Bacon-Wrapped Air Fryer Asparagus Bundles

Ingredients

• 1 lb asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed
• 8 slices regular-cut bacon (not thick-cut)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Trim the woody, tough bottom inch off each asparagus spear by bending it near the base until it naturally snaps at the point where it turns tender.
2. Divide the trimmed asparagus into 8 small bundles of 3 to 4 spears each, keeping the tips roughly aligned at one end.
3. In a shallow dish, toss the bundled asparagus lightly with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
4. Lay one strip of bacon on a cutting board and place one asparagus bundle at one end, perpendicular to the bacon strip.
5. Wrap the bacon around the bundle in a tight spiral, slightly overlapping each wrap, until the whole strip is used, then tuck the end underneath the bundle to help it stay in place.
6. Repeat with the remaining bacon and asparagus bundles.
7. Preheat the air fryer to 375F for 3 minutes.
8. Place the bundles seam-side down in the basket in a single layer with space between each one; cook in two batches if all 8 do not fit without touching, since bacon needs airflow to crisp rather than steam.
9. Air fry at 375F for 6 minutes, then use tongs to carefully flip each bundle to its other side.
10. Continue air frying for another 5 to 7 minutes, checking at 5 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and deep golden-brown on all visible sides.
11. Check that the bacon has rendered its fat and looks crisp rather than pale or floppy, and that the asparagus spears are bright green and tender when pierced with a fork (fork-tender with a slight bite, not mushy).
12. If the bacon needs more time, return the basket for 2-minute bursts, watching closely since bacon can go from perfectly crisp to burnt quickly at this temperature.
13. Transfer the bundles to a plate, sprinkle with Parmesan if using, and serve warm with lemon wedges.

Tips

Why You'll Love This

• An elegant side dish that looks impressive with minimal effort
• Smoky, salty bacon balances the fresh, slightly sweet asparagus
• Naturally low-carb and gluten-free
• Great for holiday tables or dinner parties

Nutrition

Nutrition values are estimated per serving based on the ingredients used.