Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse asparagus. Snap off woody bottom piece, about 1 inch or so.
Pat dry and spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive, rubbing to evenly coat the asparagus. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.EXPERT TIP - If you are making the romesco sauce as well, add the cherry tomatoes to the baking sheet with the asparagus.
Optionally add lemon zest, garlic, and/or parmesan at this point.
Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until stalks are tender and tips have just begun to brown. Optionally add more lemon zest and/or balsamic vinegar after roasting. Serve warm.
Making the optional Romesco Sauce
Add 1 cup of the cherry tomatoes you just cooked into a food processor along with roasted pepper, olive oil, almond butter, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
To serve, arrange asparagus spears on a serving dish. Pour romesco sauce over the spears, top with remaining ½ cup of cherry tomatoes, and garnish with chopped almonds.
Notes
Nutritional information does not include the Romesco Sauce.