Tender Asparagus Creamy Cheese (Printable)

Baked asparagus with creamy cheese sauce and a golden breadcrumb topping, perfect for spring.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed

→ Dairy

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese, divided
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Seasonings

08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Topping

11 - 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
12 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes until tender and bright green. Drain and pat dry. Arrange asparagus evenly in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
04 - Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream. Continue whisking and cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in half the shredded Gruyère and all the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg if using.
06 - Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the asparagus. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyère on top.
07 - In a small bowl, combine the fresh breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
08 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly.
09 - Let the dish stand for 5 minutes before serving to set.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like springtime comfort without any fussy technique—just good ingredients doing what they do best.
  • The contrast between creamy sauce, tender asparagus, and that buttery breadcrumb crust is honestly addictive.
  • Comes together in under an hour, so you can have dinner on the table before you know it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the blanching step thinking you'll just bake the asparagus raw—it stays too firm and the texture won't be right, so those few minutes in boiling water are not optional.
  • Whisk the milk and cream in gradually rather than all at once, or you'll end up with lumps that won't disappear no matter how hard you stir later.
03 -
  • Make sure your breadcrumbs are actually tossed with the melted butter—dry breadcrumbs just stay pale and won't crisp up properly.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks greasy, you likely added cheese that was too cold to the hot sauce, or the heat was too high; next time, keep the temperature at medium and let everything warm together gently.
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