Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Name: Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (Super Crispy!)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 24 stalks Asparagus ((~10 oz trimmed)); 12 slices Bacon; 1 tsp Olive oil; 1/4 tsp Garlic salt; 1/4 tsp Black pepper

This bacon wrapped asparagus recipe in the oven includes tips to make it extra CRISPY. Asparagus wrapped in bacon takes less than 30 minutes!

By Maya Krampf
Published January 8, 2016
Updated October 24, 2022

215 Comments

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Two perfect foods come together with this bacon wrapped asparagus recipe in the oven! If you love bacon-y main dishes like bacon wrapped dates or bacon wrapped chicken tenders, you’ll enjoy asparagus wrapped in bacon as a healthy appetizer too. I’ll show you how to make wrapped asparagus in bacon that gets perfectly crispy every time, plus the best way to make it ahead of time for entertaining.

With other bacon asparagus recipes, I’ve noticed that often times the asparagus is soft before the bacon has had the chance to crisp up. I was on a mission to avoid this, and discovered that the trick is similar to my foolproof crispy bacon in the oven. Although oven baked asparagus tastes great on its own, properly cooked bacon takes the flavor to the next level.

Why You’ll Love This Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Recipe

Savory, crispy bacon
Perfectly tender asparagus
Loads of flavor from just 5 simple ingredients
Quick and easy to make (10 minutes prep!)
Friendly to gluten-free, paleo, whole30, and keto diets
Easy to prep ahead for entertaining or serve as a simple side dish

Bacon wrapped asparagus on a white plate.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for asparagus wrapped in bacon, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Asparagus – Look for smooth, firm, and brightly colored fresh asparagus spears. Medium to thick spears work best for bacon wrapped asparagus, as they are less prone to overcooking by the time the bacon is done.
Bacon – Center cut bacon works the best for appearance, but any bacon will work. Avoid thick cut bacon, which will take too long to get crispy, causing the asparagus to be limp and soggy.
Olive Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil for flavor, but use your favorite cooking oil. You just need enough for seasonings to stick.
Seasonings – Garlic salt and black pepper. If you don’t have garlic salt, you can easily substitute garlic powder and salt separately.

VARIATION: Want to add extra flavor?

Try these extra options to enhance this asparagus and bacon appetizer:

A sprinkle of brown sugar (conventional or a sugar free brown sugar substitute) before baking. (You’ll need to skip or reduce the broiling time, so sugar does not burn.)
Parmesan cheese (before or after baking)
A drizzle of balsamic glaze or honey (I use sugar-free honey) for finishing

Ingredients for asparagus wrapped in bacon on plates.

How To Make Bacon Wrapped Asparagus In The Oven

This section shows how to cook bacon wrapped asparagus in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Prep. Trim woody ends of asparagus. Cut bacon lengthwise into narrower strips.
Season. Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil. Season with garlic salt and black pepper.
Wrap. Wrap the bacon tightly around asparagus stalk. Place seam side down on a cookie sheet with a wire rack.

VARIATION: Make asparagus bundles!

I prefer individually wrapped asparagus because they are easier to eat as an appetizer and you get more bacon in every bite. But if you prefer, you can wrap 4-6 spears at a time in a slice of bacon. (When wrapping each bundle, follow the same tips below.) The cook time will be about the same.

Bake. Bake asparagus bacon recipe, flipping halfway though, until bacon is nearly crispy.
Broil. Until bacon is fully crisped.

Trimmed asparagus next to slices of bacon.

Asparagus wrapped in bacon on a sheet pan before baking.

How Long To Cook Bacon Wrapped Asparagus?

How long to bake bacon wrapped asparagus will depend on several factors, including bacon thickness, color of your pan and rack, and oven temperature. On average, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, plus another couple minutes under the broiler to crisp up the bacon (highly recommended!).

Tips For The Best Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Go light on the salt and oil. The bacon is already salty and has plenty of fat, so we only need enough oil for the seasonings to stick and just a bit of garlic salt.
Avoid overlapping bacon too much. You want the edges of the bacon strip to overlap as little as possible. The bacon will shrink during cooking, creating a pinstripe pattern. This will help create more air flow around it, which is what you want for extra crispiness.
Use a wire rack. Instead of a regular baking sheet, use a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet. (I like this one – it’s non-stick, so easy to clean.) Again, it helps with that whole air flow thing. As a bonus, this lets some of the extra fat drip down from the bacon during baking, making it more crispy. (I do the same for the crispiest oven baked bacon on its own.)
Broil, but monitor closely. This step is important for the bacon to get crisp. Just keep an eye on it because the bacon can go from crisp to burned fast!

Alternate Cooking Methods

Grill – Preheat the grill over medium-high heat, then cook over direct heat (covered) for a total of 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crispy.
Air Fryer – Follow the bacon wrapped asparagus recipe above as written, but instead of the oven, cook in the air fryer. Arrange the pieces in the basket in a single layer and cook for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees F, flipping halfway through.
Stovetop – I don’t like this method because it’s more fuss, but asparagus wrapped in bacon can be cooked on the stove. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until the bacon is crispy.

Storage Instructions

Store: Although this recipe tastes best fresh (and you probably won’t have leftovers!), you can store this dish in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Meal prep: Assemble asparagus, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1-2 days, until ready to bake. Avoid baking them ahead of time, as they can get soggy.
Reheat: Broil until crisp and heated through.
Freeze: Avoid freezing this recipe, as it will get mushy.

More Easy Asparagus Recipes

So many delicious ways to prep this veggie! Try it in these easy recipes next time.

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Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast

Cream Of Asparagus Soup

Baked asparagus with parmesan in a baking dish.

Cheesy Asparagus

Grilled Asparagus

Recommended Tools

Baking Sheet With Wire Rack – My go-to pan set for this recipe.
Extra Large Baking Sheet Set – Making a big batch of wrapped asparagus? This set is the perfect size and has a larger rack to go with it.

Easy Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Recipe in the Oven

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Ingredients

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24 stalks Asparagus (~10 oz trimmed) ▢
12 slices Bacon ▢
1 tsp Olive oil ▢
1/4 tsp Garlic salt ▢
1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Place an oven-safe wire rack (either greased or non-stick) onto a cookie sheet.
Trim the woody ends of the asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt and black pepper to taste. (You don't need a lot of oil, just enough for the salt and pepper to stick.)
Cut the bacon slices lengthwise to make narrower strips. Wrap each bacon strip tightly around an asparagus stalk, only slightly overlapping the bacon on each stalk (it will shrink during cooking, creating a "striped" pattern). Place seam side down onto the wire rack.
Bake for 10 minutes. Use tongs to turn over. Bake for 5-10 minutes more, until the bacon is almost crispy. Set the oven to broil, then place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to crisp up more.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 4 pieces

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 202

Fat 18g

Protein 6g

Total Carbs 3g

Net Carbs 2g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 1g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keywords: asparagus wrapped in bacon, bacon wrapped asparagus, bacon wrapped asparagus in the oven, bacon wrapped asparagus recipe, wrapped asparagus in bacon

Calories: 202 kcal

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