Cooking: Baked Lemon Pepper Asparagus (Gluten Free)
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Introduction
This recipe is fantastic. I used to hate asparagus from the bottom of my heart - I didn't like the smell or the taste and I had never seen or tasted an asparagus recipe that I liked. I can't remember exactly where I heard that lemon and asparagus go great together, but one day a few years ago I went to eat at Ruby Tuesday's with some friends. I decided to take a leap and try the asparagus there, and it actually tasted pretty good!
This recipe is nothing like the asparagus at Ruby Tuesday - but I credit them for my love of asparagus. The best thing about this recipe is that it's completely hassle-free and super easy to make. Additional benefits? It's natually gluten free and the mix of spice and lemon juice really bring out the delicious and unique taste of the asparagus.
A lot of my friends are subject to my cooking experiments - and this is a confirmed favorite among them. Do you have a picky eater in your household? Is it hard to get them to eat veggies? This recipe is one that I like to call a "conversion" recipe...it converts people who used to hate asparagus into loving it! They'll come back for more every time. Any of my friends can confirm this.Try it - and tell me what you think! I hope it turns out well for you!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- approximately 2 tablespoons olive or sunflower oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- approximately 1-2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- approximately 1 teaspoon steak seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash your asparagus and cut off the ends (the ends are pretty dry and won't cook very well). Generally asparagus needs to be cut one or two inches above the bottom.
- Cover a cookie sheet in tin foil (for easy cleanup). Arrange your asparagus flat along the cookie sheet.
- Drizzle the oil and lemon juice on top of the asparagus.
- Sprinkle the lemon pepper seasoning and the steak seasoning over top of the asparagus.
- Using your hands, roll the asparagus across the cookie sheet to help completely coat each stalk with the oil/lemon juice/seasoning mixture.
- Take a fork and gently poke holes in the stalks of the asparagus. This helps the seasoning and flavors sink into the asparagus while it's cooking.
- Pop the cookie sheet in the oven. Keep the oven light on so you can check on it every so often.
- Asparagus comes in different sizes. If your asparagus is fat, it will have a slightly longer cook time then skinny asparagus. If your asparagus is skinny, you may also be able to skip step six (the poking holes) because skinny stalks don't have a lot to absorb. It really depends on the asparagus. For fat stalked asparagus, your cook time will probably be around 15 minutes in the oven depending on your oven. If it is skinny asparagus, it may only need 5-10 minutes.
- With regards to cook time, check on the asparagus in the oven about every 2-3 minutes. Once the tip of the stalk has browned, it is time to take it out. If the tip is blackened and the asparagus is shriveled, it is overcooked. However - this does not mean it's not edible - it just won't have the greatest texture. Try to keep an eye on it and don't overcook!
Notes
Don't Like Asparagus, Never Will, But Still Think The Seasoning Sounds Good?
There's still hope! This recipe works excellent with broccoli or green beans. Change it up and see how it works! If you choose to do it with broccoli, rub it around in the seasoning on the cookie sheet. Then, make sure the floret (the fuzzy part of the broccoli) is facing up so that it gets nice and crispy while it's cooking! Green beans - do exactly like the asparagus recipe, except depending on the green bean you might need to flip it over to cook both sides well.
