Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

When it comes to our favorite grilling options, Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus top the list. Everyone loves these little bundles of lightly charred asparagus wrapped in smoky, juicy bacon. (You’ll be amazed at how much flavor the asparagus spears absorb from just a half strip of bacon!)

Serve these as an appetizer, a satisfying side dish, or as the main dish along with a big crunchy salad.

Ingredients you need to make Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

These are easy to assemble, but you’ll want to keep a few things in mind.

• First, mind the thickness of your bacon – you want it to be very thin so it gets those wonderful crispy edges. Otherwise you’ll end up with either overcooked asparagus or undercooked bacon.
• Second, you can use toothpicks to secure the bundles. I typically do, but it isn’t essential. I look for thin, relatively fatty bacon and wrap it tightly around the bundles of asparagus, tucking or pressing the ends to seal. With a little finesse in flipping, the bacon typically stays in place. But toothpicks definitely help! You should soak them in water for 15 minutes before assembling the bundles so they don’t catch on fire. (Though I usually forget to do this and they haven’t caught on fire yet. 😂 )
• Third, you should grill these bacon wrapped asparagus bundles with the grill lid closed to cook the bacon evenly without overcooking the asparagus. Important note to those who only like bacon that’s shatteringly crisp. You may want to skip this one – though the bacon gets cooked through and crisped at the edges, the center is cooked through, but chewy. Or pre-cook the bacon on the grill as I do with these Grilled Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and Grilled Bacon Wrapped Scallops.
• Fourth, look for bunches of medium width, similarly sized asparagus spears. Ideally, where 1/2 strip of bacon can make a couple of loops around a bundle of 4 or 5 spears.
• And finally, if it’s not grilling season, you can make these Bacon Wrapped Asparagus in the oven instead.

What to do with leftovers.

If you end up with leftovers from this bacon wrapped asparagus recipe, lucky you! (I typically double the recipe to be sure I do.) Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Chop leftover bundles crosswise into 1/2 to 1-inch wide pieces and pan fry to crisp bacon and warm asparagus. For scrambled eggs, add thinly sliced green onion, beaten eggs and cheddar, mozzarella, or jack cheese. To make pasta, cook the pasta according to package directions and add directly to the asparagus and bacon mixture. Toss to coat with a glug of olive oil, salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice; top with grated parmesan cheese and serve!

More Grilled Vegetable Favorites

• Grilled Green Beans (If you’ve never tried these, you must. They’re totally addictive.)
• Mexican Corn on the Cob (Everyone loves this street food favorite!)
• Grilled Cauliflower Steaks (The secret is a dab of butter at the end.)
• Grilled Bok Choy (With an irresistible soy ginger garlic sauce!)

How to Make Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Step 1: Gently toss asparagus spears with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Step 2: Divide asparagus into bundles of 4 or 5 spears and wrap each in 1/2 slice of bacon, securing with a water soaked toothpick if desired.

Step 3: Grill bacon wrapped asparagus bundles over medium-high heat on a hot grill with the lid closed until asparagus is tender and bacon is cooked through and crisp at the edges, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and serve.