Asparagus and tomatoes drizzled with balsamic sauce for a delicious side dish. This recipe is full of wonderful flavors and pairs well with almost any meal.
Basil Parmesan Asparagus Tomatoes
This recipe is light and refreshing. The asparagus is crisp, the tomatoes are soft, and the basil adds the perfect freshness. A simple balsamic reduction is light, tangy and slightly sweet. And parmesan cheese adds a bit of saltiness.
First, the asparagus and tomatoes are seasoned and then baked in the oven. Asparagus is then sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Then a simple balsamic reduction is made in a frying pan and drizzled over top.
This is a delicious side dish for summer recipes, or during the holidays. It will pair easily with almost all chicken, beef, or fish recipes.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus - trimmed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil - divided
- ¾ tsp salt - divided
- ½ tsp ground black pepper - divided
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes - halved
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ½ cup shredded parmesan
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup basil leaves - sliced into thin strips
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
How To Make Balsamic Asparagus and Tomatoes
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP 1: Make The Balsamic Reduction. Add 1 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 Tbsp brown sugar to a large sauce pan over medium heat. Once it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to let it gently simmer, slowly stirring with a spatula.
Cook until it reduces by about half and starts to thicken. Let it cool for a few minutes. It should be a syrup consistency that will coat the back of a spoon. If not you can reheat and simmer a bit longer. Remove from heat and set aside.
TIP: The large frying pan allows the balsamic reduction to cook faster.
STEP 2: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
STEP 3: Prep the vegetable ingredients. Wash the tomatoes and asparagus and pat dry with a towel. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Snap the thick ends off of each of the asparagus. Roll the basil leaves together into a long tube, then slice thin strips from it.
STEP 4: Add 1 lb asparagus to a large bowl along with 1 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper. Toss together.
STEP 5: In a separate bowl, add 1 pint sliced cherry tomatoes and mix with 3 minced garlic cloves, ½ tsp olive oil, ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp ground black pepper. Toss together.
STEP 6: Arrange the asparagus on half of the baking sheet. Add the tomatoes to the other half.
STEP 7: Bake for 10-12 minutes. Halfway through (after 5 minutes) remove the baking sheet and sprinkle the ½ cup parmesan cheese over top of the asparagus. Add back to oven and bake for last 5 minutes. The asparagus should be crisp tender when poked with a fork and the cheese with be melted. If not, bake an additional 1-2 mins.
Why is my garlic green after baking it? As you can see in the photo above, the minced garlic turned green once it was baked. This is from the naturally occurring sulfur that interacts with enzymes to create a green-blue color. It's totally normal if it happens to you while making this recipe.
STEP 8: Arrange the asparagus onto a serving plate in a diagonal row (see picture above). Top with the cherry tomatoes, then the fresh basil. Lastly, drizzle the balsamic reduction over top of everything. Now it's ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Check that the asparagus is done poking with a fork. Cook a few minutes longer if needed.
- The garlic tastes strong because it doesn’t cook long. If you don’t like that flavor, add it to the balsamic reduction in the last minute or two, or skip it all together.
- This is best served in a bowl so that the balsamic sauce doesn't spill. Serve it with a spatula to scoop veggies and a spoon to drizzle sauce.
How To Store Leftovers
This recipe tastes best when served fresh shortly after you make it. Leftovers will get a little mushy as they absorb moisture, but are still good!
- Refrigerate - You can store this recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat - This can be reheated in the microwave for a couple of minutes until heated through.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus - trimmed
- 2 Tbsp olive oil - divided
- ¾ tsp salt - divided
- ½ tsp ground black pepper - divided
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes - halved
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ½ cup shredded parmesan
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup basil leaves - sliced into thin strips
Balsamic reduction:
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
Make The Balsamic Reduction
- Add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a large sauce pan over medium heat. Once it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to let it gently simmer, slowly stirring with a spatula.
- Cook until it reduces by about half and starts to thicken. Let it cool for a few minutes. It should be a syrup consistency that will coat the back of a spoon. If not you can reheat and simmer a bit longer. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bake The Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prep the vegetable ingredients. Wash the tomatoes and asparagus and pat dry with a towel. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Snap the thick ends off of each of the asparagus. Roll the basil leaves together into a long tube, then slice thin strips from it.
- Add 1 lb asparagus to a large bowl along with 1 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper. Toss together.
- In a separate bowl, add 1 pint sliced cherry tomatoes and mix with 3 minced garlic cloves, ½ tsp olive oil, ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp ground black pepper. Toss together.
Assemble
- Arrange the asparagus on half of the baking sheet. Add the tomatoes to the other half.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Halfway through (after 5 minutes) remove the baking sheet and sprinkle the ½ cup parmesan cheese over top of the asparagus. Add back to oven and bake for last 5 minutes. The asparagus should be crisp tender when poked with a fork and the cheese with be melted. If not, bake an additional 1-2 mins.
- Arrange the asparagus onto a serving plate in a diagonal row (see picture above). Top with the cherry tomatoes, then the fresh basil. Lastly, drizzle the balsamic reduction over top of everything. Now it’s ready to serve
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
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