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GET IT NOWI’ve been making bacon wrapped asparagus for nearly a decade, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to enjoy this spring veggie. With tender roasted asparagus and ultra crispy (yes, actually crispy!) bacon, this is the perfect balance of nutrients and comfort. I make it every year when asparagus season hits — and even sneak it in when it’s out of season, because I just love this recipe so much. Make it with me!
Why You Need My Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Recipe
- Tender asparagus wrapped in bacon that’s actually crispy – With other bacon wrapped asparagus recipes, I’ve noticed that oftentimes the veggies are soft before the bacon has the chance to crisp up. Where I think my version really shines is the crispy bacon without ruining the asparagus — just follow my tips!
- Super easy to make – You need just a few ingredients, and I think wrapping the asparagus in bacon is pretty relaxing.
- So many ways to enjoy it – This recipe works as a healthy side dish, as an appetizer, or even for a fun snack. And it’s great to prep ahead when I’m having people over!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my bacon wrapped asparagus recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Asparagus – Medium to thick spears work best here, as they are less prone to overcooking by the time the bacon is done. I usually make sauteed asparagus if I have thin spears, but have a tip below to make them work with this recipe, too.
- Bacon – I like this clean-ingredient brand. Avoid thick cut bacon, which will take too long to get crispy. You could also swap in prosciutto, like I do for my prosciutto wrapped asparagus.
- Oil – Just a teaspoon to help the seasonings stick. I used this mild olive oil, but extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil also works.
- Seasonings – Garlic salt (or just mix garlic powder and salt separately) and black pepper.
How To Cook Bacon Wrapped Asparagus In The Oven
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Prep your asparagus and bacon. Trim the tough ends of asparagus, and cut bacon lengthwise into narrower strips. I usually just line up the spears and chop in a single go, but for the perfect spot to remove, you can bend each stalk and it’ll snap at the natural point where it starts to get woody.
- Season the spears. Drizzle them with olive oil, and season with garlic salt and black pepper. You can do this right on your baking sheet or in a large bowl.
- Wrap asparagus with bacon. Grab a stalk and wrap a narrow bacon piece tightly around it. Place it seam side down on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with all the asparagus and bacon. See my tips below for my notes about wrapping multiple spears.
- Bake, then broil. Pop the bacon wrapped asparagus in the oven and bake, flipping halfway though, until bacon is nearly crispy. Place under the broiler to crisp up more at the end.
My Recipe Tips
- Go light on the salt and oil. The bacon is already salty and has plenty of fat, so you only need a tiny bit of oil for the spices to stick — and less salt than you’d normally use.
- Avoid stretching or overlapping the bacon. Stretching can cause it to unravel as it cooks, and overlapping will leave it less crispy. I try to line up the edges side by side — they create the pretty pinstripe pattern (like my pictures here) as they shrink during cooking. This allows for more air flow, which is what you want for extra crispiness!
- Do you have to use a wire rack? No, but I recommend it if you want the crispiest results! It prevents the bacon wrapped asparagus from sitting in the bacon grease or touching the hot pan, so it cooks more evenly and gets more crispy. I use this set and it’s the best! I actually have it in several sizes, and for my pictures above I used 2 pans of the jelly roll size. It’s also awesome for other crispy foods, like oven baked bacon by itself or coconut shrimp.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Make sure there is space between all the pieces. Again, it’s about that air flow!
- Cook time can vary, so double check a little early. It mainly depends on the thickness of your asparagus. You also want to remove a little early to account for the high-heat blast of the broiler at the end.
- If you have a convection oven, this is a great time to use it. It will crisp up your bacon better! You’ll need to turn the asparagus sooner, around 5-7 minutes, and check on it 5-8 minutes later. (It should take 11-15 minutes total with the convection setting, before the broiling step.)
- Watch closely when broiling. The bacon can go from crisp to burned super fast!
- Have very thin asparagus spears? I generally recommend medium or thick ones here, because thin ones will overcook, but I found a trick if you’ve got thin ones! Just fry the bacon for a few minutes first, so it renders some of its fat but is still pliable. Then proceed with my bacon wrapped asparagus recipe using the partially cooked bacon, and you can get away with a shorter bake time to avoid limp stalks.
- Prefer bacon wrapped asparagus bundles? I like to wrap asparagus in bacon individually, it’s easier to eat as an appetizer and you get more bacon in every bite — and the bundles just fall apart when you try to eat them. But if you want a faster method, you can wrap 4-6 spears at a time instead.
- Want extra flavor? Sometimes I brush maple syrup over the bacon or sprinkle on parmesan cheese before baking. A drizzle of balsamic glaze or honey (I use sugar-free honey) at the end is nice, too.
- Eat it right away. The asparagus and bacon will both soften when they cool.
Alternate Cooking Methods
I prefer to cook bacon wrapped asparagus in the oven, because it’s hands-off and can make a big batch, but have also cooked it in other ways:
- Grill – Grilled asparagus usually takes only a few minutes (I do 2-4 minutes at medium-high heat), but I find it takes longer for the bacon to crisp up. You can just watch until it gets crispy. If you want to ensure your asparagus stays crisp-tender, you may want to grill the bacon on its own for a couple minutes to render some fat before wrapping.
