Try this Baked Asparagus with Parmesan recipe.
- Carbohydrate 4.80584598934321 g
- Cholesterol 8.80000000743908 mg
- Fat 6.22207771341855 g
- Fiber 2.38135983435515 g
- Protein 6.34075803825122 g
- Saturated Fat 2.22076723846254 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (127g)
- Sodium 193.990461979254 mg
- Sugar 2.42448615498806 g
- Trans Fat 0.297452427898866 g
- Calories 94 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Break off woody ends of the Asparagus spears.
- Arrange spears on a foil or parchment paper lines baking sheet and coat with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake until cheese begins to brown - about 8-10 minutes.
Tender asparagus spears emerge from a 400-degree oven bearing a lacy, golden-brown crust of toasted parmesan that shatters under light pressure. Too often, this dish fails because cooks neglect the structural integrity of the vegetable. Snapping the spears manually rather than cutting them guarantees the fibrous, inedible bottom portion breaks off naturally at the exact threshold where the stem becomes tender.
Dryness remains the primary enemy during roasting. Moisture clinging to washed spears will steam the vegetable rather than roast it, preventing the olive oil from adhering and blocking the cheese from forming a proper crust. Thoroughly patting the spears dry with paper towels before oiling ensures proper fat distribution and encourages browning.
Fresh asparagus features tight, closed tips and firm stalks that snap cleanly, whereas older spears develop a woody interior and wrinkled skin. When using aged produce, peeling the lower third of each stalk with a vegetable peeler compensates for increased fibrousness. Preheating the baking sheet alongside the oven provides an aggressive thermal contact point that immediately sears the bottom of the spears upon placement.
Baking requires close observation between the eight and ten-minute mark. Parmesan contains high levels of moisture and milk solids that transition rapidly from melted to burnt. Pull the pan from the oven the moment the cheese turns amber and the stalks yield slightly to the pierce of a fork.
