Super easy asparagus casserole that comes together in just a few steps. This is perfect for Thanksgiving, Easter, or any dinner! Tender asparagus gets a sharp cheddar cream sauce treatment with crispy, crunchy Ritz crackers for topping. I love this as a side dish to weeknight cast iron NY strip steak or a fancier meal such as prime rib roast - one of my favorite Christmas dinner recipes!
When it comes to Thanksgiving, there's a balance of "we always have that," and "let's try something new," you know?
This is the BEST asparagus casserole ever, but I'd also venture that it's the best Thanksgiving side dish ever. It's the perfect line between "super classic" and "a little updated," and let's just take a moment to bow to the Casserole Gods of Thanksgiving. They love us, and we love them.
So. Easy asparagus casserole! The fancy feeling of a veg that isn't green beans with the comfort of cheese and Ritz cracker topping.
Recipe Notes
The total best thing about this is that we throw the asparagus in RAW so it cooks and softens in the oven but doesn't get brown and mushy, thanks but no thanks.
I also found some old fashioned asparagus casserole recipes that include hard boiled eggs? No. Not happening. I don't like them and also it sounded weird. But, if you're into hard boiled eggs, throw some chopped on top of the 'role. Let me know how it is.
I use fresh asparagus in this casserole (which makes it a perfect Easter dinner recipe when asparagus is in season, but I have made this with frozen AND canned asparagus and it works great in all the ways. Promise.
Ingredients
You need asparagus, just trimmed and cut up. Then onion, garlic, flour, milk, mayo, grated cheddar, and Ritz crackers, heck yes. Maybe some salt and pepper, and that's it!
Ingredient Notes and Variations
- To make this gluten free, skip the flour and instead whisk 2 teaspoons cornstarch into the milk mixture BEFORE streaming it into the onion skillet. Stream in the milk/cornstarch mixture, and proceed with the rest of the recipe. Swap the crackers for a gluten free cracker or crushed chip of your choice.
- YES there is mayonnaise in here and I don't want to hear a thing about it, it tastes delicious and you 100% will not know it is in there, mayo-haters. I see you, I validate you (I'm kidding, this isn't a mental health issue), but trust me the flavor added is a good one, and the texture is important. Don't skip it. If you need a mayo-free asparagus recipe, I love this 5-minute Vegan Broiled Asparagus as an alternative.
- Feel free to swap the cheese for any grated melty cheese that you like. Swiss or Fontina cheese are both really yummy!
- Many readers have commented that adding 1-2 cups of cooked shredded chicken makes this an entire meal for their family. Definitely do that.
**Side note, if you have any leftover asparagus, use it in a 5-minute side dish! Broiling asparagus is a really nice quick and easy vegan side dish option.
Step By Step Instructions
To start, crush the crackers in a bag and set them aside.
Then, add the asparagus, grated cheese, and mayonnaise to a bowl.
Heat the onions in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil.
When the onions soften and brown just slightly, sprinkle the garlic and flour over the onions. Stir them together to create a roux. A paste!
Let the onion mixture cook, stirring, for a minute or two to brown the flour just slightly. Then, very slowly pour in the milk, stirring as you go to incorporate the milk into the flour. The mixture should be smooth. Stir until the milk comes to a bubble, then sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
When the milk/onion mixture has thickened, pour it into the bowl with the asparagus and other ingredients.
Stir everything together, and pour the mixture into a casserole dish prepared with some cooking spray. Sprinkle the Ritz crackers over the top of the casserole.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make this in advance and bake it on Thanksgiving (or on a Tuesday, whatever), just keep it in the fridge for a few days before you want to eat it. If you're worried about oven space, you can also bake this halfway, for 15 minutes or so, then finish it cooking on the day of your big meal.
I would at least reheat this prior to serving; but leftovers are really delicious in the fridge for at least 3 days.
The dish bakes at 375F for 40-50 minutes until the asparagus is tender but not mushy and the cheese is hot and bubbly.
And that's it! The flavors are classic but the fresh asparagus is a nice twist.
