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This Sesame Roasted Asparagus with Whipped Feta is the perfect spring (or summer) side dish that can easily double as an appetizer too. Olive oil roasted asparagus, tossed with sesame seeds, garlic, and lemon zest, served over creamy, salty whipped feta cheese. Topped off with crispy, torn ciabatta breadcrumbs for a mouth-watering asparagus recipe. Everyone is sure to love this fun and delicious way to enjoy asparagus. Perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, and any other day from now until fall!
I’ll be the first to admit that there is a very minimal selection of side-dish recipes currently live on HBH. When I think about food, I simply think in terms of an entire meal. Which is how I think when it comes to sharing recipes with you all. I like to give you everything you need for a complete meal, an all in ONE recipe. Typically I’ll sway towards sharing all-in-one recipes like this sheet pan Greek chicken and potatoes or maybe these falafel naan wraps with golden rice and special sauce.
It’s all there…the vegetables, the carbs, the protein, even the sauce. I give it all to you and that’s normally how I like to do things.
But then there are the side dish recipes. I tend to think about these more often around a holiday, but when I do, I get very excited over them. Side dishes like these spring roasted potatoes. And now this sesame roasted asparagus served over a bed of creamy, salty whipped feta. Yes, it is just as delicious as it sounds.
I’ve always been someone who loves asparagus. My grandma used to make it pretty much anytime she’d serve salmon or steak. I think it was just an easy vegetable side that most people love, so she made it often. She’d roast it simply, with butter, salt, and pepper, and then finish it off with a squeeze of lemon. I loved it, even as a kid.
Clearly this roasted asparagus is nothing like my grandmas, but I always think of her anytime I make asparagus. And so, she is the inspiration behind this recipe. She loved asparagus, feta cheese, and bread…especially the bread! So I combined 3 of her favorites into one.
Feeling like she’d find this dish extra delicious.
The details.
As you can imagine this is pretty easy, yet full of flavor. Roast the asparagus with a good amount of olive oil, sesame seeds, garlic, and lemon. The asparagus slow roasts in the oil and becomes lightly charred, while the sesame seeds toast.
Here’s my trick, once the asparagus has roasted, remove it from the oil, then make a vinaigrette/sauce situation with the leftover oil by adding in a splash of apple cider vinegar and honey. Trust me, it’s SO GOOD. The roasted garlic and lemon add so much flavor to the olive oil. Then, with the addition of vinegar and honey, wow…the perfect sauce to spoon over the asparagus and whipped feta just before serving.
While the asparagus roasts, whip the feta. I kept this simple and only flavored the feta with black pepper. Feta is amazing on its own, so it really doesn’t need anything to make it better, you know? Plus that sauce really adds all the flavor here.
Once the asparagus is done, plate everything up and serve topped with toasted ciabatta breadcrumbs.
Kind of fancy, right? And soo pretty, but yet still simple. Bonus points that you can make the feta ahead time and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Personally, I love spooning the hot asparagus over the feta. But this dish is also good warm, or even at room temperature.
The perfect side-dish for an Easter lunch or dinner, and would be equally great as an appetizer for Mother’s Day. Or if you’re like me, it could even be dinner…
Just spread the whipped feta onto a few slices of toasted bread, add the asparagus, maybe a handful of arugula, then drizzle the sauce over, and call it a night. Just a thought.
If you make this sesame roasted asparagus, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sesame Roasted Asparagus with Whipped Feta.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 576 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup roughly torn ciabatta or sourdough bread
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large bunch thin asparagus, ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
Whipped Feta
- 8 ounces feta cheese
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 2. On a baking sheet, toss the bread with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Arrange in a single layer. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes or until crisp.3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, toss together the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, asparagus, sesame seeds, lemon zest, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the asparagus is lightly charred. Remove from the oven and remove the asparagus from the baking dish.4. Let the oil cool slightly in the dish, then add the vinegar and honey. Reserve this oil mix for serving over top. 5. Meanwhile, make the feta. In a food processor, combine the feta, greek yogurt, and olive oil. Pulse until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides if needed, about 3 minutes. Add a pinch of pepper. Pulse to combine. The feta can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. 6. To serve, spread the feta out onto a large serving plate or shallow bowl. Spoon the asparagus over top and then drizzle on the reserved oil mix. Top with bread crumbs. Serve warm or at room temp.
