Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
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With crispy bacon and a sweet glaze, this oven baked asparagus is heavenly! Bacon Wrapped Asparagus is the perfect side dish for special occasions. Brush with a sweet brown sugar glaze before baking for caramelized deliciousness!
This elegant asparagus certainly pairs well with an Easter ham, Thanksgiving turkey, or even a nice grilled steak. But please, don’t think you have to wait until a special occasion.
Bacon wrapped asparagus bundles make a delicious appetizer or side dish any time of year!
Looking for more ways to enjoy asparagus this spring? You may enjoy snacking on my air fryer asparagus fries dipped in a lemony garlic aioli. Or, try this perfectly roasted asparagus with browned butter. YUM!
Key ingredients & substitutions for Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Asparagus — I like to use medium size asparagus stalks and wrap them in bundles of five, however larger stalks also work if you wrap them in bundles of three.
- Bacon — As a general rule, thinner bacon works best for this recipe. If using thicker cut bacon, cook the bacon until it begins to become transparent before wrapping the bundles.
- Brown sugar and soy sauce — Bring to a boil with a pat of butter to make a delicious sticky glaze. To make this recipe keto-friendly substituting Truvia brown sugar blend will result in less carbs.
How to make Bacon Wrapped Asparagus in Oven
STEP 1 : Prep the asparagus
Rinse asparagus spears under cool water to remove any grit and remove the tough ends.
Dry the asparagus by rolling the stalks between paper towels or kitchen towels. Divide the asparagus into bundles of 3 to 5, depending on the thickness of the stalks.
STEP 2 | Wrap in bacon
Wrap a piece of thin-sliced bacon around each bundle of asparagus. Secure bacon slices by threading a toothpick through the bacon. This will make it easier to remove once the bacon has cooked.
Remember, if you use thick-cut bacon it will need to be partially cooked first. Otherwise, the asparagus will get overdone before the bacon gets crisp.
tip
- Cook bacon without splatter! Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the bacon strips on the baking sheet an inch apart and cook until crispy, about 18 – 20 minutes. To partially cook thick cut bacon for these bundles, check at 7 – 8 minutes.
STEP 3 | Make the glaze
In a small saucepan over medium high heat, bring the brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, and garlic powder to a boil. Pour the mixture mostly over the bacon pieces in the casserole dish.
STEP 4 | Bake
After the asparagus bundles bake for 20 minutes, turn on the broiler and watch carefully until the bacon is nice and crispy. Before serving, remember to remove the toothpicks.
Serving suggestions
Serve bacon wrapped asparagus with a few other fancy appetizers (like pan seared scallops with lemon butter and roasted red pepper and artichoke tapenade) for a fun and tasty tapas meal!
Frequently asked questions
Hold the asparagus by the tip in one hand and the end in the other hand. Bend gently and the spear will naturally snap off the tougher end leaving the tenderest part of the stalk.
This dish is best served immediately after cooking, however you can prep and wrap the asparagus bundles ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Then, just before serving cover with the glaze and bake.
I think you could certainly freeze the uncooked bundles without the sauce provided you blanch the asparagus first.
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Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh asparagus ends trimmed
- 5-6 slices bacon
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Divide asparagus into five or six bundles, depending on the size of your asparagus, and carefully wrap a piece of bacon around each and secure with a toothpick. Place the bundles in a casserole dish, toothpick side down.
- Combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, butter, and garlic powder in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Remove from the stove and season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Pour the glaze over the asparagus bundles, being sure to completely coat the bacon.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then increase the heat to broil and bake for another 5 to 6 minutes, watching carefully and turning often, until the bacon is crisp.
- Remove the toothpicks and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- This dish is best served immediately after cooking, however you can prep and wrap the asparagus bundles ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Then, just before serving cover with the glaze and bake.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Beyond the recipe
This Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Recipe was adapted from one featured by Trisha Yearwood on her Food Network show where she does her own cooking for family and friends.
After watching her show, I started searching for her original recipe when I landed on her Facebook page. Did you know she does a live video feed Saturday morning called coffee talk in her pjs and without makeup. Go, Trisha!
Absolutely the BEST way we’ve ever had asparagus……and we make them a lot! I used maple bacon but followed the recipe exact.
That sauce takes these bundles to a whole new level!!
Made this for my coworkers and they loved it! Followed the recipe as written, only difference was that I used maple bacon and it made it umm umm good!
This looks great!
Would it work on the BBQ?
Michelle, I would not try this recipe on the grill because the sauce needs to be contained in a baking dish.
Love this recipe!! I half cooked the bacon before I wrapped the asparagus to ensure crisp bacon but followed the rest of the recipe as written and it was PERFECT! No veggie leftovers this time!
Great tip! Glad you loved the asparagus!
Love Love this recipe!! I did half cook the bacon before wrapping it but did everything else as the recipe calls for and it was PERFECT! no left over veggies at all!
This looks great. I could substitute the soy sauce for a gluten free version and the brown sugar for a substitute and make this keto friendly and gluten free. Thanks for sharing!
Made this last year for thanksgiving work lunch and my employees loved it. They requested again this year.
I love all things asparagus and bacon so pass this plate my way 🙂
I seriously think there is no better way to enjoy asparagus than with bacon wrapped around it. Delish!
I pretty much love any asparagus dish, but you definitely had my attention with the “bacon wrapped” here! 😉
Best side dish ever!!! This will be on the menu next week for sure!
I love this recipe for entertaining, but also for weeknight dinners! My family loves asparagus and bacon!
Thanks, Lori – I agree everyone deserves a special weeknight meal!
Such a great appetizer. I would eat the entire batch all by myself. Bacon and asparagus? Yes please!
It definitely is tempting!
This is a great recipe! I baked it in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes as the recipe stated with the boiled mixture on top. Then I put them on the grill for about 5 minutes turning to crisp the bacon on all sides. I poured a little of the mixture on top. The asparagus was perfectly done and the bacon was wonderful. We loved this recipe!!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the review and rating 🙂