Creamy asparagus, mushroom casserole

This creamy asparagus and mushroom casserole is the picture of spring side dishes. It uses up loads of that delicious, just-from-the-garden asparagus, fresh mushrooms, and leftover hard-boiled eggs. (Confession: My eggs had pretty pastel spots from getting dyed just days before, but this dish is a great way to make sure they don’t go to waste!)

I’m a big fan of this casserole because it delivers such a big serving of vegetables, but it’s also so flavorful, I would eat it as a meal. The smoked paprika brings a lot of flavor to the white sauce, so take a few taste samples as you simmer the sauce and add more to your liking.

Creamy asparagus, mushroom casserole

Ingredients

2 bunches asparagus
8 ounces sliced mushrooms, with dirt brushed off
2 1/2 tbsp butter + 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, finely copped
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 1/2 ounces shredded gruyere cheese
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
salt
pepper
1 tbsp smoked paprika + more for garnish
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
about 10 Ritz crackers, lightly crushed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Remove woody ends of asparagus spears, then cut into about 2 inch pieces. Set aside.
Fill large pot about half way with water and salt well. Bring pot to a roaring boil.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Set aside.
Add asparagus to pot and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until bright green. Using a large slotted spoon, remove asparagus from boiling water and drop them immediately to ice bath. Let cool a few minutes before draining the ice bath
Add mushrooms to the boiling pot and let boil for about 10 minutes. Mushrooms are done when they darken and soften. Drain, and set aside.
For the sauce: Reusing large pot, return to medium heat and melt 2 1/2 tbsp butter. Add onion, about 1 tsp of salt, and cook until translucent, or about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and let cook about 45 seconds. Stir in mustard, then add milk, and 1 tbsp smoked paprika, and whisk well. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until slightly thickened, or about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms to sauce.
Spoon sauce on bottom of 9×9-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of asparagus on bottom of dish, then top with a layer of sliced eggs, followed by remain asparagus and sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Season with black pepper and more smoked paprika.
Melt 1/2 tbsp of butter and pour over crushed crackers. Stir until crackers are moistened. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
Bake dish for about 25 minutes or until dish is bubbly. Turn broiler on during final 5 minutes or so to get a golden brown top.
Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.