These crispy bundles of bacon wrapped asparagus are an easy yet elegant appetizer or side dish. Roast them in the oven and finish them off with grated parmesan cheese and balsamic glaze.
My go-to appetizers are Bacon Jam with crackers, Candied Bacon, and now this bacon wrapped asparagus recipe. What’s the common thread? Bacon. Because who complains when bacon is on the menu?
Asparagus wrapped in bacon is one of those good, old-fashioned dishes that’s popular for a reason. Roasted asparagus is sweet and crispy, wrapped in smoky, salty bacon that gets all crispy too. What’s not to love?
While there’s many recipes out to choose from, this one brings the bacon home, baby! After cooking bacon wrapped asparagus to crispy perfection, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and drizzle with balsamic glaze to take this classic from good to golden.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 35-minute recipe, from start to serve
- Elegant, no-stress appetizer or side dish for entertaining
- 5 ingredients with big flavor: smoky bacon, sweet asparagus, tangy balsamic, and salty parmesan
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Ingredients
To make this recipe, you’ll only need 5 ingredients!
- Fresh asparagus – look for asparagus that’s ultra-fresh and crisp with no slimy tips. Medium-sized or thick asparagus is recommended; super thin spears will cook too quickly.
- Bacon – you can use whatever bacon you love, whether that’s applewood smoked, black forest, etc. The only requirement is regular bacon, not thick cut!
- Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – you can use regular parmesan cheese if preferred, but you can’t beat Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese if you want to splurge. It will add a nutty, saltiness when it melts slightly on the bacon wrapped asparagus hot out of the oven. Yum.
- Extra virgin olive oil – a little olive oil will make sure our asparagus roasts evenly and stays hydrated.
- Balsamic glaze – balsamic glaze is thicker than regular balsamic for the perfect tangy-sweet finishing touch.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
You’re going to love this bacon wrapped asparagus made in a few easy steps! Full instructions in the recipe card; this is an outline.
- Trim.
Remove 1 inch off the bottoms of the asparagus.
- Toss.
Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Wrap.
Wrap 1 slice of raw bacon around a bundle of 3 asparagus spears. Start about ½-inch from the bottom of the spears, spiraling around the bundle, leaving the tops unwrapped.
- Arrange.
Place bundle on a large baking sheet. Continue wrapping bundles (16 bundles total). Place on the baking sheet, in a single layer not touching each other.
- Cook.
Places bacon wrapped asparagus in a 400-degree oven for 15-18 minutes until asparagus is fork tender but not mushy.
- Broil.
Broil for 1-5 minutes until the bacon and asparagus reach your desired level of crispness (watch carefully!).
- Garnish.
Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with balsamic glaze hot out of the oven.
Tips for the Best Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Use medium-sized or thick asparagus spears. Thin ones will cook faster than the bacon.
- Use regular bacon, not thick-cut bacon. Thick cut will cook slower than the asparagus.
- Broil bacon wrapped asparagus at the end to crisp up the bacon and the asparagus. Watch carefully to avoid burning!
- You can make the bacon wrapped asparagus bundles up to 8 hours ahead. It’s best to cook off the bundles right before serving.
Flavor Variations
- Use prosciutto instead of bacon (cooking times may vary slightly).
- Leave off the parmesan and balsamic drizzle.
- Try garnishing with a different cheese like feta or blue cheese.
- Serve with a sauce like blue cheese or ranch dressing, or a sprinkle of homemade Gremolata.
Recipe FAQs
There’s no need to soak asparagus. A simple rinse under running water and a quick pat dry is perfect!
The best ratio of bacon to asparagus is 3 spears wrapped in 1 piece of bacon. You can change the ratio if you’d like.
Yes, overcooked asparagus can be tough and chewy, but I do personally like asparagus on the crispier side!
Cook for just 15-18 minutes and then broil for 1-5 minutes.
Storing Leftovers
To make ahead: you can wrap asparagus in bacon up to 8 hours ahead, storing in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them off.
To store: store cooked bacon wrapped asparagus in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat: it’s best to enjoy bacon wrapped asparagus right away. But if you have leftovers, reheat them on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for about 5 minutes until warm.
To freeze: I don’t recommend freezing them! They will get mushy when thawed.
More Recipes With Asparagus That You’ll Love!
Easy Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Ingredients
- 48 spears fresh asparagus, washed and dried
- 16 slices bacon of choice, regular not thick cut
- ⅓ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or regular parmesan
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic glaze, to finish
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Remove about 1 inch off the bottoms of the asparagus. The bottoms are tough.
- Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Grab 3 spears of asparagus and wrap 1 slice of raw bacon around the bundle. Start about ½-inch from the bottom of the spears, spiraling around the bundle, leaving the tops of the spears unwrapped.
- Place bundle on a large baking sheet. Continue wrapping bundles of asparagus in bacon (16 bundles total). Place bundles on the baking sheet, in a single layer, not touching each other.
- Cook bacon wrapped asparagus in the oven for 15-18 minutes until asparagus is fork tender but not mushy.
- Then broil for 1-5 minutes until the bacon and asparagus reach your desired level of crispness (watch carefully to prevent burning!).
- Right out of the oven, sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Video
Notes
- Look for medium-sized or thick spears (not thin)!
- 48 spears is roughly 2 bunches of asparagus.
- 16 slices is roughly 1 pound of bacon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
