This recipe for sheet pan caprese asparagus brings roasted asparagus to the next level by topping it with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese, bursting cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and a sweet balsamic glaze.
Ready in just 30 minutes, this twist on caprese salad makes for a delicious side dish.
Forever my go-to asparagus dish (along with this 10-Minute Cast Iron Asparagus), this simple yet delectable veggie recipe frequently pops up on my family’s menu.
Plus, as a time-strapped mom who enjoys gourmet cuisine, I love an easy, efficient, and elevated side dish that really brings my whole plate to the next level!
Caprese Roasted Asparagus Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Asparagus. This recipe was created with green asparagus in mind, but you can also use white asparagus or purple asparagus. Just keep in mind the cooking time may vary if you’re not using green.
- Cherry tomatoes. Or grape. Of any color.
- Olive Oil.
- Salt and pepper.
- Mozzarella. Fresh is preferred, but you can also use pre-shredded mozzarella.
- Parmesan cheese. You can use grated or freshly grate it from a block (as pictured).
- Balsamic Glaze. Make sure you are using balsamic glaze, not balsamic vinegar or vinaigrette. You can easily make your own balsamic glaze out of balsamic vinegar—more details on that below.
- Fresh basil.
Balsamic Vinegar vs Balsamic Glaze
Balsamic glaze is just balsamic vinegar that is reduced down, minimizing the water content until it’s nice and thick like a syrup.
You can easily make your own balsamic glaze by reducing your balsamic vinaigrette on the stove. Just bring about 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a gentle boil in a pot over medium heat, and allow it to reduce, occasionally stirring until it thickens (about 15-20 minutes).
I highly recommend using glaze in this recipe rather than balsamic vinegar. It’s worth taking the extra step to reduce it if you don’t have any.
One cup of balsamic vinegar will usually yield about ¼ cup of balsamic glaze, giving you plenty to work with for this recipe.
Caprese Asparagus Tips and Tricks
How to Store Fresh Asparagus
Once you find your beautiful asparagus and take it home, it will stay fresh for about a week if you store it properly!
Place the asparagus in a jar, tips up, and fill it with about 2 inches of water, so that the ends are submerged.
You can then place a bag on top and store the whole jar in your refrigerator to keep it fresh. Consider these Reusable Storage Bags to reduce your plastic waste!
I honestly usually just place it in the refrigerator without the bag and clean them before cooking them.
How to Prep Asparagus for Roasting
Asparagus notoriously have rough or “woody” ends. It’s best to take the ends off before roasting.
The easiest way to remove your woody ends is to hold the asparagus in two hands and snap it. This way, it will naturally break where the ends start to get tough. You can discard those woody ends or save them to make your own vegetable broth!
At this stage, I also like to rinse and slice my cherry (or grape!) tomatoes in half and chop my basil while I have my cutting board and knife out, too, so it’s prepped for later.
You can also shred your cheese now (if need be). Doing all of your ingredient prep at the top make for a better flow in your cooking, making it a smooth process that can save you time overall.
Assemble Your Baking Sheet
I love that this dish only requires one sheet pan! Use a large, 26 x 18-inch sheet pan for this roasted caprese asparagus.
Line your asparagus up on one side, avoiding any stalks overlapping. On the other side of the pan, place your tomatoes, sliced side up as pictured below.
Season the Tomatoes and Asparagus
At this point you can add salt and pepper to your asparagus and tomato, just to amp up their natural flavors and give them a little oomph.
Just 1/4 teaspoon of each should do, especially as we will be adding more salinity and flavor with the cheese, fresh herbs, and balsamic glaze later on.
How to Get an Even Roast on Your Vegetables
Don’t be scared to get your hands in there!
In order to perfectly roast your asparagus and tomatoes, it’s important to make sure each piece has an even coat of olive oil. Once you’ve spread your veg on a baking sheet and seasoned it, add olive oil on top.
Then, use clean hands to toss the asparagus, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and olive oil, making sure each piece of asparagus and sliced tomato is completely coated.
Roast Your Asparagus and Tomatoes
Before adding our cheese, we want to jumpstart roasting our asparagus and tomatoes. This step is important.
I tested this recipe without this step, and the asparagus was a little bit soggy from all the moisture in the mozzarella. Roasting the asparagus and tomatoes first before adding the cheese is the only way to get a really great texture on the vegetables.
