This bacon wrapped asparagus recipe is tender yet crisp, bursting with flavor, and incredibly easy to make. Grilled or baked, it’s the perfect side for your next cookout!
One of the things I love about this time of year is all of the fresh vegetables you can find everywhere. Farmers markets, grocery stores, and even road side stands are overflowing with a variety of colorful veggies. One of my favorite vegetables to eat and grill is asparagus.
Growing up, asparagus is one vegetable I didn’t want to go near. However, as I got older and began experimenting with my own recipes I found that asparagus is delicious when prepared correctly. But if it’s so delicious how can it be made better? One word, bacon! That’s right, while bacon makes everything better it can really step up your asparagus and after trying this recipe I think you will agree.
How to Prepare the Asparagus
To start, throughly wash the asparagus and cut the bottom of the stalks, also known as the woody ends, off. I recommend cutting about 1-1.5 inches off to ensure you don’t get any tough pieces. Next, put the cut stalks into a bowl or dish and drizzle with oil. Then, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss until every stalk is coated with the oil, salt, and pepper. Wrap half a piece of bacon around 3-4 stalks of asparagus and push a toothpick through to secure it while on the grill.
How to Grill Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Heat your grill to a medium-high heat, 400°F (204°C) is the temperature I like to set it at. Place the bacon wrapped asparagus on the grill over direct heat for 4-6 minutes. Then flip and let cook for another 4-6 minutes. Cook time will vary slightly depending on the thickness of the stalks. You will want to let them cook until the asparagus is tender but still crisp and the bacon is cooked. Just make sure to keep an eye on it so the tips of the asparagus don’t burn.
How to Bake Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Baking this bacon wrapped asparagus is super simple as well. First, preheat your oven to 400° F. Next, prepare the asparagus the same way you would as if you were going to grill it. Then, line a baking pan with parchment paper or foil and lay your wrapped asparagus out leaving a little room between each one. I recommend using a baking pan that has raised edges to keep the bacon grease from spilling out into your oven.
Place the wrapped asparagus into the oven and let it bake for 20-25 minutes. Just like on the grill, the cook time will depend on the thickness of the stalks. You want to make sure the asparagus is tender and the bacon is cooked all the way. Something to help get the the bacon crispier would be using a wire rack along with your baking pan. If you don’t have one, flip the stalks half way through so the bacon can crisp on both sides.
Tips
- Grill the asparagus with the stalk end closest to the heat. It should help keep the tips from getting burned.
- For extra flavor, substitute the salt and pepper with our BBQ Rub.
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (Grilled or Baked)
Ingredients
- 1 pound Asparagus
- 5 strips Bacon cut in half
- 2-3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
To Grill The Bacon Wrapped Asparagus:
- Heat your grill to a medium-high heat. 400°F (204°C) is where I like to set it.
- Throughly wash the asparagus and trim off the woody ends. About 1-1½ inches should be enough to ensure you don't get any tough pieces.
- Place the asparagus into a dish or bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss around to cover each piece with oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and toss again.
- Grab 3-4 stalks of the seasoned asparagus and wrap a half strip of bacon around them. Push a toothpick through the bacon and asparagus to hold it together while grilling.
- Place on the grill over direct heat for 4-6 minutes. Flip and let cook for another 4-6 minutes.
To Bake The Bacon Wrapped Asparagus:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) .
- Throughly wash the asparagus and trim off the woody ends. About 1-1½ inches should be enough to ensure you don't get any tough pieces.
- Place the asparagus into a dish or bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss around to cover each piece with oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and toss again.
- Grab 3-4 stalks of the seasoned asparagus and wrap a half strip of bacon around them. Push a toothpick through the bacon and asparagus to hold it together while baking.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper or foil and lay out the wrapped asparagus leaving a little room between each one.
- Place in the oven and let bake for 20-25 minutes.
Wonderful!!