My aunt makes this 3 ingredient side dish every spring and there are never any leftovers

This oven baked 3-ingredient asparagus potato roast is one of those no-fuss side dishes that somehow feels special every time. My aunt makes it every spring for family get-togethers, right when asparagus is at its best, and there are truly never any leftovers—people pick the crispy baby potatoes straight from the pan. It’s just baby potatoes, fresh asparagus, and olive oil, roasted together in a glass casserole dish until the potatoes are golden and the asparagus is tender and bright green. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, but it also fits right in on an Easter table or any spring dinner party.

Serve this asparagus potato roast straight from the glass casserole dish while it’s still hot and the potatoes are crispy. It pairs really well with simple mains like roasted chicken, grilled steak, baked salmon, or a seared pork chop. For a lighter meal, I like to add a fried or poached egg on top and call it dinner. A crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette or a side of crusty bread to soak up the olive oil and roasting juices rounds everything out without adding much extra work.

Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes, halved (leave very small ones whole)

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish with a thin film of olive oil to help prevent sticking and promote browning.

Prep the potatoes: Rinse and dry the baby potatoes well so they crisp instead of steam. Cut larger ones in half so they’re all roughly the same size, leaving very small potatoes whole.

Season the potatoes: Add the potatoes directly to the greased glass casserole dish. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then sprinkle with about half of the salt and pepper. Toss right in the dish to coat the potatoes evenly, then spread them into a single layer, cut sides down for extra browning.

Roast the potatoes: Place the dish on the middle rack and roast the potatoes for 20–25 minutes, or until they’re starting to turn golden on the bottoms and are just barely tender when pierced with a fork.

Prep the asparagus while the potatoes roast: Rinse the asparagus and pat dry. Snap or cut off the woody ends. If the spears are very thick, you can slice them in half lengthwise so they cook at the same rate as thinner spears.

Add the asparagus: Remove the dish from the oven. Scoot the potatoes toward one side a bit to make room, then lay the asparagus spears in a single layer in the open space (or nestle them over and around the potatoes). Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the asparagus and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Gently toss the asparagus with tongs or a fork to coat, keeping everything in a fairly even layer.

Finish roasting: Return the dish to the oven and roast for another 10–15 minutes, until the potatoes are deeply golden and crisp on the edges and the asparagus is bright green, tender, and just starting to brown in spots. Thinner asparagus will cook faster, so start checking at the 8–10 minute mark to avoid overcooking.

Serve: Give everything a gentle toss in the dish so the olive oil and pan juices coat both the potatoes and asparagus. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, directly from the glass casserole dish, while the potatoes are crispy and the asparagus is at its brightest.

To keep this true to the 3-ingredient spirit, the base recipe uses only baby potatoes, asparagus, and olive oil, with salt and pepper as basic pantry seasonings. If you want to dress it up a bit, you can sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan or crumbled feta over the dish right after it comes out of the oven, or finish with a squeeze of lemon juice or a light sprinkle of lemon zest for brightness. For extra crunch, add a handful of toasted sliced almonds or chopped walnuts just before serving. You can also switch up the potatoes: fingerlings or small Yukon Golds work well—just cut them into bite-sized pieces and keep an eye on the roasting time. If you’re cooking ahead, you can roast the potatoes for their initial 20–25 minutes earlier in the day, then add the asparagus and do the final roast right before dinner so everything is hot and crisp. For food safety, always wash and dry the asparagus and potatoes thoroughly before cooking, and avoid overcrowding the pan too much, as that can cause steaming instead of roasting and lead to uneven cooking. Use oven mitts when handling the hot glass dish, and place it on a dry towel or trivet—moving a hot glass dish directly onto a very cold or wet surface can cause it to crack. Leftovers should be cooled, then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eaten within 3–4 days; reheat in the oven or toaster oven to bring back some of the crispiness.