Gorgonzola Roasted Asparagus

Seasonal asparagus roasted with creamy Gorgonzola cheese. This side dish is so simple and good and can be served in so many ways. Serve it with roasted meats, steak or other veggies!

When asparagus is in season there are so many good ways to enjoy it and this is one of our go-to's.

It's so unbelievably simple to make with minimal prep time and is solid served alongside roast chicken or char-grilled steak.

A quick note on blanching the asparagus. If you are using thin asparagus spears then you don't need to blanch them first as they'll roast in no time but we like to do this with the thick and chunky variety.

See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips and variations.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Asparagus – asparagus comes in various varieties and sizes. Try to make sure your asparagus are all roughly the same size but if you have some extra chunky ones you can slice them in half. Note: tall and thin asparagus does not need to be blanched first.
• Gorgonzola – we prefer to use Gorgonzola Dolce which has a creamy texture compared to Gorgonzola Piccante which is crumblier and slightly stronger although either will work well.
• Butter – use unsalted butter, it doesn't need to be softened because it'll be baked.

Step by step photos and instructions

1. Prepare the asparagus – cut off the woody bottom part from the stalk. You can do this with a knife or by breaking it off. Asparagus comes in various varieties and sizes. If you find that some of your asparagus is bigger than others you can slice them in half lengthways so they're all roughly the same size (photo 1).
2. Blanch the asparagus – We do this step unless we have a tall and thin variety of asparagus which roasts quickly without blanching. To blanch, add the asparagus to boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes (photo 2).

1. Cold water – after blanching remove the asparagus and place in a bowl of cold water (we add some ice cubes but it's not necessary if you're water is extra cold). Pat the asparagus dry and add to your baking dish (photo 3).
2. Roast – dot over cubes of gorgonzola, butter, a small pinch of salt and pepper and roast in the oven for about 25 minutes (photo 4).

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Add breadcrumbs – a sprinkling of breadcrumbs are a good addition and great for adding some crunch.
• Other cheese to use – if you don't like blue cheese you could use Taleggio or Fontina.
• Serving suggestions – the roasted asparagus is good served with roast chicken or pork steak sausages or alongside other roasted veggies.

Can we prepare this in advance?

Yes, follow all the steps but place in the fridge before baking. Remove the dish from the fridge whilst your oven is pre-heating and bake as instructed.

How long does it last?

Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 1 day and can be reheated in the oven until hot.

More good side dishes to try

Sides

Baked Spinach Balls with Parmigiano Cream

Sides

Peas and Pancetta – 20 Minute Side Dish

Sides

Grilled Fennel with Lemon Zest

Sides

Fagioli all'uccelletto – Beans in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 1 lb (500g) asparagus
• 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter (, cut into cubes)
• 2.5 oz (70g) Gorgonzola Dolce (, cut into cubes)
• Salt and pepper to season

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350F and bring a pot of water to the boil.

2. Bend each asparagus stalk near the bottom and let it snap naturally, alternatively cut off the woody end of each asparagus. Boil the asparagus for 1-2 minutes then plunge into cold water to stop them cooking. You want the asparagus to retain their bright green colour.

3. Dry the asparagus then add to an oven proof dish. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper then dot with cubes of butter and Gorgonzola.

4. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the cheese has melted and bubbling through, serve.

Kitchen notes

• 1. Asparagus prep if you have tall and thin asparagus (such as wild asparagus) you don't need to blanch them first. Regular green asparagus can come in various sizes (some are extra chunky). If you have some extra thick ones you can cut them in half lengthways so your asparagus is all roughly the same size.
  2. Add breadcrumbs a sprinkling of breadcrumbs are a good addition and great for adding some crunch.
  3. Other cheese to use if you don't like blue cheese you could use Taleggio or Fontina.
  4. Serving suggestions the roasted asparagus is good served with roast chicken or pork steak sausages or alongside other roasted veggies.
  5. leftovers the roasted asparagus will keep well for 1 day in the fridge and can be reheated in the oven.