Parmesan Asparagus

“In my opinion, asparagus doesn’t need much fuss in order to really shine. After all, you want to taste the natural sweetness of the vegetable. The key is to cook it just right – until it’s crisp-tender and vibrant green – and to keep the other ingredients simple,” writes Natasha Kravchuk in her book Natasha’s Kitchen: 100+ Easy Family-Favorite Recipes You’ll Make Again and Again. “In this case, it’s a sprinkling of Parmesan that makes a delectable, cheesy crust over the asparagus. My son and I are always going after all the little browned bits of cheese on the baking sheet!”

Parmesan Asparagus

Natasha Kravchuk's recipe for perfectly-cooked asparagus with a cheesy Parmesan crust.

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Course Side Dish

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs asparagus rinsed, dried and ends trimmed (see note #1)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• lemon wedges for serving (optional)

Instructions

 

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
• On a nonstick, rimmed baking sheet (see note #2), arrange the asparagus in a single layer. Drizzle the oil over the top and roll the asparagus to coat. Season with the salt, garlic powder and pepper and toss or roll again to coat in the seasonings. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the asparagus is tender but still crisp.
• Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the asparagus and return to the oven for 2 minutes, just until the cheese is melted.
• Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter and serve immediately (so the asparagus doesn’t wilt) with the lemon wedges (if using).

Notes

1. If you don’t want to fuss with peeling the ends of your asparagus, a trick I learned years ago was to just snap off the ends. The asparagus will naturally break between the tender stalk and the tougher, fibrous end.
2. If you don’t have a nonstick baking sheet, line a regular baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

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Reprinted with permission from Natasha’s Kitchen by Natasha Kravchuk, copyright © 2023. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.