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    Asparagus Gratin with Gruyère and Panko

    Win over your family members (even the picky ones) with this incredibly flavorful, rich and creamy asparagus gratin. It's hard to not love.

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    Asparagus Gratin with Gruyère and Panko baked in a cast iron baking dish garnished with parsley

    Asparagus Gratin with Luscious Béchamel-Style Sauce

    The first sight of asparagus at the farmers market is enough to send us into states of elation. Because the arrival of asparagus is a sure sign that we’ve survived winter and longer, warmer days are on their way. We’ll spend all summer tossing asparagus on a hot grill, treating it lightly and enjoying it as a healthy veggie side dish, the first asparagus of the year calls for the royal treatment. Creamy and rich with Gruyère cheese and butter, this asparagus gratin recipe is our favorite way to celebrate the arrival of one of spring’s most iconic vegetables.

    raw asparagus on a striped linen
    blanched asparagus in a cast iron baking dish next to a plate of grated gruyère cheese

    Ingredients to Make the Best Asparagus Recipe on Earth

    Although this stunner of a side dish recipe comes across as very dressed-up, it’s not hard to make and you won’t need any special ingredients. You might need to make a trip to the grocery store, unless you’re the kind of person who keeps Gruyère in the house at all times (and if you are, good for you—let’s be friends!). Here’s all you’ll need to make it:

    • Asparagus
    • Butter
    • Flour
    • Whole milk
    • Whole grain mustard
    • Nutmeg
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Gruyère cheese
    • Panko
    a small bowl of flour, a small bowl of whole grain mustard, fresh thyme and nutmeg on a plate with a linen

    How To Make Our Asparagus Gratin Recipe

    We’re going to use some culinary words here—stuff like ‘béchamel’ and ‘blanch’—but trust us, this is really basic stuff. Plus, once you’ve got the hang of how to make a gratin, you’ll be gratin-ing any vegetable you get your hands on!

    1. Blanch the asparagus just until it’s slightly tender, with some crispness remaining.
    2. Make the béchamel. All that béchamel is is butter + flour + milk to make a thick cream sauce, then season with mustard, salt, pepper, nutmeg and parmesan cheese. Easy peasy!
    3. Pour the cream sauce over the asparagus, and top with Gruyère.
    4. Bake for 15 minutes.
    5. Toast the panko in a bit of butter, and finish the gratin with a sprinkling of those light, airy breadcrumbs.
    blanched asparagus in a small cast iron baking dish topped with a creamy béchamel sauce next to a plate of shredded Gruyère
    Asparagus Gratin topped with béchamel sauce, shredded Gruyère cheese & buttery Panko in a small baking dish

    Tools You’ll Need

    More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes to Try

    Asparagus Gratin topped with béchamel sauce, shredded Gruyère cheese & buttery Panko in a small baking dish

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    Asparagus Gratin with Gruyère and Panko

    April 3, 2017

    • Serves: 6
    • Prep Time:  25 min
    • Cook Time:  20 min
    • Calories: 246
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    Ingredients

    • 1½ pounds asparagus, ends trimmed
    • 3 tablespoons salted butter
    • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
    • ¾ cup grated Gruyère
    • ¾ cup Panko bread crumbs
    • 1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley (optional)

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position..

    2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until bright green and tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, pat dry and transfer to a baking dish.

    3. In a small saucepan or skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until browned and foaming. Whisk in the flour until thickened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly add the milk to the butter mixture and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Whisk in the mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until fully incorporated. Add the parmesan and whisk to smooth.

    4. Pour the sauce over the asparagus in the baking dish and sprinkle with the Gruyère. Bake until bubbly and beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes.

    5. Meanwhile, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until the panko is golden brown. Set aside.

    6. When the gratin is done, sprinkle with the toasted panko, parsley (if using), and parmesan cheese. Serve warm.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories246
    • Protein13 g
    • Carbohydrates15 g
    • Total Fat16 g
    • Dietary Fiber3 g
    • Cholesterol45 mg
    • sodium522 mg
    • Total Sugars5 g

    Asparagus Gratin with Gruyère and Panko

    Questions & Reviews

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    • Jenn

      So creamy and good. You really can't go wrong covering anything with creamy, cheesy, flavorful saucy goodness.

      Thank you Jenn, we agree!