I have yet to eat asparagus in a restaurant that tastes as good as my balsamic roasted asparagus recipe. This is my favorite asparagus side dish recipe ever and it’s so simple to make. All you need is balsamic vinegar, some Italian cheese, and of course fresh asparagus.
Not only is it extremely easy and fast to make with minimal steps. This side dish can be prepared in one pan and is so flavorful thanks to the balsamic vinegar and sprinkling of Italian cheese on top of the roasted asparagus at the end.
Balsamic Roasted Asparagus
Aspragus with balsamic vinegar is a classic pairing of flavors. Asparagus isn’t everyone’s favorite vegetable, but when paired with the balsamic flavor, it rises to a new level.
In this post, you’ll learn how to cook asparagus on the stove (any stove like cooktop, gas, or induction will do) and then roast it in the oven. The two part process is important as this ensures the asparagus is properly cooked through and doesn’t dry out while roasting in the oven.
I learned this balsamic roasted asparagus recipe from my sister who prepared it for a meal once and I fell in love with it. Then when it was my turn at another dinner occasion I tried it too. Everyone loved it!
Even my sister-in-law was going back for thirds and she flat out said she didn’t really care for asparagus but that this recipe was awesome.
That’s the ultimate compliment and I knew I had to share it with you!
Balsamic Roasted Asparagus Ingredients
This side dish uses asparagus as your primary ingredient. Many asparagus recipes such as my pasta with lemon and asparagus recipe, use lemon as the complimentary flavor, but not for this one.
We’re using balsamic vinegar which we add right before we roast the asparagus.
Ingredients besides the asparagus that you’ll need are super simple and you probably have them:
- water
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar (I’ve used organic fig vinegar and man is that good stuff!)
- Romano grated cheese, and that’s it!
There is no garlic, no salt, and no pepper.
Don’t even think about using canned asparagus – it won’t work! Get the real deal in the produce section of your grocery store, you won’t regret it.
How to Cook the Asparagus on the Stove
Cooking asparagus is so easy, so never be afraid of the task. I’m sure there are different views on how to do this, fortunately there is no single correct way.
So, I’ll share with you my tried and true method for cooking the asparagus so it doesn’t turn into a mushy mush mess.
Prepare the asparagus
Clean and trim the asparagus, then add them to a frying pan. Add some water so they are 1/4 deep in the water.
Cook the asparagus
Bring the temperature up to medium and let the asparagus cook and boil a little (you can see the bubbles in the image) and I turn the asparagus with a fork from time to time.
Watch the asparagus turn bright green and when the water is nearly evaporated, add in some olive oil to coat the asparagus and let it cook just about a minute or two longer.
It’s okay if there is still a little water in the pan when you add the oil. Since it’s not high heat you don’t have to worry about oil flying all over the place as if you were frying.
Also, sometimes I still have too much water in the pan, so before adding the oil I will simply pour some of it out. You don’t want the asparagus to stick to the pan or burn, so that’s why I don’t worry about a little liquid in there.
Add the balsamic vinegar to the asparagus
Pierce the asparagus with the fork and add in a few drizzles of balsamic. Then sprinkle the cheese on top.
Roast the Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar
Then what you do is put the frying pan (or transfer to an oven-safe pan if your frying pan can’t go in the oven) and roast the asparagus (or almost broil at about 400F) for about 2 minutes.
What Pan to Use for this Balsamic Roasted Asparagus Recipe
It’s best to use a frying pan that is oven proof. This keeps everything simpler when it comes time to roast the asparagus.
Quick tip – if using a pan like mine in the picture, remember to keep a pot holder on the handle after taking it out. It’s so easy to forget how hot it is. I forget easily and I’ve actually burned letters of the engraved brand name into my hand with one of my Cuisinart pans. I had a nice letter c on my hand!
Roast the asparagus for 2 minutes and remove from the oven.
How to Keep the Asparagus Warm
If you can’t serve the roasted asparagus right away, don’t let it keep cooking. Just set aside and when it’s almost time to serve, put it back under the heat for about a minute to reheat quickly.
Is this step required? No. But roasting the asparagus helps caramelize the cheese and balsamic to the asparagus. It adds a nice crispness to the asparagus and well… it’s beautiful!
Why Don’t I Boil the Asparagus in a Big Pot of Water?
Short answer. I’m lazy and think it’s not necessary. I have an old Italian cookbook and it talks about boiling asparagus, but for this recipe… I don’t think so.
Remember, these are not to be mush. You should still cut the asparagus with a knife and there will be a slight firmness (not crunch).
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Enjoy the recipe, you won’t be disappointed!
Until next time… Ciao!
Liz
Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar and Cheese
Easy Italian recipe for cooking asparagus over the stove and finishing it off in the oven. The balsamic vinegar cooks into the asparagus and with the sprinking of grated Parmesan or Romano cheese at the end puts it over the top!
Ingredients
- asparagus stalks cleaned
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (fig vinegar is good too!)
- 1/4 cup grated Italian Parmesan or Romano cheese
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400F
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Clean the asparagus and snap off the hard ends
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Add to a frying pan and pour in enough water to cover them just under halfway up.
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Cook the asparagus over medium heat until they are bright green and can be pierced with a fork with a little bit of pressure (you don’t want them over cooked). This will take about 5-10 minutes.
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If water is not evaporated, pour most of it out and drizzle the olive oil to coat and cook about a minute longer.
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Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and sprinkle on the cheese and let cook about a minute.
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Move to the oven in an oven safe dish (or use the frying pan if it is oven safe) and cook for about 2 minutes
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Remove from oven and enjoy! They should be slightly firm, but not crunchy.
Recipe Notes
The trick here is to not overcook the asparagus. Once the asparagus is bright green you can start testing it’s firmness with a fork. Keep moving them around so they get cooked on all sides (like a hot dog on a grill), and when the fork can pierce it with a mild push you know it’s time to move to the next step!
Romano cheese is the best choice, but parmesan will be fine if that’s what you have.
Super easy, super simple and out of this world delicious! Enjoy!
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If you enjoyed this Balsamic Roasted Asparagus recipe, you will also enjoy our other asparagus recipes.
Let me know how you’ve enjoyed this side dish and how you used it in your meal!
