Place the asparagus on a large cutting board and line up the ends with your hands, then use a chef’s knife to cut about 1 to 2 inches off the tough, woody bottoms.

Rinse the trimmed asparagus under cool running water in the sink, then pat dry completely with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels so the spears roast instead of steaming.

Put the dry asparagus into a large mixing bowl and spread the spears out with your hands so they are easy to coat.

Use a measuring spoon to pour 2 tbsp olive oil over the asparagus, then sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper on top, and toss everything with your hands or tongs until every spear looks lightly shiny and evenly coated.

Arrange on the pan

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper using your hands to press it flat so it covers the bottom of the pan.

Transfer the seasoned asparagus from the bowl to the baking sheet with tongs and spread the spears into one single layer so no pieces are stacked on top of each other.

Set an oven rack in the middle position using oven mitts to move the rack if needed, then preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the 425°F oven with oven mitts and roast for 14 minutes, until the asparagus stalks are tender when pierced with a fork and the tips show light browning and crisp edges.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven with oven mitts and set it on a heat-safe surface, then use tongs to gently toss the asparagus on the pan to coat them again in the hot oil and seasoning.

Transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving plate with tongs and serve hot as a side dish next to chicken, fish, steak, or pasta.