Roasted Asparagus with Walnut Gremolata and Goat Cheese
Published Apr 12, 2023
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This easy and elegant Roasted Asparagus recipe with Walnut Gremolata and Goat Cheese is a beautiful and tasty way to showcase this springtime jewel! Serve it at your next dinner party and enjoy the accolades from your guests!
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
- What is a gremolata?
- What to Look For When Buying Fresh Asparagus:
- How to Make Roasted Asparagus with Walnut Gremolata and Goat Cheese:
- Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Recipe FAQs:
- Storage:
- Serve with:
- Love asparagus? Be sure to try these other beautiful asparagus recipes!
- Roasted Asparagus with Walnut Gremolata and Goat Cheese Recipe
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
Roasting asparagus is probably the most perfect cooking method for asparagus. It’s quick, easy and brings out all the flavor of this springtime jewel!
When roasted, the flavor of asparagus is more concentrated than when boiled or blanched. The tips become slightly caramelized and crisp while remaining tender on the inside.
The roasting process also causes some of the water in the asparagus to evaporate, which concentrates the flavor even further.
What could be better?
A walnut gremolata with goat cheese!
The lemon perfectly complements the asparagus, the walnuts provide crunch, and the goat cheese adds creamy, delightful tanginess.
This roasted asparagus recipe is:
- Easy!
- Elegant!
- Showstopping!
What is a gremolata?
Gremolata, an Italian blend that is part condiment and part garnish, is frequently utilized to add a final burst of flavor to dishes. It is typically made with parsley, garlic and lemon zest. The best-known use is with the Italian Osso Buco recipe, which provides a refreshing, lively touch to the savory, braised meat dish.
What to Look For When Buying Fresh Asparagus:
- Make sure the asparagus you’re buying is bright green with no sign of shriveling.
- It should be difficult to bend.
- The tips should be closed and have no sign that the asparagus came into contact with water (the tips deteriorate and get mushy rapidly when in contact with moisture). This can be a little tricky if the market sprays its produce.
- Once home, use within 1 to 2 days. If you need to store it longer, cut approximately ½-inch from the bottom, then place in a glass or jar of water and cover it loosely with a plastic bag.
How to Make Roasted Asparagus with Walnut Gremolata and Goat Cheese:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this roasted asparagus recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Asparagus: I like to use small to medium-width asparagus for this recipe, but not “pencil thin,” which you see right at the beginning of the asparagus season. If large or very large is all you can find, use a vegetable peeler to remove some of the bottom stalks after trimming the tough ends. The USDA lists the following for asparagus widths:
- Very Small: Less than 5/16 inch
- Small: 5/16 to less than 8/16 inch
- Medium: 8/16 to less than 11/16 inch
- Large: 11/16 to less than 14/16 inch
- Very Large: 14/16 inch and up
- Goat Cheese: Use crumbled goat cheese for ease. It’s difficult to “crumble” a log of goat cheese.
- Walnuts: Walnuts are super healthy nuts (Source: Healthline.com), so use them if possible. If you prefer a different type of nut, pistachios or macadamia nuts would work well in this recipe.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Place asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Roast for 10 minutes or to the desired doneness. (If your asparagus is thick, it may take longer or require a higher temperature.)
- While asparagus is roasting, combine walnuts, parsley, lemon zest, garlic and salt and black pepper to taste in a small bowl.
- When the asparagus is ready, immediately drizzle with lemon juice and top with goat cheese.
- Place the pan back in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes for the goat cheese to warm through.
- Transfer to a serving platter and top with the Walnut Gremolata. Serve immediately.
- Garnish the asparagus with gremolata with lemon wedges if desired.
That’s it! A lovely roasted asparagus recipe with gremolata. Easy, oh-so-elegant and delicious!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- To determine how much to trim asparagus, bend one of the stalks near the bottom until it breaks. It breaks where you should cut the remainder, as they’re all typically the same size in the bunch and were probably growing next to each other.
- To save time, purchase pre-chopped walnuts.
Recipe FAQs:
I don’t recommend it. The roasting process is so short that roasted asparagus is easy to make shortly before you’re ready to serve. Reheating roasted asparagus can cause it to overcook. To save time, have the asparagus trimmed and ready to cook.
Yes! This part of the dish can be made ahead of time. I recommend no longer than 24 hours ahead because the nuts will soften.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Serve with:
- Easy Skillet Mediterranean Chicken
- 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
- Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Puff Pastry Parcels
- Chicken Cannelloni
- Baked Tilapia with Spinach Pecan Pesto
- Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes
- Braised Pork Loin Roast in Dijon Mustard Sauce
- Sicilian Stuffed Pork Chops with White Wine and Caper Sauce
Love asparagus? Be sure to try these other beautiful asparagus recipes!
- Arugula Egg and Asparagus Salad with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette
- Cream of Asparagus Soup with Curry
- Asparagus Cordon Bleu
- Asparagus Onion and Fontina Tart
Get all my vegetable side dish recipes at: Vegetable Side Dish Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen
Roasted Asparagus with Walnut Gremolata and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch asparagus, approximately 1 pound, tough ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted if desired
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
- Lemon wedges, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes or to desired doneness. (If your asparagus is thick, it may take longer or require a higher temperature.)
- While asparagus is roasting, combine walnuts, parsley, lemon zest, garlic and salt and black pepper to taste in a small bowl.
- When asparagus is ready, immediately drizzle with lemon juice and top with goat cheese. Place back in the oven for 1-2 minutes for the goat cheese to warm through.
- Transfer to a serving platter and top with Walnut Lemon Gremolata. Serve immediately. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
- To determine how much to trim asparagus, bend one of the stalks near the bottom until it breaks. It breaks where you should cut the remainder, as they’re all typically the same size in the bunch and were probably growing next to each other.
- The gremolata can be made ahead of time. I recommend no longer than 24 hours ahead because the nuts will soften.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
This recipe is amazingly delicious as is! The night I made it was after an over-indulged lunch and our appetites weren’t so big. So I created a salad of Arugula and Treviso dressed with a smidge of Olive Oil and Lemon then topped it with the Asparagus and Gremolata and added a few slices of Prosciutto rolled up. A quick drizzle of Walnut Oil and dinner was delicious! It was a tasty light meal with Asparagus as the star! Thanx, Carol Borchardt for another great recipe!
Hi, Jim, Thanks so very much and your light dinner sounds totally amazing! I love how you worked this into a salad. Thanks again and appreciate you!
Carol! I finally had a chance to stop by and check out your blog! Oh my land! Beautiful pictures lady and your food looks lovely! I really enjoyed meeting you at the Mediavine Conference and hope you are doing well! 🙂
Thanks, Kim! Your site is drool-worthy, too! So nice to have met you and hope to see you again soon!
what a show stopper of a side dish
Thanks, Heather!
I know I am going to LOVE this recipe. In the spring, we roasted asparagus practically every week and I usually top it with a little feta and lemon juice, but this looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Michelle! I know… can’t get enough roasted asparagus in the spring!