Take something sweet and juicy and wrap it in something smoky and savory. What do you have? Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus!
Want to know how you can possibly improve an already-delectable dish? You wrap it in bacon! (I would also accept for an answer, ‘Stuff it with bacon’ or ‘Top it with bacon’. In other words, get bacon involved.)
Bacon is touted by so many meat eaters as the perfect food. You can have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—even dessert, as maple bacon cupcakes can attest. You can add it to baked goods, fried goods, popped goods (bacon caramel popcorn, anyone?), sandwiches, burgers, salads… if a dish exists, there’s a version of it with bacon.
So it should come as no surprise that wrapping asparagus in bacon makes it just that much tastier. Don’t get me wrong: Grilled asparagus is awesome! I think so. Perhaps more importantly, my kids think so. But none of us can argue with the inscrutable fact that bacon improves anything it touches.
When in doubt, add bacon. Don’t question it; just eat it and enjoy.
Any tips when shopping for asparagus?
Yep. First of all, the asparagus spears should be firm and straight. If they don’t stand at attention, they’re not at their best. They should be vibrant green, and while the tips can be slightly lighter, they shouldn’t be brown or yellow. You can also give them a sniff. If you detect anything other than a mild, grassy scent, that’s not the asparagus for you. You should also be able to break off the woody stem bit easily and cleanly when dealing with fresh asparagus (this, however, may be a test you execute at home with already-purchased asparagus, not at the store). As for thickness, this is a matter of preference. Thin asparagus cooks more quickly but bears a less prominent taste than thicker spears.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. asparagus spears, trimmed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 strips thick-cut bacon
Instructions
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yields: 8 servings
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Step 2: In a large bowl, toss the trimmed asparagus with olive oil and black pepper until evenly coated.
Step 3: Divide the asparagus into 8 equal bundles. Wrap each bundle with a strip of bacon, starting from the middle and making sure to slightly overlap the bacon to secure it.
Step 4: Place the bacon-wrapped asparagus bundles seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 5: Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 28 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the asparagus is tender. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and asparagus, and your desired level of crispiness.
Step 6: Serve the bacon-wrapped asparagus warm or at room temperature, and enjoy!
FAQs & Tips
Let the bacon-wrapped asparagus cool completely then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. It’s up to you whether you serve them cold or reheat them in the oven or air fryer. I don’t recommend freezing them. Asparagus contains lots of water; the thawing process will turn your dish into bacon-wrapped mush.
First, submerge your asparagus in water for 10 minutes, occasionally agitating them to loosen any debris or dirt from the stems and tips. Take them out and rinse them off. Then dry them so they aren’t saturated and soggy. Break off the woody stems. To find the appropriate spot on the spear, hold its ends and bend gently. It should give out where the stiff woody bit meets the fleshy, edible bit.
I don’t recommend it. Your teeth nor your stomach will appreciate the work. Your tongue and its taste buds probably won’t like it either. That doesn’t mean, though, that you must discard them in the organics pile. You can add them to broths and stocks for flavor; just remove them before putting those broths and stocks to use.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve mentioned bacon-wrapped asparagus as a side dish. If you intend on using it as such, you can pair it with other sides, such as mashed potatoes, salads, and other grilled vegetables. You can also set it beside meat entrees, like steak, chicken, and fish. You can also serve it as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvre alongside Easy Cauliflower Wings, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket. If any guest sees a tray of these coming towards them, there’s no way they will be able to resist.
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 lb. asparagus spears trimmed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 strips thick-cut bacon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- In a large bowl, toss the trimmed asparagus with olive oil and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Divide the asparagus into 8 equal bundles. Wrap each bundle with a strip of bacon, starting from the middle and making sure to slightly overlap the bacon to secure it.
- Place the bacon-wrapped asparagus bundles seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 22 to 28 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the asparagus is tender. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and the asparagus, and your desired level of crispiness.
- Serve the bacon-wrapped asparagus warm or at room temperature, and enjoy!
