Spring, the season of asparagus! If you love this vegetable with its delicate flavor, and the many possible recipes with asparagus that you can prepare with it, I recommend adding crispy roasted asparagus, which will win you over for their versatility and simplicity of preparation. In this recipe, indeed, after a brief blanching in water, the asparagus are coated with a tasty breadcrumb and parmesan crust and baked until they achieve perfect crispiness. Ideal as a side dish, crispy roasted asparagus can also be served as an alternative appetizer or as a healthy and vegetarian meal, maybe accompanied to other vegetarian dish, such as felafel, sweet and sour zucchini, or the Italian ciambotta!
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Ingredients for crispy roasted asparagus
- Power 122,89 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11,04 (g) of which sugars 2,50 (g)
- Proteins 5,14 (g)
- Fat 7,24 (g) of which saturated 1,87 (g)of which unsaturated 0,86 (g)
- Fibers 2,54 (g)
- Sodium 201,24 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 117 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
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How to prepare roasted breadcrumb-coated asparagus
Puoi trovare la versione italiana della ricetta qui!
To prepare crispy roasted asparagus, start by cleaning the asparagus: remove the woody ends of the stems, where they naturally snap when bent slightly.
Wash them thoroughly under running water. If you have an asparagus steamer – a tall and narrow pot specifically designed to cook asparagus with the tips upwards – use it to blanch them. Otherwise, you can use a regular pot, but to prevent them from moving too much during cooking and thus damaging the tips, you can tie the asparagus with a bit of kitchen twine.
Fill a large pot with high sides about 2/3 full with water. When the water boils, salt it and place the bunch of asparagus in the pot, trying, if possible, to keep them standing upright.
Cover the pot with a lid and let them cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. They should soften but not fall apart. Then, drain them and let them cool slightly.
Meanwhile, prepare the breadcrumb coating: mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, a good pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper in a small bowl. Once the asparagus have cooled enough to handle, remove the twine and spread them out well on a plate. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Gently toss them with your hands, then gradually sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over them, mixing them with your hands and trying to cover the tips especially.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper, large enough to comfortably hold the asparagus in a single layer. Arrange the asparagus side by side on the tray, adding any leftover breadcrumb mixture from the plate. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Bake in a preheated fan oven at 392°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes, or until the breadcrumb coating is golden brown. Remove the crispy roasted asparagus from the oven and serve immediately as a side dish or appetizer.
How to store
If there are leftovers, you can store the asparagus in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.
Tips and variations
For a stronger flavor, you can replace some or all of the Parmesan with pecorino Romano cheese.
If you don’t have a fan oven, increase the temperature to 428 °F (220° C) and bake until golden brown.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use frozen asparagus?
Certainly, blanch them while still frozen, extending the boiling time by 3-4 minutes.
Varied doses for servings