Absolutely all time favorite! Everyone wants to empty the plate for the last of whipped feta and asks for the recipe!
Hey Mette,
Happy Friday!!🍉🥭 I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it and sharing your comment! xT
I made this for dinner last night for a small cookout gathering with friends and there was nothing left. What a delicious way to serve up asparagus! I followed the recipe and wouldn’t change a thing. This was a big hit and will definitely be one of my favorite go to recipes.
Love to hear this Britt!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback! Have a wonderful weekend!🌈🌤️ xT
I made this recipe for my family last night (with your One Skillet Lemon Chicken butter with Orzo – yummm!) and it was delicious! I substituted ricotta cheese for the feta cheese, same seasoning, and we loved it!
Hi Karen,
Happy Friday!!☀️🐰 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, love to hear that it was delish! xT
We made this last week- it was really good!
Positives: The trick with the leftover oil at the end to make a sauce was AWESOME. It really added to the dish. The whipped feta was easy and tasty. And, hey, it’s asparagus so already a win there. Overall an easy side to make.
Challenges: The asparagus was too well done for our tastes. Next time will cook for a bit less time. I ended up adding extra Greek yogurt to the whipped feta because it was really salty. I think next time I’ll use about 2/3 of the feta it calls for. The croutons were delicious but not really possible to actually eat with the dish. We did find that they made a great appetizer along with the extra whipped feta, though!
Overall a great side dish that we’ll definitely make again!
Hey Kristen,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Thanks for sharing your notes. Have the best weekend:) xT
Fabulous. Will make this again. The leftover whipped feta was great on just about everything else we had for dinner that night.
Hey Yvonne,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
Wow I can’t wait to try this! All of your recipes have been such a major hit so far. I see you can make the feta in advance. Do you think you could also make the asparagus in advance too? Any tips? Thanks so much!!
Hey Lauren,
Sure that would work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Good unique asparagus recipes are hard to come by, thank you for this one. I loved the breadcrumbs with it, great idea. I made it with a good steak. A couple of my thicker asparagus stalks didn’t cook enough but that was my fault I should have either cut them shorter or taken them out. This is the fourth recipe I’ve made of yours and I keep coming back for more! Well done.
Thank you so much Stephanie! I am really glad this recipe turned out really well for you! xTieghan
This was a fun dish to make! it went perfectly with the Mahi-Mahi I made. I wish the feta had been more fluffier and had more acid, but that was the only thing missing for me.
I am really glad this turned out so well for you! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with! xTieghan
Sounds so good, can I ask where your platter is from?
Hi Anna! The platter is from a ceramic artist in Australia, Earth and Baker. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This was delicious. I used a little less olive oil and had more than half of the cheese left. I served it with lemon garlic shrimp.
Thanks
I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
thank you!
Thank you! xTieghan
This was delicious! The toasted bread was a welcome addition, and I loved the slight sweetness with the feta. I will be making this for every holiday from now on! Thank you for all your beautiful recipes!
Thank you Lindsey! xTieghan
Made this into an appetizer by spreading the whipped feta onto toasted baguettes and topping with a halved asparagus spear and a drizzle of the leftover oil mix. Wow!! Delicious! My family loved it! Thanks for the recipe. I just recently discovered you and can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Sounds amazing! Thank you Kelsey! xTieghan
This was delicious! I made the asparagus on the stovetop because my oven was occupied with a few other things and it still turned out great!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Lexi! xTieghan