In this Asparagus Canapés recipe, fresh asparagus spears are hugged by pressed white bread that's been buttered and smothered with a Swiss cheese schmear. Each bite of this elegant, oven baked appetizer is buttery crisp on the outside, with oozing melted cheese in the center, making it a crowd favorite.
Pronounced "cah-nah-pay", these delicious asparagus canapés always fly off the serving tray.
That's because each savory bite is filled with a winning combination of Swiss cheese, cream cheese, and asparagus, along with a buttery crisp, crunchy exterior.
These flavorful, crowd pleasing canapés are always gone in two bites or less, and are perfect for spring gatherings. Serve them with Swedish Meatballs, Zesty Cheese Ball, and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus for a wonderful, mouthwatering spread!
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👪Why you'll love it
| Make ahead recipe- You can store assembled asparagus canapés in the fridge before baking, or freeze them and then bake them from frozen just before serving! Crowd pleaser- Asparagus canapés are a unique appetizer and are absolutely delicious. They always get raves and are usually the first to disappear from the serving tray. Customizable- Feel free to add your favorite herbs to the cream cheese schmear. Some favs include fresh dill and chives. You can also experiment with different kinds of cheese, such as Gruyère. |
🥘Ingredients
- fresh asparagus- medium thickness works best
- Pepperidge Farm White Sandwich Bread- this is the BEST bread for this recipe because of its size and density
- Swiss cheese- freshly grate this for optimal gooeyness and taste
- reduced fat cream cheese- Philadelphia Brand recommended
- reduced fat mayonnaise- Hellmann's or Duke's recommended; gives a little tang and smoothness to the spread
- egg- used to hold the smear together
- butter- the canapés get dipped in this before baking
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪Instructions
- Step 1: In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, Swiss cheese, mayonnaise and egg.
- Step 2: Place a slice of flattened bread on your workspace. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture on top, followed by a blanched asparagus stalk.
- Step 3: Roll the bread slice tightly like a taquito; slice into thirds.
- Step 4: Dip each piece in melted butter before arranging on pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden crisp.
Hint: You can use some of the discarded asparagus (the parts that aren't woodsy) for a vegetable soup, like Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup, or Asparagus Tomato Salad.
🥣Substitutions
Cheese: Freshly grated Gruyère, Fontina, Jarlsberg or Gouda can be used instead of Swiss.
Cream Cheese: Use a savory flavored cream cheese, such as vegetable, chives and onion, or garlic herb instead of plain cream cheese.
Asparagus: Fresh always tastes better, but it you're short on time, buy canned asparagus spears. I recommend 2 cans of Le Sueur.
📖Variations
Herbs: Minced dill and chives can be added to the cream cheese schmear. This is a popular choice with readers.
Everything seasoning: Add this to the cream cheese schmear, which will give it a slight garlic taste.
Salty, crispy topping: Add freshly grated parmesan to the tops of the canapés before baking for added crispness and flavor.
Bleu cheese and bacon: Add ½ cup crumbled bleu cheese to the schmear instead of Swiss; sprinkle a few crumbles of bacon on top before rolling up the bread.
🍽Equipment
- large pot with lid
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- colander
- medium mixing bowl
- small serrated knife
- rolling pin
- cheese grater
- small mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoon
- microwave safe bowl
- large, rimmed baking pan/cookie sheet
🍶Storage
Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate and enjoy within 5 days. Asparagus Canapés taste best when warm. Reheat leftovers in a 325 degree oven for 10 minutes or until heated through.
💭Top tip
The longer asparagus cooks, the less stunning it looks. By only cooking it for a few minutes (blanching), it doesn't lose much green. Shocking it next with the cold ice water bath stops the asparagus from cooking further to help preserve its vibrancy.
😀Fun Fact: The word canapé in French means "sofa". It is believed the edible canapé shares the same name because people sit on top of a sofa, just as toppings sit on top of the bread or pastry base!
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite appetizers to serve with Asparagus Canapés:
📋Recipe
Asparagus Canapés
Equipment
- large pot with lid
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- colander
- medium mixing bowl
- small serrated knife
- Rolling Pin
- cheese grater
- small mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoon
- microwave safe bowl
- large, rimmed baking pan/cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 36 stalks (approx. 1.5 lbs.) fresh asparagus medium thickness, trimmed
- 2 (16 oz.) loaves Pepperidge Farm White Sandwich Bread crusts trimmed
- 8 oz Swiss cheese freshly grated
- 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon reduced fat mayonnaise Hellmann's or Duke's
- 1 egg beaten
- butter, melted usually 1 stick or less
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil a pot of water on the stove.
- Rinse asparagus, pat dry and place on cutting board. Use a chef's knife to trim off 2-3 inches from the bottom of each stalk.
- Once water has come to a rolling boil, reduce the heat slightly and place the trimmed asparagus stalks in the pot. Blanch the asparagus by cooking it over medium to high heat for only 4 mintues. Do not overcook!!!
- While the asparagus in cooking, fill a medium sized mixing bowl with cold ice water. After 4 minutes of cooking, pour the asparagus into a colander to drain, then immediately transfer to the cold ice water. Leave cooked asparagus in cold water for 1 minute. Then drain asparagus again in colander. Set aside.
- Unwrap both loaves of bread. Discard heels; then trim crusts from remaining slices. Using a rolling pin, roll each slice of bread flat.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, grated swiss cheese, mayonnaise and egg.
- To assemble, place one slice of flattened bread on workspace. Spread 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture on top. Then put one asparagus spear in the center. Roll the bread slice up tightly so that the asparagus is evenly wrapped.
- Slice each roll up into 3 pieces.
- Melt butter in microwaveable safe dish. Dip each piece into melted butter to lightly coat.
- Arrange canapés on a prepared, rimmed baking sheet. They can be close to each other, but do not overlap them.
- Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes (flip halfway through) or until well browned. Allow to cool off slightly, but serve warm.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 325 degree oven for 10 minutes or until heated through.
Florence F. says
Sounds good. Can I use canned asparagus? I think it might be easier.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Yes, you can! 2 cans of Le Sueur spears will work. You're right...it is easier that way, but when you use fresh asparagus, it has more flavor.
Helen H. says
I can't find Pepperidge Farm white bread in that size loaf. Any other breads I can use?
Kitchen Ready Betty says
You definitely want a dense bread that can handle the schmear and baking without getting soggy. I haven't tried this, but I'm thinking Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Sourdough Bread might work, as well as Arnold's Country White. Both of these loaves have bigger slices of bread though. I would try using one slice for two asparagus spears by dividing each slice in half first before using it in this recipe.
Alex says
I usually don't enjoy asparagus, but with this recipe I loved it. Maybe it's the gooey swiss cheese.😅
Kitchen Ready Betty says
Hi Alex! I am so thrilled to hear that this recipe turned you into an asparagus fan! I agree, the gooey Swiss cheese is the perfect pairing for these Asparagus Canapés. It’s one of my favorite easy appetizers because it’s so simple yet feels elegant for a party. Thank you so much for the 5-star review!