Take your roasted asparagus to the next level! This Oven Roasted Asparagus with Mascarpone is what dreams are made of. Perfectly roasted asparagus spears are layered over creamy mascarpone with hints of lemon and topped with roasted pistachios.
This side dish screams gourmet, but it’s easy to make. What I love about this simple asparagus side dish is that it goes with almost any meal. I’ve served it with a comforting roast beef dinner and with lighter meals like baked cod.
The best thing is you can serve it hot for a hearty side in winter or cold for a refreshing side in the summer. Either way, it tastes amazing.
I love taking bite-sized pieces of roasted asparagus and dipping them into the sweet lemony mascarpone cream. The pistachios give it an unexpected crunch and a lovely nutty flavor!
WHAT YOU’LL LOVE ABOUT OVEN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH MASCARPONE
- This is a stunning recipe that showcases the best fresh asparagus.
- The mascarpone gives it incredible richness and flavor.
- Serve it hot or cold, and pair it with so many dishes!
INGREDIENTS
- Fresh asparagus – Washed well; use similar-sized spears.
- Olive oil – Use good-quality olive oil.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
- Mascarpone
- Heavy cream
- Honey
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice.
- Lemon zest
- Roasted shelled pistachios – Roasting directions are below.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OVEN-ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH MASCARPONE
For a full list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe near the bottom of this page.
- Zest the lemon and squeeze 2 teaspoons of the juice. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Roast the pistachios. Place the raw, shelled pistachios onto a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 4-6 minutes or until crunchy. Remove the nuts from the baking sheet to immediately to stop the cooking process. Set them aside.
- Snap the ends off of the asparagus, then wash the spears and shake them dry. Add the asparagus to a baking sheet with raised sides.
- Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- Roast for 10-12 mins until tender-crisp; remove them from the oven and set them aside.
- Make the mascarpone cream. Mix the mascarpone with heavy cream and lemon juice until smooth.
- Spread the cream on the bottom of the serving platter, top with asparagus, and sprinkle with the lemon zest and chopped toasted pistachios.
- Serve chilled or hot.
WHAT IS MASCARPONE?
Mascarpone is the star of this easy side dish. Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese. It is rich, and exceptionally smooth, with a milky and slightly sweet flavor. It has a high percentage of butterfat making it extremely delicious. Think of it as an upgraded version of cream cheese.
HOW TO WASH ASPARAGUS
Washing asparagus is easy, and you need to do this even if you bought it packaged. Start by removing the stem ends. The ends of asparagus are woody and cannot be eaten. Take the asparagus and gently snap off the woody part. Next, place the asparagus in a colander and rinse with running tap water. I like to hold the brushy tips directly in the water stream to dislodge any sand. Shake them dry and cook as directed.
CHEF JENN’S TIPS
- Use asparagus that has a similar width and length for even cooking. This will prevent some of the spears from getting overcooked.
- Cooking times may vary based on the diameter of the asparagus.
- Fresh lemon juice works best in this recipe.
- The mascarpone cream can be made ahead of time.
- Serve this asparagus side dish hot or cold, depending on the season.
MAKE IT A MEAL
This side dish is versatile and can go with just about anything from something hearty like a big steak to something light like a filet of fish. Try pairing it with these comforting meals like Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Whole Pork Tenderloin, Herb Crusted Turkey Roll Roast, or Smoked Ribeye Roast. This side dish would go great with seafood like Mediterranean Cod, or Parmesan Crusted Chicken.
STORAGE
Leftover Roasted Asparagus with Mascarpone can be stored in an airtight container for about 3-4 days. This dish can be eaten cold or reheated in the microwave for a few minutes.
Step By Step Process
Oven Roasted Asparagus with Mascarpone
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus trimmed and cleaned
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pinch salt and pepper or to taste
- 1/2 cup mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon honey or to taste
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup pistachios roasted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Zest the lemon and squeeze 2 teaspoons of the juice. Set them aside.
- Roast the pistachios. Place the raw, shelled pistachios onto a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 4-6 minutes or until crunchy. Remove the nuts from the baking sheet to immediately to stop the cooking process. Set them aside.
- Snap the ends off of the asparagus; wash and shake dry. Add the asparagus to a baking sheet.
- Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- Roast in a 400-F oven for 10-12 mins until tender-crisp. Remove them from the oven, and set aside.
- Make the mascarpone cream. Mix the mascarpone with heavy cream, lemon juice and honey until smooth.
- Spread the mascarpone cream on the bottom of a serving platter, top with the asparagus, and sprinkle with zest and chopped toasted pistachios.
- Serve chilled or hot and enjoy!
Notes
CHEF JENN’S TIPS
-
- Use asparagus that has a similar width and length for even cooking. This will help ensure even cooking.
- Cooking times may vary based on the diameter of the asparagus.
- Fresh lemon juice works best in this recipe.
- The mascarpone cream can be made ahead of time.
- Serve this side dish hot or cold.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
