Many crispy baked asparagus recipes are roasted with parmesan and butter. But this dairy-free version is made with seasoned, cheese-free breadcrumbs for an equally delicious experience. These spears make a nice side dish to a feast, or can be serves as “fries” with a burger or steak. They can also be enjoyed as an appetizer with a favorite dairy-free dip. We’ve included some options in this post.
Dairy-Free Crispy Baked Asparagus with Allergy-Friendly Options
This recipe for dairy-free crispy baked asparagus was an entry in the Fast & Fresh Dairy-Free Time Trials Recipe Contest, that we cohosted width So Delicious many years ago. It was created and submitted by Marisa Raponi. We’ve updated her recipe with more information and options, and have also added the FAQs below.
What Type of Seasoned Breadcrumbs Should I Use?
Both Italian and Classic Plain style bread crumbs or panko will go well with the flavors in this crispy baked asparagus. Just make sure the breadcrumbs you select are made without dairy. Some brands do contain milk in the seasoning or in the bread itself. Also, I would use one that contains salt. Panko is a Japanese style of breadcrumbs that is more often vegan-friendly, and is usually salted. Brands like Katz offer gluten-free and allergy-friendly options. If you can’t find a good option at your store, try this quick version.
Italian Dairy-Free Bread Crumbs: Toast some dairy-free bread (and gluten-free if you need it) and grind in a spice grinder, food processor, or blender to make 1 cup breadcrumbs. Whisk in 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning.
Can I Omit the Nutritional Yeast?
If you want to skip the cheesy flavor, you can omit the nutritional yeast. If you think you aren’t a fan of nutritional yeast, but want some cheesy flavor, just reduce the amount. A lot of people think they hate nutritional yeast because many recipes use excessive quantities of it. You can reduce the nutritional yeast in this crispy baked asparagus to 2 teaspoons, instead of 2 tablespoons, for a subtle hint of cheesiness that doesn’t overpower the asparagus.
What are the Woody Ends of Asparagus?
The bottoms of the fresh asparagus stalks are very “woody” and don’t become soft and tender once cooked. If you grab a fresh asparagus stalk at both ends and bend it, it should snap where the stalk becomes too woody and stiff. Discard those very firm ends. The woody end can be just an inch or two, but sometimes it’s half of the stalk.
What Types of Dip go with this Crispy Baked Asaparagus?
These spears pair well with a range of sauces and dressings. But we really like them with Romesco Sauce, Caramelized Onion Dip, Dairy-Free Ranch Dip, Margherita Pizza Dip, or Roasted Red Pepper Dip.
Special Diet Notes: Crispy Baked Asaparagus
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, optionally egg-free, optionally gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose the yogurt or mayo option and breadcrumbs that suit your dietary needs.
- ¼ cup plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt (see Yogurt Alternatives below)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup dairy-free seasoned breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs (can use gluten-free, if needed)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 large bunch asparagus, woody ends removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (can sub oil spray)
- Preheat your oven to 375ºF and grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, parsley, and salt until combined.
- In a separate shallow bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast.
- Dip an asparagus spear in the yogurt mixture to coat, then roll it in the breadcrumb mixture. Place it on your prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining asparagus spears placing them in a single layer on your prepared sheet pan.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the spears (or spray them with oil spray).
- Bake the asparagus for 14 to 16 minutes, turning the spears halfway through the cooking time.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.