At 425°F, you should be able to kickstart your veggies with just 6-10 minutes of pre-roasting time.
Pro tip: Roasting time varies greatly depending on the thickness of your asparagus. Though mine usually comes out perfect with a total time of 20 minutes, one community member on Pinterest said that theirs took half that time, so use your best judgement. The first time you take the asparagus out of the oven, they should be slightly tender, but still very green.
Make it Caprese with Mozzarella
After 15 minutes in the oven, remove your sheet pan and add mozzarella and Parmesan.
You can use either fresh or shredded mozzarella with delicious results, but my favorite is fresh high-moisture mozzarella. Just crumble it in your hands and coat the asparagus with it as evenly as possible.
Then, sprinkle the Parmesan on top of the Mozzarella.
Roast Until the Cheese is Melted
Now that you’ve added your cheese, roast your asparagus and tomatoes for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese just starts to bubble and brown.
If after 15 minutes the cheese is not browning, turn your oven up to broil (500°F), and watch it closely. Remove it from the oven as soon as you see it browning.
How to Assemble Your Asparagus Caprese
Serve your cheesy asparagus with the roasted tomatoes on top. Add the fresh basil and finish with the balsamic glaze.
This is a great appetizer or side dish that compliments a variety of mains, especially Italian-inspired cuisine! Here are some of my favorite recipes to make alongside this Caprese Asparagus:
How to Properly Store and Reheat Leftover Roasted Caprese Asparagus
This asparagus can be enjoyed up to 3-5 days after prep if sealed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator.
To reheat, put it back on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 400°F for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melty and the asparagus and tomatoes are heated through.
Why You Will Love this Caprese Roasted Asparagus
- It’s quick. This fresh side dish comes together in just 30 minutes.
- It’s easy. All you need is one sheet pan! Easy to make, easy to clean.
- It’s cheesy! Need I say more?
30-Minute Sheet Pan Caprese Asparagus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces Mozzarella cheese (4 oz = ~1 cup shredded)
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese (2 oz = ~ 3 tablespoons grated)
- 2 sprigs fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze (*see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Rinse your asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Use two hands to snap the asparagus, so the rough ends break off (you can save the ends to make homemade vegetable broth!), slice your tomatoes in half, chop the basil, and shred the cheese (if need be).1 pound fresh asparagus, 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- On one side of a large 26 x 18 inch baking sheet, spread the asparagus out in a single layer, avoiding any stalks overlapping one another. On the other side of the baking sheet, place the tomatoes, sliced side up, again in a single layer.
- Add salt, pepper, and olive oil to your asparagus and tomatoes, then use clean hands to toss, ensuring they are evenly coated with oil and seasoning.2 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Roast your asparagus and tomatoes on the top rack for 6-10 minutes (**see notes).
- Remove your baking sheet from the oven and add the mozzarella cheese in an even layer on top of the asparagus only (leave the tomatoes as they are). Then, add a layer of Parmesan cheese on top of the mozzarella.4 ounces Mozzarella cheese, 2 ounces Parmesan cheese
- Place your baking sheet back in the oven for another 6-10 minutes, until the cheese starts to bubble and brown on the outer edges.
- Assemble your Caprese Asprasgus on a serving plate with cheesy asparagus on the bottom, and roasted tomatoes, basil, and balsamic glaze on top. Enjoy hot or at room temperature.2 sprigs fresh basil, 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
Pro Tips
- *You can easily make your own balsamic glaze by reducing balsamic vinegar. Details and instructions can be found in the post body.
- **Roasting time varies greatly depending on the thickness of your asparagus. Though mine usually comes out perfect with a total time of 20 minutes, one community member on Pinterest said that theirs took half that time, so use your best discretion. The first time you take the asparagus out of the oven, they should be slightly tender, but still very green.
2 thoughts on “30-Minute Sheet Pan Caprese Asparagus”
This recipe was delicious. I used a pomegranate infused balsamic glaze that was wonderful. My only advice would be to roast the tomatoes and asparagus on separate sheets and combine just before serving. The tomatoes I used released a lot of liquid, and it made the final dish a little soggier than I would have liked. Looks beautiful on the plate.
Hi Carol! So glad you enjoyed! That’s such great advice about using two separate baking sheets. Just as a note to others trying this recipe, if you do use two pans, try to fit them both on the top rack of the oven if you can! Thank you, Carol, for taking the time to leave your feedback. Have a great evening!