- Air Fryer – My favorite method for a smaller batch, because it’s a pro at crisping up food! Just season and roll asparagus in bacon, then follow the timing in my air fryer asparagus recipe.
- Stovetop – I don’t like this method because it’s more fuss, but you can cook bacon wrapped asparagus on the stove. Just cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until the bacon crisps up.
More Bacon Wrapped Recipes
So many foods are better wrapped in bacon, and I’ve got lots of recipes like this! Try one of my others next:
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (Super Crispy)
My bacon wrapped asparagus recipe in the oven includes tips to make it extra crispy without overcooking the veggies. It's quick and easy!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Place an oven-safe wire rack (either greased or non-stick) over a baking sheet. (I use a set like this.)
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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.)
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Cut the bacon slices lengthwise to make narrower strips. Wrap each bacon strip tightly around an asparagus stalk, trying not to overlap the bacon on each stalk (it will shrink during cooking, creating a "striped" pattern). Place seam side down onto the wire rack.
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Bake for 10 minutes. Use tongs to turn over. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the bacon is almost crispy. Set the oven to broil, then place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to crisp up more.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4 pieces
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get crispy bacon and perfectly tender asparagus, notes on asparagus thicknesses, the right way to wrap the bacon, variations for extra flavor, and more.
- Other ways to cook it: The oven method is my fave, but see my alternate cooking methods above if you want to use your grill, air fryer, or stovetop instead.
- Store: Asparagus tastes best fresh, but you can keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish, because the asparagus gets mushy.
- Meal prep: I often prep this ahead to cook later! You can wrap asparagus in bacon and refrigerate for a day or two before baking.
- Reheat: My favorite way to reheat is the air fryer, but a quick broil in the oven works, too.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Low Carb Holiday Cookbook and Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
244 Comments
Elaine LeVan
0I think this recipe will work for me. Now I just have to convince myself to try it. I usually don’t like asparagus. I think it’s a texture thing, so your recipe might fix that for me. Do you have tips to find the best fresh asparagus? My parents grew their own!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I hope this recipe turns it around for you, Elaine! Anything is better wrapped in bacon, hehe. 😉 When shopping for asparagus, look for firm spears with tight buds at the ends. Hope this helps and please let me know how it turns out!
Jane Inniger
0Made this again for supper last night. Always a big hit. The bacon just adds another flavor boost to the delicious asparagus!
Jennifer
0I lined the pan with foil to cut down on cleanup, and trimmed off some of the bacon fat because we like the meaty part best. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for warning us against using thick-cut bacon, since that’s what we usually buy. The thinner bacon crisped up fast and the asparagus was perfect.
Geri
0My family loves this recipe. I have also put in the air fryer and they taste just as good.
Colleen Dyer
0This recipe is a keeper! My husband said this is his new favorite side dish. And it’s super easy to make too!
Wanda
0I will for sure be making these !!!
Mary
0This is great I Love Asparagus!
Paula
0One of our all-time faves!
Sherri Vanderberg
0EASY, TASTY AND DELICIOUS BACON WRAPPED ASPARAGUS
Jill
0Yummy..bacon and asparagus!
Jennifer Shepley
0I feared it would be drying to the asparagus- but nope! Fully enjoyed it. Going to try more options wrapped in bacon a scallops, chicken, green bean bundles.
Lynda
0I would try this with fresh green beans. I appreciate your detailed instructions and hints. Thanks
Heide Bradley
0Looks yummy
kat
0Do you use thin sliced bacon? I usually find the veg. cooks faster than the bacon.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kat, Either thin or regular, but don’t use thick. Baking time might be a little faster if you use thin, the way it’s written is for regular but I’ve done both.
Paula Hegg
0Is asparagus good quality all year long? I know when you grow it in your own garden harvest ends in July so that makes me wonder about that which is available in the stores. Also, they seem pencil thin. When growing at home, you don’t harvest pencil thin stalks. Can you shed any light on this?
Bev Krol
0Great recipe
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Paula, Asparagus typical peak season is about March to June, but maybe in some areas it’s a little different. I find it in stores all year long, though. In my area, I’ve found different stores have different thickness and quality stalks at different times of year.
Barrie
0I LOVE asparagus and who doesn’t like bacon?! It does look a little time consuming, wrapping each asparagus.
debbie draves
0delicious
Sue Howell
0This is a delicious yummy recipe! I love roasted asparagus and this just takes it to another level. I added a little chili sprinkle to half the recipe to see how that tasted and it was pretty great too. Love this and is the only way I’ll make asparagus from now on.
Shanea
0I’ve never tried asparagus but this looks good, anything with bacon! I would serve this grilled on the grill along with some steak or grilled shrimp
Diane Leck
0I’ve made this, and it’s delicious. I’ll certainly make it again.
