Broiled prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears are a quick and delicious Whole30 appetizer, and perfect for any paleo party! It’s an elegant crowd-pleasing holiday potluck staple that can be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes!
Every pork fan loves this simple appetizer because the salty ribbons of prosciutto crisp up like bacon while the sweet asparagus in the middle gets soft and tender. Once you drizzle aged balsamic vinegar on the roasted spears, you’ll end up with a dish that satisfies everyone’s sweet, salty, and tangy cravings. Besides, who doesn’t want veggies and meat bundled all into one morsel that can eaten with your hands?
Tips for the best Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
- Use super thinly sliced prosciutto. Thicker cut prosciutto is too salty and won’t crisp properly.
- When it comes to asparagus, size matters. The asparagus stalks shouldn’t be super thin because they’ll overcook before the prosciutto gets crispy. In this case, medium thickness is ideal. Make sure all the stalks are all about the same size so the asparagus stalks will cook at the same rate.
- Magic Mushroom Powder can be used in place of salt to add a zing of umami to this dish. But don’t be too heavy handed because the prosciutto is already salty.
What do you serve with prosciutto-wrapped asparagus?
If you’re eating the asparagus as a side dish (as opposed to an appetizer), you can serve it with roast chicken (e.g., Damn Fine Chicken), meatballs (e.g. Tsukune), or a meaty stew (e.g. Instant Pot Magic Short Ribs). You can also serve them at breakfast with a side of creamy scrambled eggs. Leftovers can be diced up and tossed in a frittata or cauliflower fried rice!
Time to make Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus!
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 2½ pounds asparagus, washed and dried
- ½ pound prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, algae oil, or melted ghee
- Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Equipment:
All my favorite kitchen tools and equipment are listed here.
Method:
Heat the broiler to high (with the rack 6 inches from the heating element) and grab the asparagus. Place the rubber bands back on the cleaned asparagus, line up the ends and cut off the tough ends (about 2 inches from the bottom).
Divide the trimmed asparagus evenly on two rimmed baking sheets…
…drizzle some avocado oil over the spears, and season conservatively with Magic Mushroom Powder (or salt) and pepper.
Cut each slice of prosciutto into 3 thin strips…
…and wrap one strip around each asparagus spear.
Arrange all the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus in a single layer on both rimmed baking sheets.
Pop one tray under the broiler for ~5-8 minutes, tossing the spears at the halfway point.
The asparagus are ready when the prosciutto crisps up and the asparagus is tender. Try one to check if they’re ready! Repeat the process with the second tray.
Drizzle on some aged balsamic vinegar and start noshing!
[Originally posted: May 18, 2012. Updated: November 4, 2019.]
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds asparagus washed and dried
- ½ pound prosciutto di Parma
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil extra virgin olive oil, algae oil, or melted ghee
- Magic Mushroom Powder or kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the broiler to high (with the rack 6 inches from the heating element) and grab the asparagus. Place the rubber bands back on the cleaned asparagus, line up the ends and cut off the tough ends (about 2 inches from the bottom).
- Divide the asparagus evenly on two rimmed baking sheets, drizzle some avocado oil over the spears, and season conservatively with Magic Mushroom Powder (or salt) and pepper. Don’t go crazy with the Magic Mushroom powder because the prosciutto is plenty salty.
- Cut each slice of prosciutto into 3 thin strips and wrap one strip around each asparagus spear.
- Pop one tray under the broiler for ~5-8 minutes (tossing the spears at the halfway point) or until the prosciutto crisps up and the asparagus is tender. Repeat the process with the second tray.
- Drizzle on some aged balsamic vinegar and dig in!
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