flaky sea salt for serving.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss asparagus and mushrooms with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Lay out in one layer on a large, rimmed foil-lined baking sheet.

Roast asparagus and mushrooms for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with melted butter. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top and top with flaky sea salt for serving.