Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.

Step 2

Wash and pat dry the asparagus. Snap off the ends that are gray/white discard. Start to break the spears in that area of the stem and it will naturally break just where it's supposed to. This removes the less tender part of the stalk.

Step 3

Place asparagus onto the prepared baking sheet and toss with oil. Sprinkle with salt.

Step 4

Bake for 12-15 minutes, adjusting the time down a few minutes if your asparagus is super skinny. (12-14 is usually perfect for classic medium thickness spears.) You can use a paring knife to poke into the center of a spear to make sure it's nice and tender, or simply remove one from the pan and taste it!

Step 5

Serve warm as a side dish or tossed into pasta, ravioli, rice, or a salad.