This Cheesy Baked Asparagus recipe has been a game-changer! It mixes fresh asparagus with aromatic garlic, parmesan cheese, and heavy cream, all topped off with panko breadcrumbs for an amazing crunch. We like a lot of vegetables in our house, and even though we do have some selective eaters, I can sneak a lot by when I cover them with cream and cheese. 😉 Asparagus is one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. Non-asparagus fans probably just haven’t had it cooked or served properly before. But let me assure you – asparagus makes a delicious side dish when cooked and served correctly, and it really isn’t difficult to do! We’ll eat asparagus with my Slow Cooker Sweedish Meatballs, and with my Creamy Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Thighs, as I find it a hearty but simple veggie to cook. Asparagus can look beautiful on a plate when it’s cooked well, so it’s also a great option for dinner parties or special occasions. It is creamy, cheesy comfort food in veggie form! This easy recipe is ready in just 20 minutes, so it’s the perfect side dish for last-minute prep for a weeknight dinner or a fancy meal. Serve this baked asparagus alongside other vegetable side dishes like these Roasted Vegetables, Roasted Carrots, or this Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes recipe.
Ingredients Needed:
You only need a handful of ingredients for this cheesy asparagus recipe.
Asparagus: use fresh asparagus for best results, you’ll need a bunch of it about 1 lb, with the ends trimmed. Cream: heavy cream is perfect to give this dish that creamy, comforting flavor and texture. If you use a lighter cream, you risk the change that it will curdle as it cooks and not form as thick a sauce. Cheese: use a block of parmesan cheese that you can grate yourself for the best flavor. Salt: kosher salt will enhance all the flavors. Garlic: fresh garlic that you mince yourself is best here to get a superior flavor, but you can use garlic powder or pre-minced garlic in a pinch (though the amount needed may vary). Pepper: freshly cracked black pepper will give the asparagus a slight peppery spice kick that is delicious! Bread Crumbs: use Panko breadcrumbs to get that crunchy texture on top.
How to Make Cheesy Baked Asparagus
This is the easiest way to make amazingly flavorful asparagus. Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
Tips and Notes
Use fresh asparagus. Fresh vegetables will always give you the best set of flavors. Frozen asparagus will thaw to be quite soggy, which won’t be great for this dish. Casserole dish. Use a casserole dish or roasting pan that is just big enough to hold the asparagus. If the sauce is spread too thin over the asparagus and dish, it will burn. Cream: this recipe works because heavy cream will thicken on its own when cooked. A lighter cream will not thicken the same way. You can swap the heavy cream for light cream but your sauce will be thin.
Cheesy Baked Asparagus Variations
Mix up the veggies. You can prepare all kinds of vegetables in this way. Green beans, carrots, mushrooms, and leeks are good choices. Add some heat. Add some red pepper flakes to the dish to add a bit of spice. Herbs. Almost any herbs will work well in baked asparagus. Try Italian seasoning if you’re making an Italian main. Basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, dill or cilantro would work well, depending on what your main dish is. Cheese. Switch the cheese for Gruyere cheese, cheddar cheese, shredded Mozzarella cheese, or another of your favorite cheeses. Mix cheeses together for even more flavor! Bacon. Add some chopped bacon to the top of the dish and let it get nice and crispy in the oven. The salty bacon flavor goes so well with asparagus and the salty cheese. Honey. Asparagus goes well with honey. You could drizzle some honey on top of the dish before putting it in the oven, or toss the fresh asparagus in some honey before adding the breadcrumbs.
Serving Suggestions
Cheesy Baked Asparagus is an amazing side dish to so many meals, but it would pair wonderfully with my Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta, this Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, and my One Pan Tuscan Chicken and Potato Skillet. We always have bread on our dinner table spread as well, so check out these delicious recipes for my Homemade Crescent Rolls, this classic Garlic Bread, or my Mom’s Homemade Buns!
More Easy Side Dish Recipes to Try
3 Ingredient Boursin Pasta
Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Soup (with hidden veggies!)
Grape Salad Recipe
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
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