in season: easy asparagus-parmesan bake
I AM ON THE ASPARAGUS DIET, because that’s what the garden has to offer at the moment: beautiful spears of tender asparagus. I like them tossed in olive oil and sea salt and roasted till nearly crispy, but sometimes I want not a side, but a meal, and here’s my favorite one: Easy Asparagus-Parmesan Bake, a fast concoction that’s not quite a quiche nor a frittata, but does involve a nice fresh egg or two.
ingredients
- Asparagus, enough spears to line an oven-proof baking dish thickly, stem ends snapped off
- Olive oil to coat pan, plus a drizzle for the top
- Chopped parsley
- About 2 eggs, beaten as if to scramble (more will be needed in a larger pan, fewer if a single-serving portion)
- Grated Parmesan cheese
the steps
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Lightly coat an ovenproof dish or baking pan with olive oil
- Wash and snap the woody ends off the asparagus
- Line the pan with the dried-off spears
- Layer chopped parsley to taste on top of spears
- Pour thoroughly beaten eggs over the spears, just enough to cover about two-thirds of their depth; don’t swamp them
- Top with grated Parmesan to taste; drizzle with olive oil and add pepper if desired
- Bake until egg is almost firm
- Finish briefly under the broiler till golden
- To serve, cut between the spears, not across; I like a side of roast potatoes with mine
My season is just about over here in middle TN. I love to lightly sauté spears in EVOO, move them off to the side of the pan, crack one of our hen’s eggs in the pan and cook it over easy. Serve the egg over the asparagus and let the warm, orange yolk run all over the asparagus. So easy and so good.
The checkout lady at my local grocery proclaimed that she had never had asparagus in her life. She wasn’t a spring chicken either! I did my best to encourage her to give them a shot since they’re in season!
This bake looks perfect for a quick weeknight dinner! I’ll be adding it to my list!
Glad to encourage more asparagus consumption, and it sounds like you are, too, Oat&Sesame. Nice to see you.
Dear Margaret,
Thrilled to have discovered you through the NYT!
Congratulations on your successful gardening career.
Will use your excellent ideas for my very small garden plot and in my kitchen.
Best,
Thanks, Sophie. Nice of you to take the time to say hello.
Can’t wait to try your asparagus-Parmesan bake — sounds delicious and easy! A nice idea for a spring brunch.
Thanks,
Can’t wait to try the asparagus bake. I have some organic asparagus from Costco to use up. I will try nutritional yeast instead of parmesan since I can’t have cheese.
This asparagus recipe- oh my yes.
Approx time?
It depends on how gooey or cooked you want your egg?
Wing it I know you can do it;-)
Hi Margaret,
The asparagus recipe looks so good. That will be on my To Do list in the kitchen this week.
Thank you,
Sharon D.
I love the asparagus recipe, although vegan I can absolutely make it with plant based cheese and plant based JUST egg.
Thank you Margaret.
When I made this, the egg was overdone before the asparagus was nicely cooked.
Our daughter appeared at our recent Easter dinner with a dish very similar to yours. Her version included wrapping each spear in prosciutto. It was a wonderful appetizer.
Love this and will be making it soon. Thank you! How long (basically) do you bake it?
Depends on how think the egg layer is which depends on how big the pan is and so on, so just until the egg is firm. Not very long!
Lovely and delicious looking asparagus dish. Have you ever considered publishing a recipe book?
Oh, lovely. Thank you for the recipe!
This has become a go-to recipe for me since you first published it! About to make it for daughter over in Manchester, UK and I know it will be a huge hit. Many thanks,
Thank you! Off to the Farmers Market in Rhinebeck to buy us asparagus.