How to Roast Frozen Asparagus in the Oven

Learn how to roast frozen asparagus in the oven for a healthy side dish you can serve at any farm-to-table meal! 

In the spring, nothing tastes as good as the first, fresh asparagus of the year. I like to cook it up in a cast iron skillet or frying pan, with a lot of butter! It's an easy side dish everyone enjoys. 

But the season for fresh asparagus is short. Our patch only produces for 6-8 weeks before the spears need to be left to mature. So after we've eaten our fill of fresh asparagus (with a little butter), I put some up so we can enjoy it after the season has closed. 

One of my favorite ways to preserve green asparagus is to freeze it. 

You don't have to grow your own. You can easily do this with a bundle of asparagus that was bought at your local grocery store or farmers market. 

Freezing full spears is easy. I teach you how to preserve asparagus in the freezer here. 

Once frozen, this fragile vegetable can be tricky to prepare in a way your family will enjoy!

Frozen veggies often go mushy and need to be prepared in a different way that still gives you a desirable texture. 

That's why I like to roast frozen asparagus in the oven, instead of cooking it up in a frying pan or cast iron skillet. 

Preparing Frozen Asparagus vs Fresh Asparagus

• Unlike fresh asparagus, frozen asparagus turns soft when thawed and will go mushy if prepared like fresh stuff.  
• Freezer asparagus should always be cooked in its frozen state to get a desirable texture.

• Fresh asparagus has better flavor than frozen, so you may want to use additions like lemon juice or parmesan cheese to bring extra taste when preparing frozen asparagus.
• To avoid soggy asparagus, frozen stuff needs to have excess water cooked off, which is why frozen asparagus has a longer cook time than fresh. 
• Oven roasted asparagus will have a slightly shrivelled look on account of water evaporation. 

The best way to prepare frozen asparagus is to roast it in the oven. The high heat cooks off most of the excess water, and you end up with a delicious side dish that everyone can enjoy. 

Just follow the simple asparagus recipe below. 

Items You'll Need 

• cutting board 
• sharp knife
• baking sheet or casserole dish 

Complete Ingredients List

• frozen asparagus spears (medium size)
• avocado oil 
• sea salt (can exchange for garlic salt)
• black pepper
• other options to add before serving
  • red pepper flakes
  • garlic powder
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • parmesan cheese

Tips for Roasting Frozen Asparagus 

Roasted asparagus makes a great side dish. Here are some tips for working with asparagus in its frozen state. 

• Frozen asparagus thaws quite quickly and will into a mushy mess; spears should still be frozen when you put them in the oven. 
• Feel free to line your baking sheet with parchment paper to avoid sticking.
• While I like to use avocado oil to toss with asparagus stalks, you can use a little olive oil instead. 

• Be sure to spread the asparagus stalks out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
• Feel free to replace sea salt with garlic salt or even Herbamare. 
• Cook time will vary, based on asparagus size. Thin spears (pinky size or smaller) will take less roasting time that medium or large spears.
• Asparagus is done when it appears to be slightly shrivelled.
• If you're using optional additions (like parmesan cheese or lemon juice) add it just before serving. 

Meals Asparagus Pairs Well With

Asparagus is a delicious vegetable that pairs well with most farm-style meals.

Around here, we think this side dish goes well with our chicken, mashed potato and gravy dinners. But we also like it with roast beef, in stir fry, pasta and even in breakfast omelettes.

It's a simple side dish that compliments most meals you'll make!