Asparagus Recipe

Trim and clean asparagus

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Rinse the asparagus and snap or trim off the woody ends (about 1–1.5 inches from the bottom). Pat dry with paper towels.

Slice mushrooms and mince aromatics

Clean mushrooms with a damp towel and slice them about 1/4-inch thick. Finely mince the shallot and garlic and set aside.

Sauté mushrooms and aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and let them brown undisturbed for 2–3 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until mushrooms release moisture and are golden brown, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove pan from heat.

Toss asparagus with seasoning

Place trimmed asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil (reserve the remaining tablespoon for mushrooms already used) and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat and arrange spears in a single layer.

Combine mushrooms and asparagus

Scatter the sautéed mushrooms evenly over and between the asparagus spears so each bundle will have some mushrooms and shallot.

Add Gruyère

Sprinkle the grated Gruyère evenly over the asparagus and mushrooms. Dot the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in small pieces over the top and drizzle the heavy cream lightly over the cheese (this helps create a silky melt).

Roast until tender and golden

Roast in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, until the asparagus is tender-crisp and the cheese is melted and beginning to turn golden. For a more browned top, switch oven to broil for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Immediately zest the lemon over the asparagus, squeeze the lemon juice evenly, and sprinkle chopped parsley if using. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste. Let cool 1–2 minutes and serve warm as a side or light main.