Easy Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Recipe (with Video)

1. Heat the oven to 425°.
2. Wash and dry the asparagus. Lay it out on a cutting board. Pick up one spear and hold the bottom end and somewhere about halfway up the spear. Bend it until it naturally breaks. This is how much you should chop off the rest of the spears (the bottom end of the spears tend to get tough).
3. Now lay the asparagus on the baking sheet and toss with the oil and salt. I find it easiest to use my hands for this.
4. For medium-thick asparagus spears, roast them for about 15-20 minutes. For very thick spears, roast them for about 20-25 minutes. You can check on them about halfway through the cooking time. If they're starting to shrivel and have brown, caramelized spots, they're ready.
5. Zest the lemon and then cut it into wedges (always zest fruit before cutting!).
6. Once the asparagus is done, transfer to a plate or platter. Sprinkle with a few squirts of the lemon wedge, the lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy immediately.