Pancetta Wrapped Asparagus
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This pancetta-wrapped asparagus is one of my favorite spring side dishes—easy to make, elegant, and full of flavor.
This is one of my favorite ways to serve asparagus because it’s big on flavor yet incredibly simple to make. All you do is wrap the spears with pancetta and sauté them in a hot pan until nice and crisp. Even though the spears are wrapped, they cook perfectly and take on the salty, “porky” flavor of the pancetta, which is so delicious. You can serve them with grilled chicken or pan-seared salmon, but I especially love them for brunch alongside scrambled eggs or quiche.
“My dinner party recipe! So easy but looks wonderful and taste even better!”
Before we get to the recipe, a few words on pancetta, which is simply Italian bacon. Just like American bacon, it’s made from pork belly and cured; the difference is that it’s not smoked. You can find it in the deli at most supermarkets and sometimes precut and packaged in the refrigerated gourmet foods aisle. If can’t find it, bacon is a good substitute; just make sure it’s very thinly sliced so it cooks quickly and adheres to the asparagus.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Wrap the asparagus. Begin by wrapping each spear tightly with a slice of pancetta. Since the pancetta is sliced thin, there will be some holes; don’t worry about it.
Step 2: Sauté. Cook the spears in a large skillet until the asparagus is just tender and the pancetta is crisp. You’ll need to work in batches so the asparagus can cook in a single layer.
Step 3: Serve. Rest briefly on paper towels to get rid of any excess grease, then serve immediately while the pancetta is still crisp. Note that the pancetta will lose its crispness as it sits, but it will still be delicious.
More Easy Asparagus Recipes You’ll Love
Pancetta Wrapped Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch (about 1 lb) thick asparagus spears, trimmed
- 12 to 15 thin slices pancetta
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Wrap a slice of pancetta tightly around each asparagus spear. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and coat lightly with vegetable oil (the more oil you use, the crispier the pancetta will be -- just be careful not to use too much or it will splatter). Cook the asparagus, turning as each side browns, until they are just tender and the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess grease, then transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Using your Rosemary Steak & grilled potato recipe tonight. The goal is to keep all cooking outdoors. Would these do okay on the grill? Any tips?
Hi Tori, sounds like a yummy dinner! While it involves a little more work, you could use skewers to grill the asparagus. Check out the details here. Hope that helps!
Love these but they were a little too salty for me. How do I make them less salty?
Hi Chandra, Unfortunately, pancetta is a little salty — there is no way around it. Sorry!
Hi Jen,
I can’t always find pancetta, but these are equally as delicious wrapped in proscuitto. Serving them tonight alongside a grilled steak. Thanks for all the great recipes! Love, love, love your website.
I absolutely love asparagus, but it always seem to be one of those veggies that I tend to pass by because I don’t really know what to do with them. But this looks so wonderful and easy that I know I can and will make it. My husband will be thrilled as it is one of his all-time faves.
This is so simple and tastes like a million!! I love your recipes Jenn. They are so easy to follow!! I look forward to all your creations! Thank you.
This was amazing!!! Thanks so much for posting. My hubby loves me just a little bit more now! 🙂
Can this dish be baked instead of pan fried? If so, for how long and what temperature? Thanks! It really looks delicious!
Hi Stephanie, It does need to be pan fried, otherwise it won’t get crisp. Sorry!
Why would you want to use thick asparagus as opposed to thin? I find the thick asparagus to be very fibrous and unpleasant to eat.
Hi Laura, The thin asparagus is hard to wrap and will also overcook in the time it takes the pancetta to crisp up. Fresh thick asparagus should not be fibrous if you trim the ends.
Delicious and crisp!
I put these wrapped aspeargus on the BBQ top shelf…they are delicious with the smoky flavour, and the smell drives my neighbours crazy!