Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 13 mins
Total: 23 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 20 spears
Bacon-wrapped asparagus spears are a delightful appetizer or side dish. They only require three ingredients and can be made quickly and easily thanks to the air fryer. When air frying bacon-wrapped asparagus, you don’t need to pre-cook the bacon wrap. The air fryer produces crispy, evenly browned bacon by circulating hot air around the food. This eliminates the need for any additional oil and makes cleanup a snap.
As with all fresh produce, it is important to wash asparagus before roasting or air frying. Make sure to dry it well so that the bacon can get nice and crisp. Thicker stalks of asparagus work best for this recipe—avoid thin stalks since they risk overcooking.
Start by cutting the bacon slices in half and trimming off the woody ends of the asparagus spears. Then wrap each spear with one of the halved bacon slices and season with black pepper to taste. Since the bacon is already quite salty there’s no need to season with any additional salt. Then simply place in the air fryer and cook, turning once. In minutes you will have a salty treat that is so delicious they are sure to disappear in minutes!
Ingredients
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10 slices bacon
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20 spears asparagus spears
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Cut the bacon slices in half, creating 20 separate strips.
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Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus. You may need to trim the spears slightly shorter, depending on the size of your air fryer. Make sure the spears will fit before proceeding.
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Wrap a slice of bacon around each spear of asparagus, starting at one end and slightly overlapping as you wrap it around towards the other end.
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Season the bacon wrapped spears with freshly ground black pepper.
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Place the spears in the air fryer basket. Cook according the the manufacturer's directions of your appliance at 375 F for 8 minutes.
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Turn the spears over and cook for 5 minutes more, or until the bacon is crisp.
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Serve immediately. Repeat with additional asparagus as needed.
Recipe Variations
This recipe for bacon-wrapped asparagus only uses three ingredients, but you can play with the flavor profile of the dish by swapping or adding some seasoning:
- Brush on a mixture of 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder just before adding the black pepper and you can create a sweet and savory bacon-wrapped asparagus.
- For a spicy or smoky version of the dish, season the uncooked bacon-wrapped asparagus with chipotle chili powder or smoked Spanish paprika.
- If you prefer a different bacon to asparagus ratio, you can also wrap the bacon in bundles. After trimming the asparagus, gather three spears and wrap a full slice of bacon around the bundle.
How to Store
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Leftover spears can be reheated in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 10 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 61 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 4g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 7% |
| Cholesterol 11mg | 4% |
| Sodium 198mg | 9% |
| Total Carbohydrate 1g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
| Total Sugars 0g | |
| Protein 5g | |
| Vitamin C 2mg | 12% |
| Calcium 8mg | 1% |
| Iron 0mg | 2% |
| Potassium 125mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
