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Baked potatoes and roasted asparagus plated with butter, sour cream, and chives on the potatoes, Parmesan on the asparagus, served alongside maple balsamic grilled chicken

Baked Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus

Baked potatoes and roasted asparagus are the two lowest-effort side dishes that make any dinner look fancy. Crackly salt-crusted potato skin, garlicky roasted asparagus, and 15 minutes of hands-on work — let the oven do the rest.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Baked Potatoes:
  • 6 medium russet potatoes
  • 1 medium sweet potato optional, for variety
  • Avocado oil spray or olive oil spray
  • 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
  • For the Roasted Asparagus:
  • 1 bunch fresh asparagus about 1 pound, tough ends trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Kinder's The Blend seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder optional
  • 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese optional, for finishing

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line one sheet pan with aluminum foil and leave the second unlined.
  2. Bake the potatoes: Wash and dry the russet potatoes (and sweet potato if using). Poke each potato 2 to 3 times with a fork. Place on the unlined sheet pan. Spray generously with avocado oil spray on all sides. Sprinkle the skins generously with coarse kosher salt.
  3. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until a fork slides easily into the center. A medium russet is usually right at the 60-minute mark.
  4. Prep the asparagus: With about 20 minutes left on the potatoes, trim the tough bitter ends from the asparagus (the bottom inch or so). Lay the spears on the foil-lined sheet pan.
  5. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, minced garlic, Kinder's The Blend, and onion powder if using. Mix with your hands to coat evenly, then spread out in a single layer.
  6. Roast the asparagus on a second oven rack with the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes — closer to 10 if you like it crisp, closer to 15 for soft and wilty.
  7. Optional finisher: In the last 2 to 3 minutes of baking, sprinkle the asparagus with shredded Parmesan and return to the oven until melted.
  8. Serve immediately alongside grilled chicken or your favorite protein.

Video

Notes

Crispy vs. soft asparagus: 10 to 12 minutes gives you spears with snap; 13 to 15 minutes gives you soft and wilty (our preference).
Make-ahead: Baked potatoes hold beautifully — bake an hour or two ahead, wrap loosely in foil, and they stay warm and steamy until dinner. Asparagus is best served right out of the oven.
Salt tip: Coarse kosher salt is what gives the potato skin its flaky steakhouse-style crunch. Fine table salt dissolves and disappears.
Don't skip the fork holes: Without them, steam builds up inside the potato and you get a dense, gummy interior — or in rare cases, a real-deal explosion.
Use any spray oil you have — avocado oil spray has a high smoke point and neutral flavor, but olive oil spray works just as well. For a crowd, use two sheet pans for the asparagus instead of crowding one. Crowded asparagus steams instead of roasting. A squeeze of fresh lemon or a sprinkle of lemon zest right before serving brightens the asparagus beautifully. Serve with maple balsamic grilled chicken, grilled steak, salmon, or pork chops — this side combo rounds out almost any grilled protein.