Description
A creamy, cheesy asparagus casserole with a crispy breadcrumb topping. Perfect as a side dish for holidays or weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- For the casserole:
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- For the topping:
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- 1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- 2. Blanch asparagus: Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water. Drain again and pat dry.
- 3. Make sauce: Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cream until smooth.
- 4. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook 3-4 minutes until thickened, stirring constantly.
- 5. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar and Gruyère until melted. Fold in asparagus and transfer to baking dish.
- 6. Make topping: Combine panko, Parmesan, melted butter, and thyme. Sprinkle evenly over casserole.
- 7. Bake 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
For crispier topping, broil for last 2-3 minutes. Can substitute half-and-half for heavy cream if needed. Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3 days.