Easy asparagus casserole is topped with Ritz crackers and bacon and takes just 30 minutes. It's the perfect holiday side dish! Assemble ahead of time and bake when you're ready to serve!
Cut asparagus in bite sized pieces and separate the tips from the stalks.
Add the stalks to salted, boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the tips and cook for a minute or so more - or until the stalks are crisp-tender.
Drain.
Cook the bacon until crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease.
Crumble the bacon and set aside.
Crumble the crackers and set aside.
Grease a 2 quart casserole dish and add half the cooked asparagus.
Top with half the cream of mushroom soup.
Add half the cheese and repeat the layers.
Mix the reserved bacon grease with the cracker crumbs. You may substitute 2 tablespoons of melted butter if you like.
Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
Top with the crumbled bacon.
Bake, uncovered, until heated through and bubbly, 25 - 30 minutes.
Notes
Storage:You can assemble the casserole ahead of time and bake when you're ready to serve it. Leave the cracker crumbs and bacon off until you are ready to bake it, however.Refrigerate asparagus casserole, tightly covered, for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months but the topping tends to get mushy so scrape that off first.Tips on choosing, storing, and cooking asparagus
Separate the tips of the asparagus and the stems after you cut the stalks up. Add the stalks to boiling water first and let them cook about 2 minutes before adding the tips. That way the stalks will be cooked through but the tips won't be mushy.
Cover the ends with a wet paper towel and store in the fridge until ready to use. Use within a day or two.
Don't overcook the asparagus. It will cook a bit more in the oven and you don't want it to be slimy.
Choose plump, firm stalks of asparagus with tightly closed tips.
Thicker asparagus stalks are better than the very thin ones.
Don't wash or trim asparagus shoots until you are ready to use them in your recipe.