Summary:

Here’s an easy low carb side dish: baked asparagus topped with melted cheese and bacon.

Cheesy Baked Asparagus

5 from 1 vote

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Prep: 10

Cook: 20

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

▢ 12 ounces asparagus spears trimmed
▢ 1 cup shredded cheese mix mozzarella, cheddar, jack all work well
▢ 1 slice bacon diced
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 5 cloves garlic minced
▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
▢ 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
In a gallon-sized resealable bag, toss the asparagus spears with olive oil until well-coated.
Place asparagus spears on a baking tray, arranged side-by-side in a single layer. Evenly distribute garlic, salt, and pepper on top of the asparagus.
Bake until the asparagus is tender-crisp and starting to brown, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears.
Turn off the oven and remove the baking tray. The asparagus shrinks once cooked, so optionally gather them closer together on the baking tray. Evenly top the asparagus with shredded cheese. Distribute diced bacon on top of the cheese.
Return the baking tray to the oven. Broil until the cheese is golden brown, about 5 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn.

NUTRITION

Makes 4 Servings

Amount Per Serving:

Calories 200 (75% from fat)
Total Fat 17g	26%
Saturated Fat 6g	31%
Cholesterol 31mg	10%
Sodium 370mg	15%
Net Carb 2.5g
Total Carb 4.5g	1%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Sugars 1g
Protein 10g

Vitamin A 24% · Vitamin C 13% · Calcium 24% · Iron 3%

PHOTOS

This baked asparagus is an easy side dish with melted cheese and bacon.

NOTES & TIPS

Baking Time. Depending on your oven (baking times for different ovens can vary for the same result), how tender you prefer your asparagus to be, and the thickness of your asparagus spears, you may need to cook longer or shorter than my estimated time in the recipe. I used relatively thin spears and it took about 12 minutes to get tender-crisp. Also, be vigilant whenever the broiler is on, as food can quickly burn when broiling.

Ingredient Substitutions. For the cheese, you can use any easily melted cheese including cheddar, mozzarella, swiss, pepper jack, and provolone. I usually use a mixture of cheddar, mozzarella, and jack. I don’t use many seasonings or spices in this recipe so you can add any herbs that you have on hand. If you’re serving this side dish to vegetarians, you can crisp up the bacon on a separate baking pan and serve it on the side.