If you want a side dish or appetizer that is quick to make and tastes delicious, look no further than my Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus recipe. The Asparagus balances the saltiness from the bacon perfectly. They are delicious.
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When looking for an easy side dish, we can go to our usual favorites, and asparagus as a vegetable can often be overlooked. Although it is considered tasty and delicious in its own right, we can often overcook it, leaving it soft and limp. Not anymore! Cooking asparagus has never been easier now that you can cook them in the air fryer. Wrapping each asparagus stem with bacon adds to the flavor, and the result is a crisp and satisfying side dish or appetizer.
I love how simple the air fryer makes cooking vegetables, which is ideal for any bacon lover. You can lock in all those nutrients and flavors and get perfectly cooked veggies every time—no more limp, soft, and soggy side dishes. So if you want to give the perfect bacon-wrapped asparagus a go, then this is everything you need to know to make it.
Ingredients needed for the Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- 1 pound of asparagus
- 1 pound of bacon
- 1 Tbsp of olive oil
- ½ Tsp of salt
- ¼ Tsp of pepper
Looking for more delicious air fryer vegetable recipes? Give these reader favorites a try!
Roasted Air Fryer Red Potatoes | Honey Glazed Air Fryer Carrots | Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips | Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes with Savory Seasoning
How to make the Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Now that you have got all of the ingredients together, let’s make the Asparagus air fryer recipe.
Step one: Prepare the asparagus
One of the first things you will need to do is prepare the asparagus. Snap off the brittle asparagus ends and give the spears a good wash. You can then dry the asparagus with a paper towel and put them on a plate.
Step two: Seasoning the asparagus
Now add a little bit of flavor. Add the olive oil, a little salt, and black pepper, and with your hands, make sure the whole of the asparagus is coated with the flavors.
Step three: Time for the bacon
Next, you will want to separate the asparagus into bundles of 5. Take the bacon slices and begin to wrap them around the middle of the bundle. Continue with the other bundles until they are wrapped with the bacon as well.
Step four: Cooking the asparagus
Add the bundles of asparagus spears to the air fryer basket. Make sure you give each bundle space and spread it out in a single layer so that they cook evenly and crisp up. Heat the air fryer to 390f degrees Fahrenheit and set the timer for 7 minutes. Once the air fryer has finished, take out the asparagus bundles and serve them as a delicious side dish or appetizer. Yum!
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Recipe Notes and Tips
It doesn’t matter whether you are a seasoned pro in the kitchen or a novice; it is always a good idea to get some helpful hints and tips to help make things easy. No matter how simple it is, there will always be some extra guidance. I have a couple of suggestions and notes that will help you when making this recipe.
- It is a good idea to use thin slices of bacon. You want the finished result to end up with crispy bacon. If you use thick-cut bacon, it won’t crisp up as well.
- Make sure you don’t overcrowd the air fryer. If your basket isn’t big enough, you can cook the asparagus in batches. Giving them space helps them to cook evenly and crisp up to perfection.
Variations to try
Sometimes it is nice to vary things, know what you can substitute, and try new flavors. So I thought I would share with you some of the variations that you might want to try with this recipe.
- Do you like the idea of adding a bit of spice? You could sprinkle over chili flakes or cayenne pepper when coasting the asparagus in olive oil, salt, and pepper. This will give the asparagus a gentle kick.
- Other seasonings you might want to consider would be garlic powder, garlic granules, or fresh crushed garlic. You could also add lemon juice and lemon zest or smokey paprika for a different flavor, and brown sugar can also caramelize the asparagus and bacon.
- Bacon-wrapped vegetables are the way forward. This method would work well with zucchini, bell peppers, and thin strips of carrot.
- Don’t have an air fryer? You can cook these in your oven. It should take around 30 minutes to do so.
- Fancy a different type of bacon? Turkey bacon will work well with this recipe.
- Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the top to make the perfect side dish.
FAQs
When it comes to recipes, there will always be questions. I thought I would cover some of the most frequently asked questions here. Please feel free to get in touch if your question isn’t covered in the recipe.
How do I choose the best asparagus?
Size doesn’t really matter when it comes to the perfect asparagus, but you do want the stems to be fresh. The ends should break off really easily.
How should I store any leftovers?
It is always best to enjoy these fresh from the air fryer, but you can store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Just pop them back in the air fryer for 2 minutes when you want to reheat them.
Can I use frozen asparagus for this recipe?
Yes, you can! You may need to be mindful that the cooking time might differ when cooking them from frozen, but they will taste just as good.
Why do I snap the ends of the asparagus?
The ends are the woody bit of the asparagus spear, which is inedible. If you bend the asparagus, it should naturally bend at the woody ends and break where the brittle part of the asparagus stem ends. If in doubt, cut where the asparagus naturally bends.
Can I make this ahead of time?
I wouldn’t recommend cooking this ahead of time as these are best served fresh out of the air fryer, but you can prepare them in advance and let them sit in the refrigerator until you need to cook them. It will save time when it comes to preparation.
I hope you enjoy your Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Equipment
Instructions
- Snap off asparagus ends and wash the asparagus
- Dry the asparagus and put them on a plate
- Then add the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- With your hands move the asparagus around so they all get coated
- Separate asparagus in bundles of 5. Add a piece of bacon wrapped around the middle of the bundle.
- Then place your asparagus in the Air Fryer basket. Make sure you give them room to cook.
- Heat the Air Fryer to 390 F and cook for 7 minutes.
- Take out of the Air fryer and serve warm.