This cheesy baked asparagus is a delicious vegetable side dish that even the kids will look forward to eating! The asparagus is topped off with Parmesan cheese, and cheddar cheese, then baked until tender in a velvety cream sauce for maximum richness! Best of all, it only takes about 20 minutes to make!
Easy Cheesy Baked Asparagus Recipe
If you're looking for a new and delicious way to prepare asparagus, I highly recommend this super easy and super cheesy baked asparagus. It's so good that even asparagus haters will admit it's delicious!
The asparagus is baked in heavy cream until wonderfully tender; all the while, the Parmesan and cheddar cheese sprinkled on top melts to perfection. It was a huge hit with my family; yours will love it too!
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🥘 Cheesy Baked Asparagus Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to pull off this cheesy asparagus side dish. Find where the stalks of asparagus naturally bend and snap off the woody ends before cooking (the bottoms of asparagus stalks are tough and should always be trimmed).
- Heavy Cream - 1 cup of heavy cream, or you could try a heavy cream substitute.
- Garlic Powder - ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder. Fresh, minced garlic can also be whisked into the cream sauce. Start with 1 teaspoon or 1 garlic clove.
- Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon each of salt & pepper (to taste).
- Asparagus - 2 bunches of asparagus (washed and ends trimmed).
- Cheddar Cheese - 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Freshly shredded will melt the best.
- Parmesan Cheese - ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated Parmesan will melt the best.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Cheesy Baked Asparagus
After you shred the cheese and trim the asparagus stalks, the rest of this recipe is hands-off! Grab your measuring utensils, cheese grater, and a 9x13 baking dish to get started.
2 big bunches of asparagus will make about 6 servings.
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and lightly butter or grease your 9x13 baking dish.
- Add cream. Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into the bottom of your prepared dish, add the seasoning (¼ teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt, & pepper), then whisk to combine.
- Add asparagus and cheese. Arrange 2 bunches of asparagus spears in the cream in one even layer. Sprinkle 2 cups of cheddar cheese over the asparagus, then sprinkle 2 cups of Parmesan cheese last.
- Bake. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 15-20 minutes. You will want the cream and cheese to be bubbling and the asparagus to be fork-tender.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and serve immediately when done.
This rich and cheesy asparagus can be served with beef, chicken, fish, and so much more! Try it with some grilled swordfish or a nice Wagyu ribeye steak. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes
- The asparagus spears can be coated with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, then roasted for the first 10 minutes. Top with cheese and finish cooking. This will omit the heavy cream and reduce calories.
- The cheese and heavy cream combine toward the end of the cooking time.
- If desired, broil on high for the last 2-3 minutes to brown the cheesy layer.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Though asparagus freezes well on its own, I don't recommend freezing this dish because the cheese and sauce will separate.
Reheating Cheesy Baked Asparagus
Individual portions can be quickly reheated in the microwave, or you can put the asparagus in a baking dish in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Blanching can help asparagus keep a nice green color, but it is totally unnecessary for this recipe, and I typically skip it. If you do blanch your asparagus, you may not need to cook it as long as suggested here until the cheese and cream bubble.
Ideally, the asparagus will be fork-tender, still somewhat 'juicy' (not shriveled at all), with maybe a few spots of browning or char, but not too much. The easiest way to tell for sure is to pull the pan from the oven and check them with a fork.
Typically, I'm all for freezing asparagus, but not so much in this case. This recipe's heavy cream and cheese won't freeze well and will likely separate when defrosted.
😋 More Tasty Side Dishes
- Baked Cauliflower With Cheese - If veggies in cheese are your thing, you'll love this creamy and delicious baked cauliflower with cheese!
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes - These bite-sized potatoes are crispy on the outside but perfectly fluffy on the inside!
- Candied Carrots - Sweet, tender carrots in an irresistible brown sugar glaze.
- Hush Puppies - The perfect side dish for burgers, sandwiches, shrimp baskets, fried fish, and more!
- Creamed Corn - Rich and creamy creamed corn is a classic side dish that everyone enjoys!
- Macaroni and Tomatoes - Juicy tomatoes and macaroni pasta come together in this comforting Southern side dish.
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📖 Recipe Card
Cheesy Baked Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 2 bunches asparagus (washed and ends trimmed)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and lightly butter or grease your 9x13 baking dish.
- Pour the heavy cream into the bottom of your prepared dish, add the seasoning, then whisk to combine.
- Arrange the asparagus spears in the cream. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the asparagus, then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese last.
- Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 15-20 minutes. You will want the cream and cheese to be bubbling and the asparagus to be fork-tender.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately when done.
Notes
- The asparagus spears can be coated with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, then roasted for the first 10 minutes. Top with cheese and finish cooking. This will omit the heavy cream and reduce calories.
- The cheese and heavy cream combine toward the end of the cooking time.
- If desired, broil on high for the last 2-3 minutes to brown the cheesy layer.
- To store: Transfer the cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Though asparagus freezes well on its own, I don't recommend freezing this dish because the cheese and sauce will separate.
- To reheat: Individual portions can be quickly reheated in the microwave, or you can put the asparagus in a baking dish in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.
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