PS this would work perfectly with broccoli so you could totally double the cheese ingredients and make 2 casseroles that are identical but with different veggies.
Serving Suggestions
- I love this for Thanksgiving OR year round.
- For a weekend dinner, I'd serve this with a roast chicken and some baked mushroom rice. YUM.
- For Thanksgiving, a smoked turkey breast, healthy green bean casserole, baked mashed potatoes (another make ahead dish!), and roasted brussels sprouts are always at the top of my list.
I'm thinking we should probably practice our Thanksgiving side dishes a few times per week all year, right?
Bookmark this one for your next big meal for sure. I hope you love this!
Easy Asparagus Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds asparagus trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese grated
- ½ onion diced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup milk
- salt and pepper
- 15 Ritz crackers or similar crushed
Instructions
- Place the asparagus, mayo, and cheese together in a large bowl.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the onion with a drizzle of oil. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes until soft and slightly browned. Sprinkle the garlic and flour all over the onion mixture. Stir to create a roux and let the flour cook for a minute or two.
- Very slowly pour the milk into the skillet, stirring as you go to incorporate the milk into the flour mixture. Let the milk sauce come to a bubble. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- When the milk sauce is slightly thick, pour it into the bowl with the asparagus and other ingredients. Stir to mix everything together, and pour the mixture into a baking dish, 9x13 or similar. Sprinkle the crushed crackers over the casserole.
- Bake the asparagus casserole at 375F for 40-50 minutes or until the asparagus is just tender and the cheese is bubbly. Broil the top for one minute if you'd like to brown the crackers.
- Serve. Eat. Enjoy!
Notes
- Asparagus: This works beautifully with fresh asparagus, but canned/drained asparagus or thawed frozen asparagus are also delicious in this casserole.
- Make this in advance up to the baking step, it will keep in the fridge for 3 days or so. Then bake right before eating.
- To make this gluten free, skip the flour and instead whisk 2 teaspoons cornstarch into the milk mixture BEFORE streaming it into the onion skillet. Stream in the milk/cornstarch mixture, and proceed with the rest of the recipe. Swap the crackers for a gluten free cracker or crushed chip of your choice.
This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with more information and tips and tricks to help it turn out perfectly every time!
Please never stop blogging. Your sass is so excellent. kthanxbye
That is so nice, I mean that really! Thank you for reading!
Do you have another suggestion for the Ritz crackers? I am not a fan of them but the rest of the recipe sounds great!!!
Any carby crunchy thing you like! Other crackers, potato chips, panko, bread crumbs, any of it. Or leave it out and the casserole will still be delicious. 🙂 let me know how it turns out!
Thank you! Will report back tomorrow 🙂
I don't have real Mayo onl Miracle Whip. Would that work? Or, Alfredo sauce??
Miracle Whip would work just fine! I wouldn't use alfredo because it won't have quite the same body once you bake the casserole.
I just found this recipe and immediately I thought about fried onions on top. You know, like green beans, except without the green beans. I will be trying it that way.
Absolutely, I love that idea!
Great Casserole for my fresh garden asparagus! I added some chopped up cooked bacon to the onions as I browned them!! It really gave it a great flavor!!
It’s a winner!
I'm so glad!!
Can I use cream instead of milk?
Absolutely, I've done that and it works beautifully.
Do you know if this dish freezes well?
I'd say medium. Because we don't cook the asparagus prior to baking the fresh veg + dairy could get a little watery, but baking should bring it back to life. I'd maybe freeze it once half baked and see how that goes. If you do try freezing, I'd love to know what method you use and how it goes!
Best asparagus casserole recipe!
I added melted butter and Parmesan to the cracker crumbs.... simply Yummy!
Well, that sounds amazing!! Definitely going to steal that idea next time I make this for our family!
I like my asparagus lightly cooked ( still a bit crunchy) will it be soft after being in the oven this long ?
It will depend on the thickness of your asparagus! If you are concerned you can decrease the cooking time by a bit/check it halfway through. Let me know how it turns out!
