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Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus transforms fresh, tender asparagus into a crispy, flavor-packed favorite by wrapping each bundle in savory bacon and cooking it to perfection in the air fryer. The result is tender-crisp asparagus with beautifully browned, crispy bacon. They’re perfect as an easy party appetizer, holiday side dish, or simple weeknight addition to dinner.
If you love combining bacon and vegetables, you have to try these air fryer Brussels sprouts with bacon next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
These are fabulous! I made Eggs Benedict using the Pillsbury Grand biscuits, then Hollandaise sauce (in a package by Knoll’s), and finally this recipe. Poured the sauce over the EB and the asparagus. Absolutely wonderful!
-Robin
Quick Look At This Recipe
- ✨ Flavor: Savory, smoky, and slightly crisp with tender-crisp asparagus wrapped in perfectly browned bacon.
- ⏱️ Prep time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook time: 12 minutes
- ⏲️ Total time: 22 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 🥄 Tools: Air fryer and tongs for flipping
- ❄️ Freezer friendly: No, they’re best served freshly made.
- 👩🏻🍳 Tip: Use regular bacon with medium asparagus for even cooking, and flip halfway for the crispiest results.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Versatile: This easy side dish goes with almost every meal too! Serve them with air fryer grilled chicken breasts or air fryer meatloaf for a simple meal with almost no prep time!
- Cook Quickly with Less Mess: Ready in about 20 minutes, and you don’t have to deal with the excess bacon grease splattering on the stove top!
- Only Three Ingredients: Just bacon, asparagus, and a bit of olive oil to make this easy appetizer or side dish.
Making vegetables in the air fryer is so easy because they turn out so tender, but crispy. If you love easy vegetable recipes, add these air fryer frozen vegetables or air fryer vegetable kabobs to your next meal.
Ingredients
- Asparagus: Choose fresh, firm asparagus spears with tightly closed tips and vibrant green color. Medium-thick spears work best for air fryer bacon wrapped asparagus because they cook at about the same rate as regular-cut bacon. Very thin asparagus can overcook before the bacon crisps, while extra-thick spears may need a minute or two longer. Trim or snap off the woody ends before wrapping. You may also love our crispy air fryer asparagus fries or classic air fryer roasted asparagus spears.
- Bacon: Use regular-cut bacon for the best texture balance. Regular bacon crisps up in the same time it takes the asparagus to cook. Thick-cut bacon can take longer to render and may leave the asparagus overcooked before the bacon is fully crisp. We also use bacon to make these bacon wrapped scallops in the air fryer and air fryer bacon wrapped smokies.
- Extra virgin olive oil: A light drizzle helps the asparagus stay tender while encouraging the bacon to brown evenly. This also helps any seasonings you may add stick better and prevents the asparagus from drying out in the circulating air.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list with quantities.
Variations
- Flavored Bacon: Swap traditional bacon for a flavored variety like jalapeño, maple, or peppered bacon. This is one of the easiest ways to change the flavor without altering the method.
- Sweet & Savory Twist: If you love that sweet-salty combo, lightly brush the bacon with about a teaspoon of maple syrup or sprinkle a small pinch of brown sugar over the top before air frying. The sugar caramelizes as it cooks, creating a glossy, lightly candied finish, like in this air-fried candied bacon. Keep an eye on it during the last few minutes so it doesn’t darken too much.
- Spicy Kick: For heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne over the asparagus before wrapping.
- Parmesan Finish: For a savory, slightly nutty boost, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the wrapped asparagus immediately after air frying so the residual heat softens the cheese. Try our air fried Parmesan Brussels sprouts next!
- Prosciutto Wrapped: Use prosciutto instead of bacon for a thinner, more delicate wrap. It cooks faster and won’t become as crisp as bacon. Reduce the cook time slightly and watch closely to prevent over-drying. This variation creates a more elegant appetizer-style presentation.
If you love bacon, check out our other favorite air fryer bacon wrapped recipes.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Asparagus in the Air Fryer
To get started, rinse the asparagus and then pat them dry. Lightly brush the asparagus with olive oil and cut each piece of bacon in half.
