Cheesy asparagus casserole is a classic Southern side dish perfect for any holiday occasion or Sunday dinner. Tender asparagus gets baked with a creamy cheese sauce and topped with buttery crackers.
My Grandma always made the best foods.
True to her Southern roots, she was a master at dressing up a simple canned vegetable with a decadent, down home gravy or cheese sauce and a cracker topping.
And that’s exactly what this cheesy asparagus casserole is.
Grandma took canned asparagus spears and baked them with a homemade cheese sauce and buttery cracker topping.
It makes the perfect side dish for Easter or even Mother’s Day brunch.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Ritz crackers– Crushed
- Butter– Both a full stick melted and a half stick of unmelted butter
- Asparagus– 3 15 ounce drained cans of extra long asparagus
- Milk– Whole is best here
- Flour– To thicken the cheese sauce
- Cheese– Shredded cheddar
How to Make
Cheesy asparagus casserole is so easy to make.
To do it, start by making the casserole topping by mixing the crushed crackers together with the stick of melted of butter.
Set the topping aside.
Then add the remaining butter to a large skillet set over medium heat.
Once the butter has melted, whisk the flour into the butter to form a roux.
Keep whisking until the mixture is a golden, paste like consistency.
Then whisk in half a cup of milk.
Let the first half cup of milk thicken, constantly whisking while it cooks.
Once it thickens, whisk in the remaining milk and let the cream sauce simmer until thick.
At this point, take the skillet off the heat and stir the cheese into it until the cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Then spread half the crushed crackers evenly out over the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish you’ve sprayed liberally with nonstick spray.
Arrange the asparagus over the cracker crumbs in an even layer.
Pour the cheese sauce over the asparagus and spread evenly out overtop using a spatula.
Top the asparagus with the remaining crushed crackers.
Bake the asparagus casserole uncovered at 350° for 25-30 minutes.
At this point the casserole should be hot and bubbly and the cracker topping will be golden brown and crispy.
Carefully remove the hot dish from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Keep in mind the cracker topping will get soggier the longer you store it.
Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t like canned asparagus, you can substitute fresh asparagus that’s been blanched.
- Some versions of this dish including my Grandma’s cover the bottom of the baking dish with toast instead of cracker crumbs. You can do that if you want, just use enough toast to cover the entire bottom of the casserole dish.
- You can use crispy french fried onions in place of the Ritz crackers.
Other Canned Vegetable Recipes
Cheesy asparagus casserole is a yummy way to dress up basic cans of asparagus to turn it into a holiday worthy side dish.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other recipes that dress up canned vegetables?
Try these:
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Cheesy Asparagus Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 - 2 cups crushed ritz crackers roughly 4 stay fresh sleeves
- 1 stick butter melted (8 tbsp)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 15 oz cans extra long asparagus drained
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Add the crushed crackers to a small mixing bowl and pour the stick of melted butter over top. Stir to combine, then set aside.1 3/4 - 2 cups crushed ritz crackers, 1 stick butter
- Add the remaining butter to a large skillet set over medium heat. Once melted add the flour and whisk into the butter to form a paste. Cook for 60 seconds to remove the flour taste.4 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp flour
- Pour in half a cup of milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Whisk in the rest of the milk and simmer just until thickened.1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
- Remove the skillet from heat, add the cheese, and stir until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is smooth.2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Spray a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then spread half the crushed crackers evenly out over the bottom.
- Arrange the asparagus over the cracker crumbs in an even layer. Pour the cheese sauce over the asparagus and spread evenly out overtop using a spatula. Top with the remaining crushed crackers.3 15 oz cans extra long asparagus
- Bake uncovered at 350° for 25-30 minutes, just until the casserole's hot & bubbly and the cracker topping's golden brown & crispy.
- Carefully remove the hot dish from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don't like canned asparagus, you can substitute fresh asparagus that's been blanched.
- Some versions of this dish including my Grandma's cover the bottom of the baking dish with toast instead of cracker crumbs. You can do that if you want, just use enough toast to cover the entire bottom of the casserole dish.
- You can use crispy french fried onions in place of the Ritz crackers.
Nutrition
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