Asparagus Au Gratin – Lightened!

Asparagus season is here, and there’s no better time to enjoy our Best Lightened Asparagus Au Gratin! Ready in just 10 minutes, this dish goes straight from prep to oven, roasting until to tenderly perfection. It’s low in calories and carbs, keto-friendly, and absolutely irresistible.

 

This Asparagus Au Gratin… and Better!

Super light, satisfying, and loaded with tons of flavor, our lightened asparagus au gratin is the perfect side to serve with just about any meat, fish and poultry.

Unlike most asparagus gratins which are weighed down with a ton of cheeses, flour, and cream, making them high in calories and fat. This recipe is not! 

The best part? It’s bursting with flavor, and the tender-crisp spears have just the right touch of crunch to keep everyone coming back for more. Even the skeptics will love asparagus prepared this way!

And, even if you are not a cook – you’ll LOVE this recipe, simply because it’s quick to make and bakes in minutes.  🙂 What could be better?

Reasons We Should Be Eating More Asparagus

• A great source of nutrients, including fiber and folate, and loaded with vitamins A, C, and K.
• Asparagus is considered among the family of ‘Superfoods.’
• It even contains some protein. And, it’s low in calories.
• Many health benefits, including help in weight loss, improved digestion, and helps with bloating, and even lower blood pressure.
• Thanks to their diuretic function, they help the cleansing process by activating the functions of the liver and kidneys that eliminate toxins from the body.

Ingredients You Will Need

• 1 bunch ( medium-sized) fresh asparagus (about 1 pound)
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. plain bread crumbs
• 3 Tbsp. grated pecorino cheese
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter – chopped
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• fresh cracked pepper to taste

How to make our Asparagus Au Gratin-Lightened?

Our full recipe card is located at the bottom. But first, let us show you our 3-easy-steps to making this lightened asparagus au gratin!

1.  Simply rinse the spears, cut off the ends, and place them onto a prepared baking pan.

2.  Next, scatter the cheese mixture along with the seasonings over them.

3.  Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top, scatter some pieces of chopped butter on top, and bake at 350 F, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes. Then remove from oven, and serve.

This simple technique of cooking asparagus not only makes a simple presentation, but it tastes FANTASTIC! 

The flavor comes from the pecorino cheese mixed with bread crumbs.  It’s what gives these spears their amazing texture and flavor.

Our mom always made it this way, and we have continued to make her recipe for years.

I bet you didn’t know Italian cooking would be this easy… but it is!

Options for Substitutions:

For those family members or friends who have dietary restrictions or preferences, here are some helpful tips:

• Use “dairy-free” grated cheeses with this recipe.
• Switch out regular bread crumbs for cornbread crumbs or any of your favorite GF ones.
• Swap out the butter for a dairy-free kind, or use additional olive oil instead.

A Delicious Side Dish

Your family and friends will LOVE this Asparagus Au Gratin! 

This is such a delicious dish, and a healthy vegetable side that’s ideal to serve the whole family. I bet your family will ask you to make it again.  We make this one often, it’s our family’s favorite recipe for asparagus and we hope it will be yours too.

ENJOY!!

Hello friends!  If you try our delicious asparagus au gratin lightened, let us know and leave a comment, and with a star rating. We’d love to hear from you and tell us about your experiences.  It not only helps our readers who read them, but it also helps us.

Finally, More Tasty Asparagus Recipes!

• Roasted Asparagus with Prosciutto and Cheese
• Creamy Asparagus Soup
• Asparagus and Basil Soup
• Perfectly Grilled Asparagus
• Fresh Asparagus, Tomato and Cheese Pizza
• Chicken Cutlets with Garlicky Asparagus
• Spinach Ravioli with White Cream Asparagus Sauce
• Creamy Asparagus Risotto

Happy and Healthy Cooking!   🙂

Thanks for stopping by! 

xo Anna and Liz