Air Fryer Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Andrea + Stef — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 22:34:28 +0000

Vegetable rut? Air fryer prosciutto wrapped asparagus spears will breathe new life into your dinner routine! It’s perfectly tender and crisp with the just the right amount of fatty, salty flavor. Make this gluten free, easy side dish with some easy cheesy garlic rolls or copycat Lion House rolls, then pair both with a grilled steak, roast chicken or fresh fish and you’ve got a home run meal that will satisfy your whole family.

Air fryer asparagus wrapped in slices of prosciutto is also great on its own as an appetizer for game day, dinner parties, or simply as a healthy snack. We’ll show you how long to cook asparagus in the air fryer, what to put on asparagus and how to wrap prosciutto around asparagus. Once you try it, we’re pretty sure you’ll never go back!

WHAT IS PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS?

Asparagus is a nutrition-packed, high-fiber green vegetable that grows in thin spears. It has a delicate, sweet and slightly bitter green flavor. Prosciutto slices are made from Italian cured ham. It’s similar to American-style bacon but lower in cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium. Still, it contributes just the right amount of extra flavor (a little salty, a little sweet) and delicious fatty protein to this tender, lightly sweet veggie.

Air fryers are essentially small, table-top convection ovens so, when you air fry prosciutto wrapped asparagus, the circulating hot air gives you crisp results and reduces your total time for cooking.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS SAVORY ASPARAGUS RECIPE

✔️ Nutrient-packed, low calorie vegetable wrapped in protein!

✔️ Full of bright and salty flavor; tender and crispy texture.

✔️ Keto friendly carbohydrate and gluten free.

✔️ Cooks in 8 minutes in the air fryer.

INGREDIENTS

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

You may have all of these air fryer prosciutto wrapped asparagus ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Asparagus: Use fresh asparagus, not frozen.
Prosciutto: You can use pre-sliced prosciutto or substitute thinly-sliced bacon.
Olive oil: You can also use avocado or vegetable oil. Alternatively, you can use a nonstick cooking spray.
Black pepper: Fresh ground is best, but you can use what you have on-hand.
Parmesan cheese: Fresh grated is preferred but you can use pre-grated cheese in your grocer’s refrigerated deli case.

VARIATIONS: Try Different Seasoning Blends!

Zesty lemon – To brighten the flavor, add a dash of salt and a squeeze of lemon and small amount of lemon zest after cooking. Great for serving with fresh fish.

Soy sauce and garlic – Great for pairing with grilled meats. Before cooking, drizzle with soy or teriyaki sauce and diced garlic (or garlic powder).

Ranch seasoning – Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of ranch seasoning instead of parmesan cheese.

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook prosciutto wrapped asparagus in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

PREPARE: Wash and dry, the snap off or cut the woody ends of the asparagus.

🔴 TIP: This recipe works better with medium to thick asparagus.

WRAP: Cut the prosciutto in half, lengthwise. Then wrap it around the prosciutto, trying not to overlap itself too much.

SEASON: Brush the tips with olive oil and sprinkle the asparagus with black pepper.

COOK: Place asparagus into the air fryer basket. Cook at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes or until the asparagus is bright green and the prosciutto is looking a bit crispy. Remove from the air fryer.

SERVE: Sprinkle some grated parmesan over the asparagus and serve.

🔴 TIP: Try sprinkling your asparagus with fresh parmesan before cooking for a different taste.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

Air Fryer – This recipe requires an air fryer. You could also adapt this recipe to the convection oven.

HOW TO MAKE PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED ASPARAGUS AHEAD

Prep your asparagus by wrapping them in prosciutto up to 1 day ahead of time. Store them in your refrigerator until ready to cook. It’s best to cook your asparagus as close to serving time as possible. If cooked too far ahead of time, it will wilt and become chewy.

HOW TO ROAST PROSCIUTTO ASPARAGUS IN THE OVEN

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Wash and dry asparagus.
Cut off the woody ends.
Wrap prosciutto around the asparagus.
Brush the sips of the stalk with oil.
Sprinkle with pepper.
Place on a parchment lined prepared baking sheet or pan. Cook for 10 minutes or until the prosciutto is beginning to darken and the asparagus is tender crisp.

TIPS FOR THE BEST ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Follow these tips to make the best air fryer prosciutto wrapped asparagus.

✔️ Remove the woody ends before cooking. If you hold the asparagus in your hand and bend it should snap the woody ends off.

✔️ Brush asparagus tips with oil for the best flavor.

✔️ Wrap prosciutto around the asparagus in a single layer. Prosciutto that’s rolled over itself will not cook as well.

✔️ Do not overcook. Cook until just tender crisp and the prosciutto is beginning to brown.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: You can refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, return to the air fryer for a 1-2 minutes. Alternatively you can reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Freeze: We do not recommend freezing because it will not maintain its crispiness when thawed and reheated.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH ASPARAGUS

Serve air fryer prosciutto wrapped asparagus with chicken in white wine sauce with mushrooms, baked salmon will lemon and dill, or one of our main course air fryer recipes below. And, your meal wouldn’t be complete without these easy cheesy garlic rolls or copycat Lion House rolls.

MORE AIR FRYER VEGETABLE RECIPES

If you love love air fryer vegetables like prosciutto wrapped asparagus, then we know you’ll enjoy our air fryer broccoli, cauliflower or brussels sprouts with bacon.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking (one of the keywords).

Can you make bacon wrapped asparagus in air air fryer?

Air frying is one of the best ways to cook bacon or prosciutto wrapped asparagus because the circulating air cooks it quickly and delivers that perfectly tender, crispy texture that makes this dish so great.

How long do you cook bacon wrapped asparagus in the air fryer?

Bacon or prosciutto wrapped asparagus takes about 7 to 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer, depending on the thickness of the asparagus and the type and size of air fryer you are using.

Should I soak my asparagus before cooking?

You will definitely want to clean your asparagus well to remove any dirt or bugs before cooking but soaking asparagus before cooking is unnecessary.

Should I blanch asparagus before air frying?

Is it not necessary to blanch your asparagus before cooking it in the air fryer. Thicker, woodier stalks may take slightly longer to cook, which is simple as adding a few minutes to air fryer cooking time.

What meat goes with asparagus?

Asparagus pairs well with rich or fatty roasted or grilled meats and fish. Tuna, salmon, scallops or crab cakes are excellent seafood options. Roast chicken or beef, grilled steaks, or burgers are excellent traditional meat options. Asparagus also pairs well with soups, dips (like ranch dip) or hearty vegetable pasta dishes.

How do you make asparagus not chewy?

Asparagus is a somewhat delicate vegetable, meaning it can go from crisp to chewy pretty fast. To avoid this, don’t cook it too far in advance. Cook it right before the rest of your meal is ready to eat.

How do you reheat roasted asparagus?

To reheat asparagus in the air fryer, preheat it to 350°F and arrange the asparagus in a single layer in the basket. Lightly spray the asparagus with oil, then heat it for 1-2 minutes. It doesn’t take long to cook so check it after a minute.