Creamy Asparagus Casserole with Fresh Asparagus
You’ll love this easy asparagus casserole recipe! Tender asparagus spears are baked with a cream sauce, then topped with Ritz crackers or fried onions.
Like most people, I grew up with a few holiday dishes that were “must haves” for holiday meals. As I’ve grown and started to host holiday meals at my house, I’ve had a lot of fun mixing up traditional family recipes with new dishes, such as this Creamy Asparagus Casserole! My inspiration for this creamy Asparagus Casserole was traditional Green Bean Casserole.
Green Bean Casserole is a polarizing dish, but it’s one that my family has always loved and enjoyed for holidays. Also, I drew a bit of inspiration from the “fancy” roasted asparagus I typically make with steak. When I make roasted asparagus, I top it with hollandaise sauce, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese. It’s the perfect pairing, so why not make it in casserole form for the holidays?
Asparagus feels like an elevated alternative to green bean casserole, offering a bit more flavor and texture. But this casserole is still creamy, comforting, and delicious! It’s the perfect side dish for your holiday dinners this year. Something a bit exciting, but still cozy and reminiscent of a holiday classic.
This easy casserole has simple ingredients! The asparagus is cut into small pieces and baked with a creamy sauce. I topped this delicious, cheesy asparagus casserole recipe with crunchy fried onion, a nod to green bean casserole! But you could also choose to top this with Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs or buttery crushed Ritz crackers. Any of these choices will be wonderful!
Substitutions
This simple casserole recipe has several ingredient substitutions that you can use!
Instead of the cream cheese, you can use a can of cream of mushroom soup.
Substitute any kind of shredded cheese for the Parmesan cheese.
Substitute Panko breadcrumbs for the fried onions or cracker crumbs.
Yes, you can use fresh green beans in place of the asparagus stalks.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious side dish alongside your Easter ham and this yummy Pineapple casserole! I think this easy side dish is also fitting for Thanksgiving dinner.
Storing Leftover Asparagus Casserole
Store leftover asparagus casserole in an airtight container. Reheat gently.
Creamy Asparagus Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh asparagus cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the creamy sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 package 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, cubed
- 1 cup 2% milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
For topping:
- ½ cup French fried onions or crushed Ritz cracker crumbs for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a 2.5-quart casserole dish.
- Arrange asparagus in the bottom of the dish; squeeze lemon juice on top and toss to evenly coat the asparagus.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Once melted, add flour to the melted butter and stir vigorously to form a paste.
- Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese and milk. Melt the cream cheese, stirring often to prevent the mixture from burning on the bottom of the pan.
- Add Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, bacon, and black pepper. Stir for 2–3 minutes on low heat, bringing to a gentle simmer until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Pour sauce over asparagus, sprinkle the top of the casserole with fried onions or crushed cracker crumbs.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until asparagus reaches desired level of doneness and the cracker crumbs are golden brown.
Pingback: Cheesy Puff Pastry Wrapped Asparagus - Beautiful Appetizer or Side Dish!
Pingback: My Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes - Recipe by Blackberry Babe