Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus; sharply bend the asparagus near the base, it will snap in the right place; discard the ends.
Place the asparagus on the sheet and drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil; just enough to lightly coat the asparagus.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the asparagus, and toss until the spears are lightly coated in oil.
Arrange the spears in a single layer on the pan.
Place in pre-heated oven and bake just until the base of the asparagus is easily pierced through by a fork; very thin asparagus, like the kind shown here, will take as little as 9 to 12 minutes, whereas thicker asparagus will need 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter and season however you’d like.
You could keep it simple with a squeeze of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of Parmesan, or add a pat of butter or drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Roasted asparagus is best served when it’s fresh out of the oven, but it will keep at room temperature for up to 1 hour or up to 4 days in the refrigerator; gently reheat before serving.
