sesame caesar asparagus with herb toasted sourdough croutons
If you’ve an outdoor cookout or hang session planned for the weekend, why not show up late with a showstopping appetizer to make up for your horrible timing skills?
Before this guy came to be, I experimented with a whipped feta broccolini that went utterly wrong. I don’t know why, but I have 0 luck whipping feta into gorgeous swirls of thick, pillowy garnish. It usually ends up runnier than my nose during allergy season. I can’t even say the recipe tasted very good anyway, so overall the science exploded in my face. Oh well. Shit happens.
So, I pivoted over to my favorite flavor profile: Caesar. I wanted to make a good appetizer/side available to you guys as summer gatherings start to saunter onto schedules, and this plate of bright veggies is your ticket to wowing a crowd. It’s very simple, but brimming with toasty, roasty flavor, creamy Caesar, and a zip of lemony goodness. And of course, no Caesar fixture is really complete without some crispy bread chunks massaged in olive oil and herbs.
Bread-Crumb. Bread-crumb.
You were correct in enunciating that header like Jack Nicholson.
One sheet tray does the trick for this whole dish. Well, you also need a plate of some kind and probably a food processor, but as far as the roasting goes, no need to break out all the stops.
First, the breadcrumbs. I use a combination of dried oregano, basil, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to infuse the crannies with Italian pizzazz. Day old bread is preferred for an extra crunch. Toast these up in some olive oil until golden brown.
Asparagus with Gusto
Wipe off the sheet pan a bit if there’s a lot of browned bread bits hanging out, and give it a light greasing with oil. Trim off the asparagus butts and set them on the pan. Dress them in sesame oil and seeds, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
Roast the stems for a bit, then add on a helping of parmesan and finish them up in the oven for a few more minutes. I like to keep a crunch in roasted asparagus, so watch them closely after adding the parmesan. You might only need an extra couple minutes rather than the full listed 5.
As always, a food processor simplifies the creation of a creamy dressing, but if you’re adept, chop everything finely and mix by hand. Tahini, basil, and fresh parmesan really set this Caesar dressing on a higher rung than typical formulas, and no eggs are required in the process if that makes you a bit queasy. Kinda does me, honestly.
I like to drizzle a bit of the dressing atop the asparagus and croutons straight before serving, and leaving the rest in a jar or bowl for others to help themselves. A crisp green side salad with tomatoes, red onions, and maybe even artichokes and olives is a nice way to use more of the dressing.
A good filet of salmon, perhaps Greek seasoned, pesto, or even blackened, would be a great way to make this dish a bit heartier. It really goes with anything, but a Mediterranean or Italian flavor profile is best to me. Maybe because I just love those types of foods in the first place.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Need some more appetizer ideas?
Oven Fried Italian Cauliflower Parmesan Nuggets
Baked Southwest Avocado Egg Rolls with Spicy Cilantro Ranch
Everything Caesar Baked Crackers
sesame caesar asparagus with herb toasted sourdough croutons
Ingredients
- 1 loaf day-old sourdough, roughly torn
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
tahini caesar dressing
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 3/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup fresh basil
- 1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- Toss the chunks of sourdough in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, dired oregano, basil, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Toast for 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through, until golden. Move to a plate.
- Spread the asparagus on the same baking sheet. Drizzle with sesame oil, then toss with sesame seeds, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the parmesan evenly over the spears, and roast an additional 5-8 minutes until the cheese melts and the asparagus is tender.
- In a food processor, combine all ingredients for the dressing. Whip until smooth. Top the asparagus with the croutons and drizzle a couple tablespoons overtop. Nestle avocado around the asparagus. Serve the rest of the dressing on the side.
