Olive Garden Parmesan Roasted Asparagus: A Discontinued Favorite
When I first tried Olive Garden’s Parmesan Roasted Asparagus, I was immediately struck by how such a simple dish could deliver such complex flavors. This elegant side dish was once part of Olive Garden’s lighter fare menu, but despite its popularity, it was eventually discontinued. Combining perfectly grilled asparagus with a creamy Parmesan sauce and sweet balsamic glaze, this dish transforms ordinary asparagus into something truly special. The tanginess of the balsamic beautifully balances the rich cheese sauce while the natural earthy flavors of the asparagus shine through. Now, you can recreate this restaurant favorite at home in just 30 minutes!
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You may wonder how to cook asparagus. You can prepare asparagus in many different ways. You can enjoy asparagus raw, sauteed, roasted in the oven, or grilled.
Why we like this recipe
The success of this Olive Garden copycat recipe lies in its balanced combination of flavors and simple cooking technique. Grilling the asparagus brings out its natural sweetness while adding a subtle smokiness. The optional fresh lemon juice brightens the vegetable’s flavor without overwhelming it. The dual toppings—a creamy Parmesan sauce and sweet-tangy balsamic reduction—create layers of flavor that complement rather than mask the asparagus. By reducing both the cream and balsamic separately, you concentrate their flavors, resulting in a restaurant-quality side dish that pairs beautifully with almost any main course.
Ingredients for Olive Garden Roasted Asparagus
You will need to roast the asparagus, and then make a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce.
- Fresh asparagus – Provides the earthy foundation and nutritious base of the dish
- Vegetable oil – Creates protection during grilling and adds subtle flavor
- Salt – Enhances the natural flavor of the asparagus
- Balsamic vinegar – Creates sweet-tangy glaze that balances the rich cheese sauce
- Parmesan cheese – Adds nutty, savory dimension to both the sauce and garnish
- Heavy cream – Forms the luxurious base for the Parmesan sauce
- Lemon (optional) – Brightens the flavor and cuts through richness
- Tomatoes – Adds fresh acidity and vibrant color contrast
How to grill asparagus
This copycat Olive Garden recipe has asparagus simply grilled with a little dressing of oil and a sprinkling of salt. I added a squeeze of lemon juice just to bring out the flavor of the asparagus.
- Prep the fresh spears. Cut off the bottoms of the spears.
- If the spears are huge, consider using a vegetable peeler on them. By shaving off the outside layer of the asparagus you remove the woody portion of large spears.
- Drizzle oil over the spears and toss them gently to coat them with a thin layer of oil. You need to add oil to protect the spears while cooking.
- Grill spears for a few minutes on each side. Depending on the temperature of your grill, cooking time may vary; a good starting point is two to four minutes on each side. Cook the asparagus until it begins to blacken, then rotate it.
I then reduce a small amount of balsamic vinegar and make a Parmesan cheese sauce to pair with this. Does it get any better? I don’t think so when it comes to asparagus.
Fresh asparagus buying tips
- When buying fresh asparagus, I suggest looking for smaller stalks, as they tend to be less woody. If your market keeps them on ice, even better.
- I always like to turn over my asparagus and make sure it looks very well-hydrated. If the ends appear a little dry, you can snip them off and soak the stalks in a bit of water to help them rehydrate.
- The tips should be full and closed, stay away from spears that are wrinkly, it means they aren’t as fresh and they have begun to lose water and freshness.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. For those of you who are paleo and gluten-free, I have had given you a recipe you can enjoy as well.
Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Olive Garden Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese for garnish
- 1 lemon optional
- 2 teaspoons chopped tomatoes
Instructions
- Prepare balsamic vinegar reduction by adding 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a small pot. Heat on high until the mixture boils, then turn down to simmer for 20 minutes. The reduction should yield 1/2 cup of vinegar. Store in an airtight container.
- Prepare asparagus by cutting off about 1 inch of the bottom end of the asparagus, lay asparagus on a sheet pan drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast on medium heat on a grill for about 10 minutes turning the asparagus over. Cooking time with vary with the thickness of the asparagus. Remove asparagus from grill when done. If desired squeeze 1/2 of a lemon over the asparagus. I do not think the Olive Garden does this, but I think it really helps to bring out the flavor of the asparagus.
- Prepare Parmesan sauce by adding heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese in a small pot or skillet. Simmer on low for about 10 – 12 minutes. The cream should reduce by 20% in volume.
- To serve, place some of the cooked asparaguses on a plate, drizzle balsamic vinegar on top. Garnish with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, and then serve with the sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped tomatoes if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More Asparagus Recipes
- Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Asparagus Recipe
- Asparagus Oven Roasted
- Easy Asparagus Casserole Recipes
- Creamy Asparagus
- Asparagus Lasagna
Popular Olive Garden Copycat Recipes
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- Olive Garden Chicken Parm
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Be sure to take a look at more of my easy side dishes and the best copycat restaurant recipes.
I love roasted asparagus. instead of cheese, I prefer to add a few pieces of ham on top and a few drops of olive oil. but this way of preparing it is also delicious.
Loved this! I added lemon and chopped garlic into the sauce itself.
Serving size? Recipe says serves one.
This looks nummy. Fortunately tomorrow is Market Day :D. Looks like I know what part of tomorrow’s supper will be, lol.
I made this and it was awesome!
I am happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe.
Has anyone tried making this? I wanna know if it taste like the Olive Garden’s Parmesan asparagus & what tweaks people have made to make it just as tasty?
I tried to make this the best that I could to taste just like it did in the restaurant. I hope you give the recipe a try.
The parmesan sauce in the picture appears to have something added other than the cheese and cream? Is the pictured sauce of the one in recipe?
I got a little heavy handed with the pepper to break up the white sauce for the photo.
Sure, I got a little heavy handed with the pepper trying to make the sauce less white. I was unhappy with my photos with all of that white sauce there.
Hi Stephanie, I’m featuring this recipe but I think you might have one too many Roasteds in the recipe title? Just wondering, feel free to delete this after you read it.
Thanks 😉 I’ll take care of this. That’s what I get for writing posts as soon as I roll out of bed in the morning!
Is there a anything I can substitute for the Heavy Cream?
Milk or heavy cream would work well.
How about subbing with non fat evaporated milk?
That could work too, that isn’t something I buy very often so I never think about it.