Does anyone know the calories per serving on this ?
My husband loves asparagus. This was perfect with a couple steaks. I only had to bake my thick spears for 25 minutes. Already shared on Facebook. Thanks for sharing and love your new blog name.
Jeanne, thank you so much for sharing! I'm glad you loved the recipe - it's one of my favorites!
I’m planning on making a asparagus casserole for Thanksgiving using asparagus I blanched during the summer. My question is will my blanched asparagus work in this recipe and how should I adjust the cooking time.
It should work just fine! I would still cook for the same amount of time, maybe 10 minutes shorter. Be sure to thaw the asparagus and drain it on paper towels or in a colander so the casserole doesn't end up soupy. Report back on how it goes; I hope you love it!
can you substitute mayo for milk?
Mary, do you mean use no mayo and more milk? Or no milk and more mayo? If you're asking if you can use no mayo, I wouldn't do that - you could leave it out entirely, but you'd lose a little bit of the creaminess. If you're asking if you can use no milk, also wouldn't work quite the same and would taste a LOT like mayo if you made that swap. If you need to use no milk, I'd substitute stock or another liquid like almond milk. I hope that helps!
This recipe is simple and easy but so unique and flavorful. Great at holidays or for a Tuesday dinner. Ps, this recipe can cause a new odor to occur during potty breaks
I'm glad you love it! LOL potty breaks - that's how we got Beck to try asparagus for the first time!
Can't wait to try this tomorrow (Easter) but I'll have to use fried onions because I can and I am definitely adding bacon. Because bacon! Thanks for this!
Um, fried onions and bacon are INSPIRED. I hope you loved it!
I would like to make this with chicken. Do you think I should cook the chicken first, or put it in raw?
I think if you do thin bite-sized pieces of chicken it will cook in the same amount of time as the casserole! Just check a piece to be sure, and add 10 minutes or so if it's not quite done when you check it the first time. Definitely let me know how it turns out!
Have you ever tried this with frozen asparagus? Is there any reason not to? I usually have frozen on hand, but can’t always find fresh.
I know people that have used frozen asparagus for this! I would thaw it first (just leave it out for an hour or so) to drain off any water, as using frozen veggies can sometimes yield a soupy casserole. If you DO try it with frozen asparagus, I'd love to know how it turns out!
Not sure I will get your answer in time, but will ask anyway for future knowledge. Had to cancel Memorial Day because of rain and cold.
Any up date in freezing this. Has not been cooked yet. Would you recommend: 1 cooking and then freeze. 2. Freeze and then cook. THANK YOU
Elaine,
I believe I answered this below, but apologies if it didn't post in time! I would cook then freeze, then reheat covered in a 300F oven until bubbly again. Let me know how it turns out if you try it that way!
This would be great to half and have for lunches at work. I do have access to a toaster oven. Does it reheat well?
It reheats great in a toaster oven or just the microwave! I also love it with rice for a more substantial main dish.
Made this recipe as posted. Really delicious. Will be making this again and again!
I'm so glad that you love it, and appreciate so much you taking the time to report back on how it was! It's 100% one of my favorites.
I added in a pouch of Salmon in EVOO. My tots ate every last bite and wanted more. Thank you for this super simple recipe.
That's a great idea, and I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to report back, I really appreciate hearing from you!
Delicious and easy recipe, perfect for weekday dinner!
Omg this was so good!! Definitely saving this recipe for my next get together!
My family loves this recipe. It's an easy way for me to get my 2 year old to eat her green beans.
I love asparagus and so this is my favorite! My kids loved it too!
Such an easy recipe and a comforting dish.
No wonder it is one of your most shared recipes - it sounds amazing! Definitely adding yours to the list to do! It is my type of casserole, and I love to make them in winter.
Love anything with asparagus, and this makes the whole house smell delicious!
This veggie side dish was super easy to make and so tasty.
I was going to make a green bean casserole but then I saw your asparagus casserole and made it instead. It turned out amazing and my whole family loved it. Great recipe.
Thanks so much!
I really love how easy it is to make! Thanks for the recipe!
