Few things say “Spring” like asparagus. And when it comes to quick, delicious side dishes, roasted asparagus is hard to beat. It’s one of those recipes that proves simple ingredients and minimal effort can still deliver amazing results. Whether you’re pulling together a weeknight dinner or setting the table for a more elaborate meal like a springtime brunch, this roasted asparagus is an easy win — ready in about 10 minutes, so let’s get into it!

Roasting asparagus is a great way to highlight its natural sweetness while giving it just a little bit of caramelized, nutty flavor. Here I give your standard roasted asparagus a little Funky Asian Kitchen treatment with a quick toss in soy butter.  The melted butter and soy sauce gives it a savory, rich finish that makes it downright irresistible. No complicated techniques, no fancy ingredients — just a little bit of oven magic. (and FYI, the melted butter/soy sauce combo is a great trick to add flavor to all kinds of roasted veggies, and even to drizzle over simply cooked proteins, try it with fish!)

There are a couple of tricks to roasting asparagus successfully, which is a little different than roasting other veggies. First, choose the thickest asparagus spears you can find. Asparagus cooks very quickly and those thin pencil asparagus that look lovely blanched will be a burnt mess if you try it with this technique, because we are roasting at a very high temperature. The reason why you need the temperature so high is because asparagus is very watery and will steam instead of roast if you don’t crank up the heat. Finally, oil is typically used in roasting vegetables, but I use butter here not only for flavor, but also because butter has a lower smoking point and will help in achieving some toasty color.

I start my Roasted Asparagus by trimming the stalks. Though you can find it year round now, asparagus is at its peak in Spring. Look for firm stalks, with tightly closed tips. Stay away from discolored stalks or any packages that look wet. In general, I prefer fat spears of asparagus if I have a choice. They have better flavor and texture but you definitely need it here. Stay away from pencil asparagus for this recipe.

The bottom couple inches of the spears are too tough and woody to eat, so first you need to remove it. Snap the ends off by hand — the asparagus naturally breaks where it turns tender. (This method will remove a couple inches of stalk. If you feel that wastes a lot of the asparagus, feel free to use a knife to cut off the bottom inch to 2 inches.)

I cut the spears into bite-sized pieces for faster, more even roasting.

I pour the melted butter on top:

Then I pour the soy sauce on top:

A generous grind of black pepper:

And then a quick toss with clean hands to make sure everything is mixed:

Spread the asparagus out in a single layer so it roasts evenly. It is very important that you have adequate space on the baking sheet. You should have a maximum of  3/4 of the baking sheet full. Any more than that and the asparagus will steam instead of roast.

I roast them for 5-7 minutes, I like them to get some nice browned color.

Perfectly roasted asparagus — tender with just a bit of char:

If you find that you want a little more color on your asparagus, feel free to broil it for a minute on the top rack.

Want to turn this quick side into a light supper? Top them with our Perfect Fried Eggs! Roasted asparagus is also a perfect way to round out my Sticky Char Siu Ribs. Or make a double batch and add leftovers to these Chilled Kimchi Noodles. However you enjoy them, we want to hear about it! Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Roasted Asparagus

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• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: serves 2

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Ingredients

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• 1 Pound Asparagus
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• Fresh Ground pepper to taste

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Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees and set the oven rack to the middle. 

Prepare the asparagus: Break the ends off of the asparagus by holding the asparagus at the base. It will naturally break where the asparagus becomes tender. (Some people think this is wasteful and prefer to just use a knife to cut off the woody ends. In this case, cut about 1 ½ inches off of the bottom). 

Cut the asparagus into 1 ½ inch pieces and place them on a baking sheet. Make sure that you are using a large enough baking sheet and you only have 1/2-3/4 of the pan filled in a single layer.

Microwave the butter for 1 minute to melt it and then pour it over the asparagus. Add the soy sauce and ground black pepper. Mix with clean hands and then place the tray of asparagus in the oven.

Roast for 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus. If the asparagus is a little pale, broil for a a minute or two on the top rack.

Transfer roasted asparagus to a plate and serve immediately.

 

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Notes

*This recipe is easily doubled. Make sure you are using a large baking sheet if that is the case. Plenty of room for hot air circulation allows for the best roasting.

