* We sometimes use affiliate links, so we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Check our disclosure for more info.
A slightly gruesome looking veggie side that will either delight or horrify. Bacon wrapped asparagus looks a lot like wrinkled green fingers – making them a perfect Halloween veggie to serve on the side!
How to Get your Fussy Kids to Eat Asparagus
Easy.
- Wrap them (the asparagus, not the kids) in bacon
- Call them something disgusting (again, the asparagus, not the kids)
This strategy worked surprisingly well with both my fussy kids.
Every member of my household manage to eat their way through their asparagus when I serve it wrapped in bacon. Some of them (the fussy ones) get through with very slow, tiny bites – it’s painful to watch – but they do it. I’m hoping that they learn to mask their disgust as they get older, but for now I’m just happy we’ve figured out a way for them to learn to eat asparagus.
Grinch Fingers
That’s what my 11 year old called these bacon wrapped asparagus spears when I made these last week.
It started as a joke, and now I can’t unsee it. These bacon wrapped asparagus spears do look a lot like wrinkled green fingers. I won’t say what my husband called them – because that’s a thought that will have me giving up asparagus forever. So we will just stick to Grinch fingers.
Crispy Bacon Tips
Bacon crispiness is a pretty personal thing. So, it’s up to you to decide just how crunchy you want your bacon wrapped asparagus to be. Getting that perfect level of crisp bacon without totally drying out your asparagus can be a tricky endeavor, so here are a few tips on achieving the optimal amount of crispiness without destroying your asparagus.
- The most important to preheat your oven before popping these in to bake. A hot oven gets the bacon cooking quickly.
- I use baking paper when making mine at home to save on clean up – yes I’m a big fan of NOT washing more dishes than I have to – but you will get a crispier bacon if you use a baking wrack (like this one). It lifts the bacon out of the oil and allows hot air to move around the bacon – cooking it from all sides.
- The thinner the bacon slices, the better. Thin bacon will cook faster.
- Don’t overlap your bacon too much when wrapping it around the asparagus.
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Grinch Fingers
Ingredients
What you will need:
- 12 Fresh Asparagus Spears
- 12 Slices of thin sliced Bacon
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400F.
- Line your tray with baking paper
- Prep your asparagus by washing and cutting the dry ends off (this is optional I guess, but it's just how I prep them). Remove excess water by patting them dry with a clean tea towel.
- Wrap your bacon firmly around your asparagus. The bacon will shrink while cooking and cling to your asparagus spears.
- Lay your wrapped asparagus on a baking tray (use a wire baking wrack for crispier bacon)
- Cook for approximately 15 - 18 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your bacon. I try to use the thinnest cuts of bacon so that my asparagus doesn't overcook while waiting for the bacon to cook.
RECENT POSTS