Spring, asparagus season! If you love this delicate-tasting vegetable, among the many possible asparagus recipes you can prepare, I recommend adding the crispy baked asparagus, which will win you over for their versatility and ease of preparation. In this recipe, in fact, after a brief boil in water, the asparagus is coated with a tasty breading of breadcrumbs and Parmesan and baked until perfectly crispy: a similar procedure to that of crunchy potatoes. Ideal as a side dish, crispy baked asparagus can also be served as an alternative appetizer or as an original and healthy snack, perfect to enjoy with your hands!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Oven, Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
- Energy 144.32 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11.19 (g) of which sugars 2.49 (g)
- Proteins 5.56 (g)
- Fat 9.47 (g) of which saturated 2.38 (g)of which unsaturated 0.99 (g)
- Fibers 2.60 (g)
- Sodium 305.24 (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
Ingredients for Crunchy Asparagus
- 1.1 lbs asparagus
- 3 tbsps breadcrumbs (gluten-free for me)
- 2 tbsps grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Asparagus Pot
- Kitchen String
- 1 Plate
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Baking Tray
- Baking Paper
How to Prepare Baked Asparagus with Breadcrumbs (Crunchy Asparagus)
For the English version of this recipe click here!
To prepare crispy baked asparagus start by cleaning the asparagus: remove the end of the stalk, where it breaks when you bend it slightly (1). Wash them carefully under running water. If you have an asparagus pot – a tall and narrow pot specifically designed for cooking asparagus tips up – use it to boil them.
Otherwise, you can use a regular pot but, to prevent them from moving too much during cooking and thus ruining the tips, you can tie the asparagus with some kitchen string (2). Fill about 2/3 with water in a large pot with high sides. When the water boils, salt it and place the bunch of asparagus in the pot, trying, if you can, to keep it upright (3).
Cover the pot with the lid and let it 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 (4). Meanwhile, prepare the breading: mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, a good pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper in a small bowl (5). When the asparagus has cooled enough to handle, remove the string and spread them well on a plate. Season them with a drizzle of oil (6).
Mix them gently with your hands (7), then pour the breading over them little by little (8), mixing them with your hands and trying to cover especially the tips (9).
Line a large baking tray, which can comfortably hold the crunchy asparagus in a single layer, with baking paper. Place the asparagus side by side, also adding the remaining breading from the plate. Drizzle with some oil (10). Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F (fan) for about 10 minutes, or until the breading is golden (11).
Remove the crispy baked asparagus from the oven and serve them immediately, as a side dish or as an appetizer.
Storage
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 Parmesan, in whole or in part, with Pecorino Romano.
If you don’t have a fan oven, increase the temperature to 428°F and bake until golden.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use frozen asparagus?
Sure, the same recipe can be made all year round using frozen asparagus, which should be boiled while still frozen, extending the cooking time by 3-4 minutes.
