Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus (2024)

By Irena Macri
|Published: Dec 2, 2012
|Updated: May 27, 2024
|48 Comments

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These grilled prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears are great as an appetizer or finger food at parties and it’s a fun and easy way to cook nutritious asparagus. This dish is paleo, low-carb and keto, gluten-free and Whole30.

Asparagus and prosciutto are a match made in heaven. The nutty and earthy flavour of the asparagus spears is complimented by the saltiness and crispiness of the ham. They can be grilled on a barbecue, pan-fried or broiled in the oven under a grill.

These prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears are great for entertaining guests or serving as a starter dish at a dinner party. I also like to dip these in soft-boiled eggs instead of toasted bread.

How To Make Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Trim 2 cm off the ends of the asparagus and wash them.
Halve the prosciutto strips lengthways to make 12 strips.
Place a strip on a chopping board at a 45-degree angle, lay an asparagus spear across it, aligning the tip with the strip’s bottom. Wrap the prosciutto tightly around the spear, starting at the bottom, rolling it up at an angle to cover most of the asparagus.
Heat ghee or olive oil in a large frying pan until sizzling, then fry the wrapped spears for 1-2 minutes on each side until the prosciutto is brown and crispy.

Recipe Tips

Make sure to get good quality prosciutto from your local deli, it should be cut paper-thin. Very thin bacon or Spanish jamon slices can also be used.

You can pre-wrap the asparagus with prosciutto ahead of time and store it in the fridge until guests arrive. It’s best served just off the grill. When I first made these, I used the whole prosciutto slice to wrap around each asparagus spear but it was a little too salty so I recommend using half of the strip as suggested in the instructions.

👩‍🍳 You can serve prosciutto asparagus as is or with a dipping sauce such as my delicious Romesco sauce, Bang Bang sauce, or sun-dried tomato aioli.

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Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Author: Irena Macri

Servings: 12 spears

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

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5 from 1 vote

Calories: 27kcal

Prosciutto wrapped asparagus is the perfect dish to serve as an appetizer or finger food. You can use thin bacon instead and double or triple the ingredients for a larger batch. This recipe is paleo, gluten-free, keto, and Whole30-friendly.

Ingredients

▢ 12 spears asparagus
▢ 6 slices prosciutto
▢ 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil/ghee for frying

Instructions

Wash asparagus and cut 2-cm off the ends. Cut prosciutto strips into two halves, going lengthways. You should end up with 12 strips.
Place each prosciutto strip on a chopping board at a 45-degree angle. Place one of the asparagus spears on top of the meat, perpendicular to it. The tip of the asparagus should be lined up with the bottom of the prosciutto strip. Wrap the bottom end of prosciutto over the asparagus and holding the meat tight, start rolling the asparagus up. The prosciutto strip will wrap around the whole length of the spear because it’s on an angle. Don’t worry if parts of the asparagus spears are not covered completely.
Heat some ghee in a large, flat frying pan to sizzling hot. Fry wrapped asparagus spears for 1-2 minutes on each side or until prosciutto is brown and crispy.

Notes

Thin bacon rashers could be used instead of prosciutto in this recipe.

Nutrition

Keywords: Grilled Vegetables, Asparagus, Prosciutto, Italian recipes, Appetizers

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By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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Comments