Keywords: spring, veggies, asparagus, brunch, quick, sides, healthy sides,

If you’re looking for a quick and delicious way to enjoy broccoli, this simple broccoli salad might just become your new favorite. Inspired by my recent trip to Seoul and reminiscent of banchan, the dizzying array of small side dishes that accompany a Korean BBQ meal, this salad is both versatile and packed with flavor. With just a few ingredients you can create a dish that’s equally satisfying whether served warm, cold, or at room temperature.

I talked recently about how while I might not meal prep in the traditional sense I do enjoy having prepped ingredients in my fridge ready to go, and this tasty Broccoli Salad is perfect to incorporate in all kinds of dishes. Make a double batch and enjoy it warm, and use the leftovers to add to a Tofu Bowl or Vegetarian Bibimbap. Or you could make a batch to serve with my Barbecued Short Ribs. However you enjoy this Broccoli Salad you will appreciate how easy it is to prepare and how wholesome and nourishing it is, so let’s get into it.

I really don’t like to waste food, so this recipe uses all of the broccoli. Don’t worry, the stalks get peeled so once they are blanched they are perfectly tender. Make sure to keep the stalks and the florets separate though as they have different cooking times.

Then cut the florets into bite sized pieces:

Cut the stalks into similarly sized bites. Remember to keep them separate from the florets:

Often when people say they “don’t like broccoli” what they really mean is they haven’t had it properly prepared. I don’t like overcooked, mushy broccoli either. Briefly blanching the broccoli is the way to go. Blanching broccoli gives it a vibrant and appealing color, leaves it a crisp-tender texture that is miles away from mush, and even lets it retain more nutrients. As a bonus, the broccoli is cooked in just 3 minutes; making this perfect for these warmer days when we don’t want to heat up our kitchens any more than necessary.

Then it’s time to drain the broccoli. I like to run it under water to cool it down a little so it’s isn’t piping hot when I toss together the seasoning. *Pro tip: use the pot as your mixing bowl and save yourself an additional bowl to wash.

Now it’s time to season the broccoli. I keep the seasoning light so the flavor of the broccoli really shines through; this also makes it ideal if you’re going to add it to another dish. A little toasted sesame oil, some minced garlic, and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, and optionally either a pinch of dashi powder or msg. Yes, that msg.

For too long, it had the worst reputation in the states, but it is a naturally occurring substance found in foods like tomatoes, cheese, and mushrooms. Msg adds a savory and rich flavor that makes simple food more satisfying. Just a small amount makes seemingly plain veggies taste so much more interesting. If you’re trying to incorporate more vegetables into your diet or have a hard time enjoying vegetables, a dash of MSG might be a way to do it. But again, optional of course ;)

Gently mix (I usually use my hands now that the broccoli isn’t scorchingly hot) and pile it onto a serving dish. You now have a delicious and healthy Broccoli Salad that is wonderful served alongside Shio Koji Salmon or my Tamagoyaki Frittata.

I can’t wait to hear if you devour it warm, or chill it to use later in the week-let me know in the comments. And if your Broccoli Salad looks as gorgeous as mine, show it off by tagging us @funkyasiankitchen!

Broccoli Salad

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• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: serves 4

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Ingredients

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• 1 bunch broccoli 
• 1 Tablespoon salt (for blanching)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Couple dashes ground black or white pepper
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• ¼ teaspoon dashi powder or msg (optional)

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Instructions

1. Cut as close to the head as possible to cut off the florets.
2. Cut the florets into bite sized pieces.
3. Peel the stalks and then cut the stalks into similar sized pieces.
4. Set the broccoli aside, keeping the stems and florets separate.
5. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil over high heat.
6. Add the salt and the broccoli stems.
7. Boil for 2 minutes.
8. Add the broccoli florets and cook for another minute.
9. Drain the broccoli into a colander and give it a quick rinse so it’s not piping hot. 
10. Let the water drain off and then put the broccoli into a mixing bowl (You can also re-use the pot instead and save yourself some washing).
11. Add the garlic, sesame seeds, ground pepper, sesame oil, and dashi powder. Gently mix with your hands to combine. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.
12. Pile the broccoli salad onto a serving dish and serve immediately or chill to use later. This dish is good warm, room temperature, or cold.

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Notes

*This simple dish is a perfect veggie side, snack, or add-in/topping for other dishes. Store any leftovers in the fridge. It tastes equally good eaten cold or reheated gently in the microwave for a couple minutes.

Keywords: broccoli, salads, meal prep, korean banchan, sesame, msg