Simple Roasted Asparagus with Apple & Onion

This simple roasted asparagus recipe mixes the earthy taste of asparagus with the sweet flavors of apple and onion.

Roasting

Roasting veggies couldn’t be easier. You simply toss chopped veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper in a baking dish. Then roast—stirring every ten minutes or so—until they reach the desired level of tenderness.

Roasting is a great way to bring out a subtle sweetness in asparagus. I kicked things up  a notch by adding apple and onion. Fresh lemon juice further enhances the combination.

I love the clean flavors and ease of preparation offered by this recipe. It makes a great side dish. Or, serve it on a bed of brown rice for a complete meal!

Go Easy on Oil

I usually avoid cooking with processed oils. But once in a while I make an exception. A little olive oil can be a healthy addition to your diet. The trick is to not overdue it. Don’t smother your veggies. Add just enough oil to enhance their flavor and keep the them from sticking to the pan.

📖 Recipe

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Simple Roasted Asparagus with Apple & Onion

This simple vegan and gluten-free recipe mixes the earthy taste of asparagus with the sweet flavors of apple and onion. Serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a meal.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Author Veggie Primer

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil divided
• 1 bunch of fresh asparagus
• 1 large sweet onion
• 1 large organic apple I use Gala
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ lemon

Instructions

• Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
• Add ½ Tbsp. olive oil to 9x13 baking dish and spread with a paper towel to coat the inside of the dish.
• Chop asparagus into 2 inch pieces and add to baking dish. (Discard tough white ends.)
• Chop onion into large chunks and add to baking dish.
• Core apple, chop into chunks and add to baking dish. (No need to peel unless it’s not organic.)
• Drizzle ½ Tbsp. olive oil over chopped veggies.
• Sprinkle with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste. (I use about ¼ teaspoon each.)
• Use a spatula to stir the chopped veggies until lightly coated with oil.
• Place baking dish in oven and roast until veggies reach desired tenderness. (About 20 - 30 minutes - stirring every 10 minutes.)
• Squeeze ¼ fresh lemon over veggies and stir to mix.

 Note: I do not include nutrition information with my recipes because I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.

P.S. I have a new favorite kitchen appliance! I made the rice pictured above with my Instant Pot. It shortened the cooking time considerably! I'll share more as I continue to experiment. 🙂