Name: Bacon wrapped asparagus in the air fryer
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 lb asparagus (about 35 spears); 1 tablespoon olive oil; ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground); 1 lb beef bacon (about 7-8 slices)

Jump to Recipe

Bacon wrapped asparagus in the air fryer is the perfect combination of deliciousness! Crisp asparagus spears are wrapped with smoky beef bacon then air fried until crispy perfection! If you love asparagus and bacon this is a recipe that you’ll want to make on repeat!

Bacon wrapped asparagus on a plate with lemon slices on a plate.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.

Asparagus wrapped in bacon can be the perfect keto-friendly snack or side dish. Or if you aren’t on any diet, it’s the best way to eat this spring vegetable! The asparagus is perfectly cooked in the air fryer. It isn’t dry but has a perfectly crisp exterior with a little crunch to it. The bacon is of course the best part and makes this recipe even more incredible!

If you need a quick snack, appetizer or side dish for a party or holiday meal air fryer bacon-wrapped asparagus is an incredible dish to serve! It takes about 15 minutes to make with 3 ingredients – fresh asparagus, bacon, and oil, and everyone will love it!

Recipe Ingredients

Asparagus – Fresh asparagus spears, roughly 1lb or 35ish spears. Fresh will be the best for this recipe in terms of flavor and texture.
Beef bacon – I used 1 whole pack of beef bacon which is about 7 – 8 pieces per pack. Turkey bacon can be used as well!
Seasonings – You don’t need to add any additional salt to the asparagus because the bacon already has enough salt in it. I added a bit of black pepper but it’s optional!
Oil – Even though bacon is fatty, rubbing a little bit of oil on the asparagus helps to keep it from drying out too much in the air fryer.

How to choose the best asparagus

Look for thin asparagus spears not thick ones. Thick asparagus often has a woody texture and its hard to chew, even if you cut off the ends. Thinner spears are more tender and easier/ more enjoyable to eat.

How to prep asparagus for the air fryer

Give the asparagus a good rinse then pat dry with paper towels. Cut off 1 – 2 inches off the ends to remove any wooden texture.

Alternatively, you could take the asparagus in both hands – one on each end then gentle bend the asparagus until it breaks naturally. This method can also help to avoid the woody texture of asparagus because the woody part would ideally be all on the heavier and denser side.

Rub with olive oil and black pepper then you are ready to wrap the asparagus in bacon!

Raw bacon wrapped asparagus on a cutting mat.

What to eat with bacon wrapped asparagus

Tips and Tricks

You can wrap the bacon around the asparagus bundles more spread out than I did so that the bacon can cook a bit more evenly and get extra crispy. The only thing is you might need to wrap only 3 – 4 pieces of asparagus so that they will stay together better.
Leave room between each asparagus bundle so that the circulating hot air of the air fryer can easily move around each one. You will probably need to work in batches, so the bacon gets crispy without overcooking the asparagus.
Flip the asparagus bundles over if one side seems to be cooking more than the other.
Make up to 1 day ahead of time. Store uncooked bundles on a sheet pan covered with plastic wrap. Reheat cooked asparagus in the oven at 400F degrees for 10 – 12 minutes or until fully heated through.

Looking For More Recipes?

Air fryer lamb chops

Air fryer potato skins

Roasted Broccoli

Roasted cauliflower

If you love this recipe, 📌 save it to Pinterest for later or leave this recipe a ⭐️ 5-star rating! Subscribe to The Midwest Kitchen Blog’s Newsletter for more recipes like this delivered straight to your inbox!