Baked Asparagus with Ham and Cheese

Reader Reviews

“I made this for dinner tonight! My husband and I loved it. He usually only eats the very tips of the asparagus but with this recipe, he ate it all. Thank you again. Your recipes never disappoint! ♥️♥️♥️” — Linda

“The ONLY way to eat asparagus from now on! ???? Sooo good!” — Jennifer

“I have wanted to love asparagus for a while now but just couldn’t love it. UNTIL NOW! This was absolutely delicious and it’s how I’ll eat it from now on. Thank you!” — Jessica

Ingredients you need

• Asparagus spears: You want to use fresh asparagus, rather than frozen. Thinner spears will cook faster than the thicker varieties so be mindful of that and adjust the timing as needed. Whatever you use, be sure that the spears are of roughly the same size so they will cook evenly.
• Oil: For roasting in the oven, I recommend avocado or extra virgin olive oil.
• Seasoning: Garlic, salt and pepper.
• Cheese: I used both grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. You can also use Monterey Jack and/or parmesan, too.
• Cooked ham: This is a great way to use up leftover holiday ham and it adds a salty component (and more protein) to your dish.

Step-by-step directions

1. Lay cleaned and trimmed asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss to combine, then spread out into a single layer.
2. Sprinkle with the minced garlic and bake at 450ºF for 8 minutes, until the asparagus is tender and bright green.
3. Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler. Sprinkle the asparagus with the grated cheeses and diced ham.
4. Return to the oven on the second highest rack position and broil 2 to 4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Expert Tips

Prep the asparagus: Each spear of asparagus has a woody end that needs to be removed. This part of the asparagus is tough, dry, and not very palatable. You can use the bend and break method of removing this woody end or just cut it with a knife.

Don’t line the pan: I recommend leaving your baking sheet unlined for this baked asparagus recipe. As long as you toss them with oil, they won’t stick to your pan and they roast faster this way.

And then the cheese becomes all crispy and browned on the edges. You might end up standing there, picking it off and eating it before you serve!

Watch it carefully: While asparagus is easy to cook, it’s also easy to overcook. This means you need to watch it carefully during cooking. When the color becomes bright green and the stalks are just fork tender, it’s cooked perfectly.

Baked asparagus is best served right away, as it tends to wither a bit and become wrinkled as it sits. But while it’s less attractive looking if cooked too far in advance, it’s still just as tasty.

Leftovers: I actually really like the leftovers warmed in the microwave to melt the cheese again. They will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing leftovers as the asparagus will turn to mush.

More easy keto sides

• Grilled Zucchini
• Roasted Delicata Squash
• Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
• Zucchini Casserole
• Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice