Roasted Asparagus with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce

Lush green spears blistered to golden and tender, served with a serious drizzle of verdant green sauce, this simple roasted asparagus with cilantro chimichurri sauce speaks earthy elegance. It’s a winning easy vegetable side dish!

Asparagus has always been a luxurious treat for me, not for everyday. But when the sexy spears are on sale, weeknight dinners around here step up a notch. Roasted asparagus goes on the menu, all dressedup this a lemony mix of fresh herbs and olive oil.

Click here to PIN Roasted Asparagus with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce.

What is chimichurri sauce?

Classic chimichurri sauce is made with parsley and red wine vinegar. But it’s not unusual to find other green herb and acid combos like in this bright version made with cilantro, mint, and lemon juice.

Chimichurri is the traditional sauce for grilled meats in Uruguay and Argentina. This recipe proves how perfectly roasted vegetables pair with tangy bright herbalicious chimichurri sauce. Grilled vegetables too.

What else can you do with chimichurri sauce?

• Besides vegetables like roasted asparagus, you’ll love cilantro chimichurri as a dipping sauce for sturdy artisanal bread.

• For a gluten free dipper, cut chickpea socca into wedges and dip away.

• A spoonful or two of chimichurri brightens up fried or poached eggs too.

• Try it on baked potatoes instead of butter! Mmmmm.

This recipe shows how to roast asparagus in the oven. It’s also easy to pan-roast asparagus without an oven.

Pan-roasting asparagus is also the easy way to prep ahead.

>>>> First blanch the spears in boiling water for just a minute. Stop the cooking before they’re tender by quickly plunging in a bowl of ice water, remove and place on a dry kitchen towel. When it’s time to serve, toss the blanched asparagus with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and blister in a hot skillet.

Roasted Asparagus with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce details:

• Chimichurri sauces call for a little picante heat. Ancho chile powder is my go-to for chimichurri, but if you don’t have the ancho chile, use red pepper flakes.
• This sauce keeps well in the refrigerator–you may even like it better after the fresh herbs spend time infusing their essence into the olive oil.
• If you blister your asparagus in a skillet, you can pour chimichurri right into the hot pan, then serve immediately right in the pan.
• Instead of snapping the woody bottoms from the spears, use a knife to cut off the lower part of the stalks. Some cooks, like my mother-in-law, peel the bottom section of the spears.

Love roasted asparagus? Try it with these spiralized sweet potatoes and goat cheese sauce, or as a crowning ring for this Baked Polenta and Cauliflower Torta.

Because asparagus is the vegetable harbinger of spring, and a flavorful chimichurri sauce is timeless, I decided it was time to update this recipe, which was first posted back in 2018.

#Eat Seasonal

Roasted Asparagus with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce is part of a March seasonal fruit and vegetable roundup. For more delicious seasonal recipes, be sure to visit Vintage Mixer’s March Seasonal Produce Guide and follow the links below for recipes from other bloggers. Our goal is to encourage you into the kitchen to cook something seasonal and delicious!

Flavor the Moments — Healthier Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Floating Kitchen — Kiwi and Lime Curd Fool with Blackberries

Joy Food Sunshine — Rainbow Fruit Pizza

She Likes Food — Easy Broccoli Fried “Rice” with Tofu

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Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Roasted Asparagus with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce

This recipe yields 6 servings of asparagus and 1 cup sauce, which is more sauce than you will need for the asparagus. Use the extra as a vibrant dip with thick slices of artisan bread. Or as a sauce for all kinds of roasted or grilled veggies!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Component, Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: asparagus, roasted, chimichurri, cilantro

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Letty | @lettyskitchen

Ingredients

• 2 bunches asparagus about 30 spears
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon large flake sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce:

• 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves from about ½ bunch
• About ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder or 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Wash the asparagus and snap off the tough ends of the stalks. Place on a tea towel to dry away some of the moisture. Place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, salt, and about 10 grinds of black pepper, moving the asparagus around to get them all coated. Roast 10 to 15 minutes, until the tips begin to blister and brown, shaking the pan halfway through. Roasting time will depend on the thickness of the stalks.

While the asparagus is roasting, make the Cilantro Chimichurri:

• Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
• Taste, adding more lemon juice and salt, if you think it’s needed.
• To serve, arrange the roasted asparagus on a platter and drizzle the sauce over the bottom half of the stalks.

Notes

Chimichurri sauces call for a little picante heat. Ancho chile powder is my go-to for chimichurri, but if you don’t have the ancho chile, use red pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 605IU | Vitamin C: 7.8mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1.9mg

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