Parmesan Crusted Asparagus

Growing up I was never one of those kids that struggled with eating vegetables; however, I do firmly believe that all vegetables need a little something added to them, even if it’s just a little bit of butter. One of my favorite ways to add some flavor to certain veggies is with Parmesan cheese though. I guess that’s my Wisconite love of cheese showing its true colors. As a bonus, if you roast asparagus coated in Parmesan it gets a delicious crispy crust to it too!

*This recipe serves 2-3 people

Ingredients

18 Asparagus Spears

2 ½ tbsp Olive Oil

Black Pepper

4 ½ tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

1. After washing the asparagus spears, grab the tip of one of the spears between your thumb and pointer fingers. Grab the end in the same fashion with your other hand. Bend the end of the spear upward until it snaps off. Repeat this technique with all of the spears. 

Kitchen Tip: Some of the spears may lose only a small portion of the end, and others may break almost in half. That is perfectly okay. This technique ensures that the best part of the asparagus spears are used, and the undesirable ends are removed at the right spot. It will only break off the parts you don’t want to eat. As the asparagus gets older, the breaking point will move closer and closer to the bushy tip. If you want longer spears, it is best to make this dish close to the date you went grocery shopping. 

2. Cover a baking sheet with tin foil, lay out the asparagus, and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Roll the spears through the oil until they are completely coated. Then sprinkle lightly with black pepper.

3. Dump the Parmesan cheese on top of the asparagus spears, and roll them around until they are completely coated with the cheese on all sides. 

4. Bake at 425 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until fork tender. 

This is a super easy and quick side dish! I make this all the time in the summer, especially when I’m grilling my entree and my attention has to be elsewhere. Asparagus is also an extremely nutritious veggie, rounding out dinner with a healthy side.