Make the best creamy asparagus casserole ever with this delicious recipe. Loaded with fresh asparagus and a homemade smoky cheese sauce, this dish will become a family favorite for any occasion.
In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
Add aspargus, and reduce heat to medium-high.
6 cups asparagus {cut into 2-3 inch pieces}
Cook asparagus for 1 minute, and then using a slotted spoon, transfer stalks to the bowl of ice water.
After 3 minutes, drain the asparagus from the ice water and set aside.
In a medium heavy-bottomed oven-safe saucepan, combine butter, olive oil, and garlic over medium heat. Stir until garlic is starting to soften (2-3 minutes).
Sprinkle flour over the top of the butter/garlic mixture, and whisk to combine. Cook until the flour turns a light caramel color (~3 minutes).
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Add chicken stock, warmed milk, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Cook, whisking constantly for 3 minutes.
1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup whole milk {warmed}, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 2 tsp lemon zest
Turn off the burner, add gouda to the pan, and stir gently until the cheese has melted.
2 cups grated smoked gouda
Add in the aspargus and gently stir to combine.
Top evenly with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Notes
If you prefer to use canned asparagus, you’ll want to sub in 3-3.5, 15 oz cans of asparagus spears (drained). If you use frozen, rinse the asparagus with cool water and drain it before adding it to the cheese sauce.
You can use your favorite gluten-free flour or cornstarch instead of all-purpose flour.
Do not skip the step of warming the milk before adding it to the roux. This will prevent the sauce from breaking/curdling.
If you prefer a crispier topping, you can place the pot under a broiler set to low for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.