What Makes This Recipe So Good
It makes eating vegetables so easy. I’ll admit, I’m not a huge fan of asparagus on its own. But this casserole has me obsessed with eating asparagus! The cheesy sauce and toasty Panko breadcrumbs make this my favorite veggie-packed side dish.It’s perfect for a potluck! The entire dish comes together in just a few easy steps. You’ll definitely want to make this for Easter. I mean, no one can turn down a warm and bubbly cheese sauce!It yields perfectly cooked asparagus every time. In this recipe, the oven takes all the guesswork out of cooking asparagus. Simply set a timer for 10-15 minutes, then return to a beautifully tender asparagus casserole!
Key Ingredients
Asparagus – The reason our cook time ranges from 10 to 15 minutes is because it will depend on the thickness of your asparagus. Both thin and thick asparagus will taste delicious. Though thin asparagus will cook a lot faster and will likely be done cooking in 10 minutes. However, thicker asparagus will take the full 15 minutes to become tender. Italian Seasoning – I love Italian seasoning for how easy it is to use. It combines all of the best dried herbs into one magical seasoning. Just a teaspoon of Italian seasoning in this asparagus casserole is the perfect compliment to the Alfredo-style cheese sauce. Milk – Whole milk will make your asparagus casserole extremely rich and delicious. However, you can use either 1% or 2% milk instead. Panko Breadcrumbs – Totally optional, but totally delicious! Panko breadcrumbs are buttery and crunchy. They make the perfect final layer to this asparagus casserole. You can definitely opt out of using the Panko breadcrumbs, and you can even use regular breadcrumbs if you’d like.
Chef’s Tips
Be careful not to overcook the butter and all-purpose flour in your saucepan (I speak from experience, here). Just one minute over medium heat is all you’ll need to mix the flour in with the melted butter. After one minute, go straight into adding your milk.You’ll want to trim the ends of your asparagus before using them in this asparagus casserole recipe. In order to do that, locate the bottom-half of the asparagus and either cut or snap off the last 2-3 inches. The reason for this is because the base of the asparagus is often very fibrous and tough to chew.If at the end of your cooking time, the breadcrumbs aren’t as toasty as you’d like them – turn your oven to broil for a couple of minutes. Keep a very close eye on your asparagus casserole, as it can burn quickly at this point! After about 2 minutes, your breadcrumbs should be golden brown and delicious.
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Cheesy Ham and Potato CasseroleEggs Benedict CasseroleThe BEST Tater Tot Breakfast CasseroleMom’s Best Tuna Noodle CasseroleSweet Potato Casserole
