Air fryer bacon-wrapped asparagus โ a delicious appetizer or light meal ready in about 10 minutes.
Cooking crispy, tender air fryer bacon-wrapped asparagus is super easy. You only need two main ingredients, and the food is ready in no time. Yet the result is a most satisfying and delicious asparagus dish, perfect as an appetizer, light dinner, or side dish.
If you enjoy asparagus as much as we do check out our Quick Air Fryer Asparagus or Pan-Fried Asparagus and Eggs recipes as well.
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Why use the air fryer for this recipe?
- Energy-saving: Wrap the seasoned asparagus spears and cook them in the air fryer in about half the time you need in the oven.
- Fast: There is no need to preheat the machine, and the whole cooking process takes about 10 minutes.
- Perfect results: The asparagus is perfectly roasted, and the bacon is savory and irresistible.
Recipe ingredients
- Green asparagus: You will need 5 stalks for each bundle, so a total of 20 spears. Itโs best if all the spears have a similar thickness so that you can divide them evenly per bundle and ensure that they cook evenly.
- Itโs also preferable if the stalks are not too thin; medium to slightly thicker stalks work best as they will not overcook before the bacon can get crispy.
- Thin-sliced bacon. Thick-cut bacon is unsuitable for this recipe, as itโs more challenging to wrap neatly and takes longer to cook. By the time itโs cooked, the asparagus might be overcooked.
- Olive oil: Just 2 teaspoons to rub the stalks. You can substitute olive oil with pretty much any other oil you want.
- Fine sea salt or Kosher salt and ground black pepper to season the vegetables lightly. You could also add a small pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
How to prepare asparagus?
- Wash the stalks and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Trim the ends. Snap the thickest lower part of the stalk; it is usually woody. You can also cut the ends with a sharp knife (See Expert Tips).
How to cook bacon-wrapped asparagus in the air fryer?
- Season: Pour the oil into the palm of your hand and rub the stalks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub again (2).
- Wrap them with one or two bacon slices, depending on their size (3).
- Place the bundles in the machineโs basket in a single layer (4).
- Set the temperature to 370ยฐF/ 190ยฐC.
- Air fry for 8 minutes and check. The bacon should be golden and crispy, and the asparagus just tender (not too soft). If theyโre not there yet, give them 2 more minutes and check again (5).
Expert Tips
- To ensure even cooking, the stalks should all be similar in size; their thickness is essential. Thinner ones will cook much faster than thicker ones.
- Donโt discard the asparagus ends! Instead, freeze them and use them to make asparagus stock when you have enough. Use the stock for making soups or risotto.
- Season only lightly with salt, as the bacon is already salty.
- Donโt overcrowd the machine basket; the air needs to circulate; itโs the only way to ensure the bundles are crispy.
Recipe FAQ
Sure. Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/200ยฐC and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake the bundles for 15 minutes and check. If they are not done, cook them for another 2 minutes and check again.
Make the bundles and refrigerate them in an airtight container until ready to cook them. You can make them up to 24 hours in advance.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for about 3 days.
Reheat in the air fryer for a couple of minutes. The asparagus and bacon will lose some crispiness, but they will still taste delicious.
You could also chop the leftovers, reheat them lightly and toss them with pasta and some Parmesan cheese.
How to serve?
- Serve immediately as an appetizer, light dinner, or side dish. We love them as a side for chicken, for instance, for these Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs, grilled or pan-fried chicken breast, or sausages.
- You can serve them as a light meal with mashed potatoes, roasted potato wedges, baked potatoes, rice, or creamy, cheesy pasta. In this case, you will need 2 bundles per serving.
- Try them with Simple Mac and Cheese without Flour, Gouda Mac and Cheese (5 Ingredients), Easy Tomato and Ricotta Pasta, or The Best Lemon Pepper Pasta.
More Easy Spring Recipes
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๐ Recipe
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 20 spears asparagus Note 1
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper Note 2
- ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
- 8 slices thin-cut bacon Note 3
Instructions
- Prepare asparagus: Wash the stalks and dry them with paper towels. Trim the woody ends (Note 3).20 asparagus stalks
- Season: Pour the oil into the palm of your hand and rub the asparagus. Season them with salt (lightly), pepper, and red pepper flakes.2 teaspoon olive oil + salt + pepper + ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Wrap them with the bacon slices.8 bacon slices
- Air fry: Arrange the bundles into the air fryerโs basket in a single layer. Cook for 8 minutes and check. The bacon should be golden and crispy, and the asparagus tender but not too soft. If theyโre not there, cook them for 2 more minutes, then check again.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Asparagus: Depending on their thickness, you will need 4-6 spears per bundle. Itโs preferable to use stalks that are not too thin; medium to slightly thicker stalks work best as they will not overcook before the bacon has the chance to get crispy.
- Seasoning: Season only lightly with salt; the bacon is already salty.
- Bacon: I used 2 thin-cut bacon slices per bundle. Depending on the width of the bacon, one slice might be enough, or you could even need 3.
- Woody ends: Freeze them and use them to make asparagus stock when you have enough. Or add to other homemade vegetable or meat stocks.
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