Jane Inniger
0Bacon wrapped anything is delicious but on asparagus is a game changer! We make this at least once a month!
Juanita Bittle
0Simple and delicious. My husband loves asparagus, this makes a great side dish.
Windy Holland
0This a good recipe even for people that are not big on asparagus
Florence Savage
0I love the BACON WRAPPED ASPARAGUS. @ of my favorite foods. The Bacon gives a new taste to the Asparagus.
Shiela Proudfoot
0I love this technique! I’ve made this with full slices and they took forever and of course made the asparagus shrivel and burn. This is a perfect recipe and I made an abundance cooking them just enough to keep the bacon wrapped. Then I froze them in layers between foil. Now when we want some, we just take a layer or two and finish cooking them. I’ve even cooked a few in the microwave but idk if I would cook a bunch at a time.
Thanks for the tips!
Janis C
0I haven’t tried this recipe yet. Two of my family members really like asparagus. We typically boil them or sometimes grill them outside if we’re having a cookout. I’m willing to bet more family members will now like asparagus when they are paired with bacon. Yum.
Linda Hildebrand
0This recipe sounds great just as is. Can’t wait to try it!
Sandy
0My husband loved this recipe. We cooked it in our air fryer & it was so tasty! It needed no extra salt, the bacon gave plenty. We’ve made it several times now & will continue til asparagus runs out.
Barbara T
0We love this!! And all of my kids loved it too, which is pretty rare these days 🙂
Julia
0This recipe is a must, going into the holidays! Such a tasty side dish and a huge crowd pleaser. Thanks for posting!
Kara
0I’m always on the lookout for new ways to serve vegetables that are low carb. This is a new favorite!!
Jennifer
0It took me a while to work out what a broiler was. lol in Australia we call it a grill. Thank you, so easy yet so good. ?
Star
0Easy to make, delicious and great for low carb eating.
Kristy
0I cooked it about 5-10 minutes longer since I love my bacon crispy but this was so good! Always a solid combo.
Susan Perez
0This was absolutely delicious and very quick and easy to make! I will definitely make this again!
Kim
0This! Easy and delicious! Not to mention what wonderful flavors!!!
Yata
0They came out nicely, but I sautéed/ fryed mine in a frying pan on top of the stove bc the oven took to long to cook the bacon at 350F. They were delicious & my kids loved them!
Cheryl
0My husband made these last night and they were DELICIOUS. The bacon was perfectly crispy and the asparagus was almost like a creamy texture which we loved. This is our new go to snack/side dish!
Bonnie Garland
0Looks like a great side dish. Only question when using a foil lined baking sheet then putting it in the oven under the broiler will the grease from the bacon smoke or flare up? I rarely use the broiler so rather know before my smoke alarm goes off when I open the door or worse yet see a flame. Thank you in advance for your reply.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Bonnie, The bacon will cook in the oven during the first 20-25 minutes. When you move it in position to use the broiler, it shouldn’t spit as it’s already cooked through.
Vicki W
0So good we ate the whole pan.
Amy Huntley
0I have never thought of putting bacon and asparagus together. I am so excited to try this! It looks delicious!
Kristyn
0My favorite side with so many things!! Who am I kidding, I like making some just to eat! The bacon adds a nice crunch & flavor to the asparagus!
Natalie
0Love bacon wrapped asparagus! This is such an easy & quick to put together side! Bacon wrapped anything is always a favorite!
Scotty Irish
0Your recipe was a go-to over Rachael Ray, so that ought to tell you I have more respect for you on your own than a hack with an army of minions who write and test these recipes on their own. I loved your recipe, and have used it, however in order to allow for ‘bundled’ asparagus recipe with bacon, I found that par-oven baking for 10-12 minutes helped with trying to keep the asparagus nice and crisp while still getting the bacon crisp as well. I used five spears per bundle, wrapping them all in two pieces of bacon. I never care if my guests ‘brag’ or ‘rave’ on my food, I take the ultimate comfort in seeing them finish them and point and talk amongst themselves! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Energy Mom
0My daughters normally don’t eat asparagus but they loved it and finished everything!
Connie Sheorn
0Delicious! I even baked them a tad longer for extra extra crispiness – and that was so worth it. I cut the bacon with kitchen shears. Do you know a shortcut?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Connie, That’s a great method! Other methods for trimming are to bend each spear until it breaks, or line them up and slice with a knife where they look woody. Enjoy!
JoeBob
0Bacon cooked to cardboard texture doesn’t do it for everyone.
Nichole
0So excited to try this for dinner!!!
Donna
0I absolutely love this recipe so easy and quick to make. My daughter is on keto so this is a perfect little extra side dish that she really loves too and my son-in-law.
John Cassidy
0Only problem I didn’t make enough they were gone in about 5 minutes. Awesome
Joyce
0I absolutely LOVE this recipe! My husband is not a vegetable lover but he said I could make these anytime! I only have one suggestion for those who don’t want to clean-up… I line my cookie sheet with parchment paper. Makes cleanup a breeze!