Asparagus Bundles

5 from 4 votes

Asparagus bundles wrapped in prosciutto, brushed with garlic butter, and sprinkled with freshly squeezed lemon juice make a beautiful, party-worthy side dish that's also super-easy. Here's how to make them.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Sides

Cuisine: American

Keyword: asparagus bundles, prosciutto wrapped asparagus bundles

Servings:

Calories: 101kcal

Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

2 pounds pencil-thin asparagus
12 thin slices prosciutto
3 tablespoons butter
8 cloves garlic chopped
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Half a lemon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center. Trim the bottoms from the asparagus, discarding as much as necessary to be left with only tender parts. Fill a large mixing bowl halfway with ice water.
In a 12-inch pan with a lid, bring an inch of water to a boil. Add asparagus, cover, and cook for two minutes. Remove asparagus from pan and plunge immediately into the bowl of ice water to set the bright green color.
Dry asparagus well. Divide into 12 even bundles, with all tips facing the same direction.
Wrap each bundle tightly with a slice of prosciutto. Line up bundles seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Melt the butter and stir in the garlic. Spoon some of the mixture over each bundle and brush it all over the surface of the asparagus and prosciutto. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 12 minutes, until beautifully fragrant and sizzling. Squeeze the lemon half all over the bundles before serving.

Notes

I prefer these bundles with delicate pencil-thin asparagus. If you can't find it, you can use slightly thicker stalks. After trimming, consider using a peeler to remove any woodiness on the bottoms of the stalks. Parboil them for three minutes instead of two, and group fewer asparagus in each bundle.
Don't mince the garlic too finely, or you'll risk burning it in the oven. You can give it a good chop (refer to the photos and video for visual cues), but don't annihilate it.
As always, I like to use a good-quality cultured, salted butter for maximum deliciousness.
You can prep these bundles earlier in the day and roast them right before serving, or roast them ahead and rewarm in a 300° oven for a few minutes before serving.
Store any leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge for up to a week.
I've billed these as a holiday side dish, but they make a fabulous meal with a poached egg or two on top.

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