Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed
- 8–10 thin deli ham slices (optional but traditional)
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk (warm)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- ½ tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning
- Optional: pinch of nutmeg (old-school touch)
🔥 Instructions
1️⃣ Prep asparagus
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
- Blanch asparagus in boiling salted water 2–3 minutes
- Drain and immediately cool in cold water
- Pat dry
2️⃣ Make creamy cheese sauce
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat
- Whisk in flour, cook 1 minute
- Slowly whisk in warm milk
- Cook until thickened (3–4 minutes)
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper
- Stir in ½ cup mozzarella + Parmesan
- Remove from heat
3️⃣ Assemble roll-ups
- Wrap 3–4 asparagus spears in each slice of ham
- Place seam-side down in a greased baking dish
- Pour cheese sauce evenly over the top
- Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over everything
- Add thyme/Italian seasoning
4️⃣ Bake
- Cover loosely with foil
- Bake 20 minutes
- Uncover and bake another 10–15 minutes
- Top should be bubbly and lightly golden
5️⃣ Rest & serve
- Let sit 5 minutes
- Serve warm (or sneak pieces straight from the pan 😉)