48 Comments

This looks so good! Your photos are really beautiful too.
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Your photo is quite impressive. I’m looking forward to trying this in one of my quiche recipes.
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Hi! i’m trying this tmr for my pre-christmas dinner and i was wondering if the asparagus spears are too raw. i mean, should I cook them first for a couple of mins? thanks! and looks delicious!
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1. No need to cook prior. Asparagus only needs a couple of minutes cooking or it loses its crunch, which we want in this dish. 🙂
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  1. Great question! Thanks to all of you who wrote comments. They were all pretty much helpful to me. The very thin bacon works really well… Only problem is, Wait for it, …the number of times a week I will be eating it . Finally found something my husband will eat any time.
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Served this dish as part of our holiday brunch and they were loved by everyone! So simple and easy to put together! Thank you for such a wonderful, and inspiring recipe!
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Can this be sautéed in standard butter, not ghee?
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1. Absolutely! You can use macadamia oil or any other fat as well.
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num….
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I just made this as a side for dinner, and it’s one of the most amazing recipes ever. We could have doubled the amount and made it the entire meal!
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After seeing this post on Pinterest, I made these for my NYE party. They were a big hit and the first appetizer go! We also found out that asparagus has been found to boost enzymes that help break down alcohol. Two birds. One stone. ^_^
Thanks!
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1. Asparagus Mojitos???? That might just work 😉 or maybe Bloody Mary with asparagus skewers…good tip there 🙂
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Think this would work with other meats? Like Turkey bacon?
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1. Sure, the thinner the bacon/meat the easier it’s going to be to roll. With thicker cuts of meat like bacon you will have to fry them for a little longer to get them crispy. 🙂
  See Also
  Healthier Fig Rolls (Vegan & Gluten-free)
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2. it is very tasty wrapped with any type of bacon
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  1. Anything is tasty wrapped in bacon.
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  2. Just the question I was wondering
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Hi there!
Great idea! Instead of frying though, is it possible to bake them?
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1. You can probably bake them but I reckon it needs high heat so perhaps doing under the grill in the oven or baking on very high temperature. My concern is that the ham might not get crispy enough and won’t stick to the asparagus as well. Give it a go though.
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These are also really good with parmesan under the ham (if you’re not avoiding dairy) then baked in the oven (a la Delia Smith!) love your recipes!
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1. Oh yum, I should try that.
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These were great! Instead of frying them I lined a pan with foil and drizzled olive oil over them and baked them for about 18 minutes. These were a big hit!
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1. Jessica, what oven temperature did you use?
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This is so simple! Great idea and great pictures. Will have to try.
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Easy Recipes
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Hi! Made these tonight to accompany grilled chicken. Did them on the grill – worked great! But, in reference to your suggested high heat, I want to confirm that is the case even on the grill. I cooked them on medium for most of the time, then cranked it up to brown the meat. They were delicious, and I can happily say that I have finally found a way to get my kids to eat asparagus! 😀 YAY!
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These are my go-to hors d’oeuvre.
Always a crowd pleaser.
I put fresh cracked pepper and fleur de sel on them and put them on the grill, which give a hint of smokey flavor that rocks.
All the best,
Nannette Eaton
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What is prosciutto slices? And where do I find it?
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1. Prosciutto is a salt cured, dry aged Italian ham. It has a delicate, buttery texture and is usually very thinly sliced. You can find it in the deli section normally or gourmet food section. It can be used in many recipes.
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Thanks, made these today and they were really tasty and easy to make
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Does the asparagus have to be cooked first? Raw or cooked asparagus?
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1. Raw- it will cook while cooking with the ham.
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Can I grill instead of pan fry?
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1. Yes!
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This sounds so yummy! And I love how simple it is! I am working on a round-up for my blog and would love to feture this (with a photo and link back!) I think it fits perfectly with the post!
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Thank you so much for this recipe. I love asparagus but cannot get my family to eat them. This makes them crunchy and with perfect amount of saltiness, giving my family every reason to eat them! I’ve made this recipe at least a dozen times by now.
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1. Thanks Auzeen 🙂 I am glad your has been converted to asparagus 😉
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I don’t think it was the bacon, mate. There are 100+1 factors that contribute to CVD and fat is not the worst of them.
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Hi. I’m a novice cook and throwing a small summer gathering. As it’s recommended to serve immediately, would the Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus be an option as finger food, or better saved for a seated event?
Many thanks!
Dawn
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1. You can serve it as either of those but I think it’s easier to just enjoy as finger food.
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What is ghee~
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1. Clarified butter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghee
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Could this be made in the oven?
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1. Only if you do it under the grill/broil in the oven at high temperature. Otherwise, you won’t’ get that crispy finish.
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Can I cook them ahead of my guests arriving
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1. Yes, you can. They can be refrigerated but I recommend giving them a brief grill or quick oven reheat before serving.
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Can you bake them in the oven
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1. I recommend pan-frying/. grilling. You could try broiling them/grilling them in the oven on Broil/grill setting.
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