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There is nothing more addictive than tender asparagus spears wrapped in salty, crispy prosciutto. It only takes 4 ingredients and 30 minutes for this simple and delicious appetizer!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Asparagus. Look for thicker stalks (as opposed to thinner ones) that are firm, straight, and have healthy looking tips that haven’t gone to seed.
- Prosciutto. This delicately smoky, earthy tasting Italian salt-cured cured ham is sold in small, 3- to 4-ounce packages. There are usually about 2 slices of prosciutto per ounce—sometimes 3. And yes, you can eat the rest, if you’re lucky enough to have extra. You don’t even have to cook it.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, foil, or a silicone sheet to help with cleanup. Prepare the asparagus by trimming or snapping off the very ends of the stalks, which can be tough or woody.
- Then gently tear one slice of the prosciutto in half, down the middle—or as close to it—as possible. Don’t worry about getting things exactly even. Prosciutto softens quickly, so work with only one spear of asparagus at a time. Wrap the prosciutto snugly around the middle of the asparagus.
- Then place the wrapped asparagus on the prepared baking sheet and repeat until all the prosciutto or asparagus (hopefully both) are used up. Brush the spears with some olive oil, making sure to cover the tips, which will dry out as they roast. Sprinkle a little fresh ground pepper over everything before baking.
- Bake the asparagus at 400 degrees until the spears are tender and the prosciutto is crisp—about 20 minutes. Garnish with a little lemon zest and Parmesan cheese, if you like.
Recipe tips and variations
- Slightly thicker asparagus works best: Look for asparagus spears that are about the diameter of your little finger, instead of the pencil-thin variety that you can find year-round.
- Prosciutto substitutions: Try bacon or Spanish Serrano ham. You could also try pancetta, another Italian pork product, if it is sliced thin enough (pancetta is also salt-cured, but not smoked, so it needs to be cooked before eating).
- Bundles: Wrap 5-6 spears together with one whole slice of prosciutto, and roast as directed. This makes a fabulous individual vegetable side for guests.
- Balsamic drizzle: Drizzle a small amount of syrupy balsamic reduction (a thicker concentrate of balsamic vinegar) over the platter of cooked asparagus just before serving.
- Make ahead: You can prepare these the day before you need them and store them in the refrigerator.
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can eat the prosciutto wrapped asparagus cold, at room temperature, or reheated in the oven.
More asparagus recipes
Salad Recipes
Asparagus Salad
Vegetable Recipes
Roasted Asparagus
Soup and Stew Recipes
Cream of Asparagus Soup
Working with Fruits and Vegetables
How to Blanch Asparagus
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Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
There is nothing more addictive than tender asparagus spears wrapped in salty, crispy prosciutto. It only takes 4 ingredients and 30 minutes for this simple and delicious appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus (look for thicker stems that are about 1-ounce each)
- 4 ounces prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon zest or lemon wedges, for garnish, optional
- shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat for easy cleanup.
- Remove the woody, tough ends from the asparagus. To do this, grab a handful of stems (5-6 at a time) and start to fold near the bottom of the stem. Each stem should break at the spot where it starts to toughen.
- Cut each piece of prosciutto into quarters (you should have about 16 pieces). Working with one asparagus stem at a time, wrap a piece of prosciutto around the middle of the stem. Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining prosciutto and asparagus.
- Brush the wrapped stems lightly with olive oil, concentrating most on the flowery tops which dry out easily. Sprinkle with pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon).
- Bake until the asparagus stems are tender and the prosciutto is crisp, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Slightly thicker asparagus works best: Look for asparagus spears that are about the diameter of your little finger, instead of the pencil-thin variety that you can find year-round.
- Prosciutto substitutions: Try bacon or Spanish Serrano ham. You could also try pancetta, another Italian pork product, if it is sliced thin enough (pancetta is also salt-cured, but not smoked, so it needs to be cooked before eating).
- Bundles: Wrap 5-6 spears together with one whole slice of prosciutto, and roast as directed. This makes a fabulous individual vegetable side for guests.
- Balsamic drizzle: Drizzle a small amount of syrupy balsamic reduction (a thicker concentrate of balsamic vinegar) over the platter of cooked asparagus just before serving.
- Make ahead: You can prepare these the day before you need them and store them in the refrigerator.
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can eat the prosciutto wrapped asparagus cold, at room temperature, or reheated in the oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 4piecesCalories: 203kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 190mgPotassium: 285mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 857IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 3mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
