Name: Ham and Cheese Baked Asparagus
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb asparagus spears; 1 tbsp avocado oil; 1 clove garlic (minced); Salt and pepper; 4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated; 2 ounces shredded mozzarella; 1 ounce cooked ham (diced)

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This cheesy baked asparagus is hands down my new favorite keto side dish. It’s easy, delicious, and takes less than 20 minutes to make.

Cheesy baked asparagus on a metal baking pan, with ham on top.

I have honestly made this baked asparagus recipe about 4 times in the last two weeks. I can’t get enough. And here is the honest truth: I don’t even like asparagus!

Or perhaps I should say, I didn’t like asparagus until now. I seem to have become a huge fan overnight.

Why I even bought that stalky green veggie is kind of a mystery to me. Our grocery stores had a run on fresh vegetables a few weeks ago, and pickings were slim. So I decided to give it another try.

I figured I could at the very least, I could make some more of my dairy-free keto asparagus soup, which again, to my surprise, I liked a lot.

Sprinkling chopped ham over baked asparagus

Baked asparagus is easy and delicious

I have tried any number of ways of cooking asparagus, including grilling it. But this simple oven-roasted method is easily my favorite.

It’s so easy, fuss-free, and mess-free. And I think it seems to bring out the best flavor.

And topping it with ham and cheese turns it from a little bit boring to a spectacular keto side dish. A perfect use for any leftover Easter ham you might have this year.

Is asparagus keto-friendly?

Asparagus is an excellent choice for a keto vegetable side dish. 1 cup of chopped asparagus has only 5g of carbs per serving and 2.8g of fiber.

It also contains plenty of Vitamin A and C, as well as folic acid and other antioxidants.

And it cooks very quickly, becoming tender in less than 10 minutes, no matter how you cook it.

Tips for cheesy baked asparagus

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.

Cooked 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.

I actually really liked the leftovers of this easy baked asparagus, simply warmed in the microwave to melt the cheese again.

I recommend leaving your baking sheet unlined for this baked asparagus recipe. As long as you toss the veggies with sufficient 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!

A fork pulling cheesy asparagus up from a baking sheet

Ready to try this delicious keto baked asparagus?

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