- Wrap each half slice of bacon around two or three asparagus spears at a time, making asparagus bundles. Place the bacon wrapped asparagus in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 370° F for 12-14 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. Turn over halfway through cooking time.
Recipe Tips
- Use Regular-Cut Bacon: Regular-cut bacon cooks at about the same rate as the asparagus, giving you crisp bacon and tender spears at the same time. If you use thick-cut bacon, expect to add 1–2 extra minutes and keep a close eye on it so the asparagus doesn’t overcook.
- Choose Similar-Sized Spears: Try to select asparagus that’s medium thickness and fairly uniform in size. Very thin spears can become too soft before the bacon crisps, while extra-thick stalks may need additional cook time. Even sizing helps everything finish cooking together.
- Adjust Bundle Size as Needed: If your asparagus spears are thinner, you can wrap 3–4 together. For thicker stalks, 2 per bundle works best. Avoid overcrowding the bacon so heat can circulate and crisp it evenly.
- Know Your Air Fryer Type: Cook times can vary slightly (1-2 minutes) depending on your air fryer model and wattage. For basket-style air fryers, arrange the bundles in a single layer with space between them and flip halfway through cooking. For oven-style air fryers, use the rack or tray and still flip midway for even browning.
- Prep Ahead for Easy Entertaining: You can assemble the bacon-wrapped asparagus up to 24 hours in advance. Store the bundles covered in the refrigerator, then air fry just before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can use thick-cut bacon, but it will require a slightly longer cook time and works best with thicker asparagus and fewer stalks per bundle. Because thick-cut bacon takes longer to render and crisp, you may need to add 1–3 extra minutes. Keep a close eye on the asparagus so it doesn’t become overly soft before the bacon finishes browning.
To keep the bacon secure, place each bundle seam-side down in the air fryer basket so the circulating heat helps seal it in place. Avoid overlapping pieces and keep them in a single layer. If a strip feels loose, you can secure it with a toothpick before cooking and remove it before serving.
Yes, you can bake bacon wrapped asparagus in a conventional oven. Arrange the bundles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for about 18–25 minutes, depending on bacon thickness, flipping halfway through. The oven method works well but may take a bit longer to achieve the same crispness as the air fryer.
Yes! It works, but the texture will be slightly different. Turkey bacon tends to be leaner and may not crisp as much as pork bacon. Watch closely during cooking, as it can brown quickly, and adjust the cook time as needed to prevent over-drying.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to three days. The best way to reheat leftovers is in the air fryer at 350°F for 2–4 minutes until warmed through and crisp again. Avoid reheating in the microwave, as it will soften the bacon and make it chewy rather than crisp.
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Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus
- ½ pound bacon
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Trim the ends of the asparagus stalks, about one to two inches.
- Rinse the freshly cut asparagus.
- Lightly brush the asparagus with olive oil.
- Cut bacon slices in half, then wrap a slice of bacon around two or three stalks of asparagus
- Place the asparagus in the basket of the air fryer.
- Cook at 370° Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes, depending on bacon crispness your prefer.
Notes
- Use regular-cut bacon for best results, as it crisps at the same rate the asparagus becomes tender. If using thick-cut bacon, add 1–2 minutes and watch closely.
- Choose medium, evenly sized asparagus so everything cooks at the same pace. Thin spears soften quickly, while very thick stalks may need extra time.
- Wrap 2 thick spears or 3–4 thinner spears per bundle, and avoid overcrowding so the bacon can crisp properly.
- Cooking times may vary slightly by air fryer model. Arrange in a single layer and flip halfway through for even browning.
- You can assemble the bundles up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to air fry.
- For larger stalks of asparagus, you can use an entire slice of bacon to wrap them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are fabulous! I made Eggs Benedict using the Pillsbury Grand biscuits, then Hollandaise sauce (in a package by Knoll’s), and finally this recipe. Poured the sauce over the EB and the asparagus. Absolutely wonderful!
That sounds delicious! Thank you!