Instead of the crackers could you use the fried onion rings?
Absolutely, or even crushed potato chips or panko; anything crunchy you like! I love fried onions in particular on top of casseroles.
Thanks! I’m always afraid I’ll ruin a recipe if I change things.
Let me know how it turns out!
This sounds yummy! My daughter's oven cooked out on her yesterday, so I'll be trying this in the crockpot. I'll let you know how it turns out!
Conked out, darn autocorrect! Thank goodness for electric roasters, instant pots, etc!
YES, I hope it turned out great!
My dish is in the fridge for only 3 hours till I pop it in the oven, but putting it together was really easy and can’t wait to try it! Thank you so much for including that this could easily be a gluten free dish! ❤️
You are so welcome, I hope you love it!
It was super delish!! I honestly can’t wait to make it again! The perfect side dish! It was even great the next day!
That's great news, I'm so glad you liked it!
Can you use frozen aspargus in this recipe?
Yes! The result may be a little looser (not watery, but not as thick), but I make it with frozen asparagus all the time and we love it.
Hi can you use cream of chicken soup instead of the mayo?
I absolutely think that would work, or cream of cheese soup to keep it vegetarian.
This is a great recipe. We did add 2 cups of dicedham to the pan when cooking the onions. Turned out beautifully. Next time we will add a little Dijon mustard to the roux (to give it a little hollandaise feel).
I love the addition of protein to make it more like a whole meal! So glad you enjoyed it.
Any other substitutes for the mayo? Greek yogurt or sour cream? Not a fan of mayo. Thanks!
You could use sour cream. It won't taste as creamy, but in terms of "mayo flavor," there is absolutely none in this recipe - it tastes like cheesy asparagus. The sour cream will give a little different sour flavor but wouldn't be bad at all, though!
Can someone please help me with the amount of salt and pepper? I'll probably do the 2x recipe.
Thank you
Marcelo
I'd do half a teaspoon of salt and several grinds of pepper (this is totally personal preference, you could also skip it), then taste before baking to see if you need more salt. Don't hesitate to add more to make it really flavorful!
Has anyone tried this recipe in the crockpot on low? Do you think it would be ok?
I think it would work, with a few "but maybe:" If it gets too watery I'd let it finish with the lid OFF for an hour or two (weird, but it works!), and you wouldn't have the crispy cracker topping with the slow cooker method. If you do try it, let us know how it turns out!
I only have canned asparagus, any thoughts on if it will work? Thank you
It will definitely work! Just drain the asparagus really well before adding it to the casserole mixture.
I totally hear you! Everyone has their favourite Thanksgiving side dish that must make an appearance but I always like to have at least one new dish on the table. This year it's Asparagus Casserole!
My whole family loved this casserole! Can't wait to make it again during the holidays.
This casserole is so delicious! It's a great side dish but I could also eat it with a salad for a filling dinner. We will definitely be making it again!
I'm so glad you liked it!
Awesome! Husband bought a large bag of fresh asparagus, made asparagus for a dinner, days later I decided that I had to use up the rest, found this recipe! Used all and everyone loved it!
I'm so glad you liked this!
Can you please tell me what the serving size is on this? Also, can I use Greek yogurt instead of mayo? I realize you really prefer mayo, but just wondering. Finally, do you have a carb count per serving? To keep it lower carb, I may make an almond crust for the topping.
Thanks so much!
Hi Debbie! Thanks for your note. I intentionally don't include nutrition info on my recipes as recommendations for daily values and servings can truly vary so widely from person to person.
That said, I think most folks count on about 1 cup of side vegetable dishes when portioning, give or take. You've read my take on mayo (it provides a different structure than yogurt, chemically-speaking), so the end result will be different since the mayo/yogurt gets cooked. It wouldn't be bad at all, but it would be different!
If you need to avoid carbs you can skip the topping entirely, or some crushed nuts would be delicious. I've also had readers top this casserole with fried onions, which is absolutely delicious.
If you make any of these swaps I hope you'll report back and tell us how they go!