The most common question is, “What side dish should I serve?” I’m honest and don’t think too much about my side dishes. I keep my side dishes as simple as possible to let the main meal shine. It’s easier to keep things simple and lets the main dish shine. So, I thought I would share some of my favourite side dishes that can be paired with almost any main dish, such as this Roasted Asparagus & Tomatoes. This will give you a variety of options and simple recipes to choose from.

TIPS TO EAT ANYTHING

The Roasting Time will vary. The size and shape of your vegetables and the oven settings will affect how long it takes to roast them. Roasting any is a delicate process that requires you to be attentive. It usually takes 20 minutes to roast, and then I check it every 5-10 minutes until it reaches the desired level of doneness.

Don’t skimp on Oil. Oil helps vegetables caramelize and prevents them from drying out. If you use too much Oil, your vegetables will look more like roasted vegetables than they do roasted.

Do not overcrowd the pan. If you want to roast lots of vegetables, you can split them into two pans. Overcrowding the pan will trap the steam, causing your vegetables to become mushy and unable to caramelize.

HOW TO SEASON ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND TOMATOES

I prefer to keep my side dishes of roasted vegetables as simple as possible. Simple seasonings like salt and pepper. This allows me to enjoy the subtleties of the vegetables and doesn’t make them compete with the main meal. Sometimes I will add garlic to my main dish, as I did with the tomatoes. If I do something simpler, I may add my favourite spice mix to the vegetables. Don’t think too much about it. Could you keep it simple?

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND TOMATOES: WHAT TO SERVE

This side dish is great with any seafood or meat. This side dish is shown below with my Garlic Butter Baked cod, but it could also be served with Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms or Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND TOMATOES

Roasted Asparagus & Tomatoes is a versatile side dish that goes well with many main dishes like meat, fish, and pasta.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-pint grape tomatoes ($2.29)
  • 1 lb. Asparagus ($2.99)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
  • 1 clove minced garlic ($0.08)
  • Salt and pepper to your liking ($0.05).

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut off any woody or dry ends (usually the bottom inch).
  • Spread the asparagus spears on half of a large baking tray. Place the grape tomatoes on the other half. Each side should be coated with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Toss the vegetables in the Oil to coat.
  • Toss the chopped garlic with the tomatoes. Each vegetable should be given a generous amount of salt and pepper.
  • After 20 minutes of roasting, stir the vegetables. Roast the vegetables for 10 more minutes in the oven. Continue to stir, and then roast the vegetables for another 10 minutes. You can remove one vegetable from the oven if it finishes earlier than the other.
  • After roasting, taste and season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper.

NUTRITION

Serving Size: 1 Serving Calories 82.7 Kilocalories Carbohydrates 7 g Protein 2.52 g Fat 5.88 g Sodium 171.6 mg Fiber 3.18 g