Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

How To Select Fresh Asparagus

When buying nutrient-packed asparagus, make sure to choose stalks that are firm to touch. They should be able to stand straight when held up, and their surface should be smooth to the touch. 

Also, avoid choosing spears that have yellowish or wilted tips, as those are signs that the asparagus may be past its prime. 

For this recipe, it’s also highly recommended that you consider the thickness and uniformity of asparagus stalks you choose. Opt for spears that aren’t too thin, and, as much as possible, try to pick asparagus stalks with the same thickness.

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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There’s more to love about this air fryer asparagus and bacon recipe besides its crispiness and flavor. 

• It’s a quick and easy recipe. Making roasted asparagus wrapped in bacon won’t require much effort. After preparing the ingredients in a few simple steps, you’ll just have to wait as the dish cooks in the air fryer.
• This will fill your kitchen with aromatic bliss. Make everyone excited for the meal through the aroma of bacon-wrapped asparagus in the air.
• It’s an eye-pleasing delight. With its vibrant colors, the stunning bacon asparagus bundles add a touch of gourmet flair to your plate. 

If your family enjoys this dish, they’ll surely fall in love with Baked Parmesan Asparagus Fries.

🥘 Ingredients

Making this bacon-wrapped asparagus is simple and only requires ingredients you will not have trouble finding in your local grocery store.

• Asparagus: The asparagus gives the dish a crisp texture and imparts a mild, earthy flavor. Choose fresh asparagus with vibrant green stalks for optimal results.
• Bacon: Its crispy texture contrasts nicely with the tender asparagus, adding a meaty, smoky, and savory element to the dish. 
• Garlic powder: This enhances the overall savory flavor of the dish and imparts a subtle and aromatic garlic flavor. 
• Pepper: This ingredient will compliment the smokiness of the slices of bacon while adding a bit of warmth and improving the dish’s flavor profile. 

See recipe card for complete list of ingredients and quantities.

🔀 Substitutions

Asparagus: You can use fresh green beans as a substitute for asparagus; they will also provide a similar texture and earthy flavor.

Bacon: Turkey bacon and vegetarian bacon can be used as alternatives. Turkey bacon will provide leaner meat, while vegetarian bacon is a great plant-based option.

Garlic powder: You can use 2-3 cloves of fresh minced garlic as an alternative to a teaspoon of garlic powder. Just note that fresh garlic might provide a more robust garlic flavor to the dish.

🌈 Variations / Options / Add-Ins

There is more than one way you can cook bacon-wrapped asparagus, and here are some variations to give you ideas for this quick recipe. 

• Kid-Friendly Cheesy Asparagus: In the last minutes of air-frying, sprinkle shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese over the asparagus stalks wrapped in bacon to create cheesy bacon-wrapped asparagus that kids will definitely like!
• Herb-Infused Asparagus: To add a fragrant herbal flavor to the dish, you can brush the asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or oregano, then wrap bacon around the asparagus.
• Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Bundles: Make this recipe fancier by using prosciutto instead of bacon. Thinly sliced prosciutto also wraps around asparagus well and adds a delicate, meaty, and salty flavor.

Another irresistible recipe that combines the comfort of bacon and the freshness of asparagus is this Instant Pot Bacon and Asparagus Strata.

🥄 Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools

For this easy air-fryer recipe, these tools will help you make every step of the cooking process easier.

• Knife: A sharp knife is necessary to help you cut the ends of the asparagus. 
• Cutting board: The cutting board’s flat surface makes trimming the asparagus and cutting the bacon much easier. 
• Tongs or fork: You’ll need either of these to move the bacon-wrapped asparagus into and outside the air fryer.

🔪 How to Make Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Ready to make this asparagus dish? With just a few simple steps, you’ll have another delicious air fryer recipe under your belt.

Step 1: Prepare the asparagus 

Cut the ends off the asparagus by ½ to 1 inch to remove the woody part. As much as possible, try to make each stem uniform in height.

Step 2: Arrange the asparagus

Create bundles of asparagus by grouping them into 3-4 stems. 

Step 3: Wrap the asparagus with bacon

Wrap a piece of bacon around each bunch of asparagus. For ease of handling and aesthetic purposes, don’t let the slice of bacon cover the ends of the asparagus.

Step 4: Place asparagus in the air fryer

Carefully place the asparagus bunches in your air fryer basket. Remember, don’t overcrowd the air fryer.

Step 5: Season the asparagus bundles

Season the asparagus bundles with garlic and pepper.

Step 6: Cook the asparagus

Set the air fryer to 400°F. Cook for 15-18 minutes until the bacon gets crispy and reaches your desired charred level. For me, I like my strip of bacon with hints of char, so I often opt for 18 minutes. 

Step 7: Let the asparagus rest

Remove the asparagus groups from the basket and let them rest. This step allows the bacon slices to finish cooking while sealing in their savory fats.

Step 8: Serve and enjoy

Once the bacon slices cool down enough to touch, you can go ahead and serve this pretty appetizer!

👩‍🍳 Pro Tips

• Wrap the bacon around the asparagus pieces tightly. 
• If you want an easier time cleaning up your air fryer after cooking, you may use foil to line the basket.
• You can make this dish meatier by using two bacon strips instead of one for each asparagus group. Just note that you may need to adjust the cooking time.

❓ Recipe FAQs

🙏 Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus: