6 Ways to Bundle Up Asparagus This Spring

Winter may have been the time to bundle yourself up in sweaters and coats, but springtime calls for bundling of a whole different sort.
Asparagus Bundles

Winter may have been the time to bundle yourself up in sweaters and coats, but springtime calls for bundling of a whole different sort. This season, bundle up slender spears of asparagus — which is at its very peak right now — in all kinds of ways. Not only does this all-wrapped-up method mean easy, breezy serving, but it also brings big flavor to fresh, tender spears, which are tall, skinny and made for bundling.

Make a Bacon Blanket

Hey, if you're going to wrap anything in anything, one of those things should definitely be bacon, right? In her  Asparagus Bundles, Trisha Yearwood doesn't stop at wrapping the asparagus with the salty staple. From there, she douses the dish in a buttery brown sugar-soy sauce mixture before baking.

Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Bundles

Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Bundles; Giada De Laurentiis

Photo by: Tara Donne

Tara Donne

Wrap It Up in Smoked Salmon

Roll up the beloved springtime veggie Giada De Laurentiis' way, as elegant  Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Bundles. First, Giada roasts the asparagus under high heat. From there, she wraps it in a slice of the salty, smoky smoked fish for a most-sophisticated 30-minute side dish that works for brunch, dinner or just about any occasion.

Surround It with Prosciutto

You can drape thin slices of prosciutto and more around bundles of cooked asparagus. Give each the asparagus a squeeze of lemon to keep the flavors fresh and bright.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles: Rachael Ray

Photo by: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne

Tara Donne, Tara Donne

Swaddle It with Pancetta

Wrap up asparagus in a different kind of bacon, pancetta, for a bundled-up side that can be easily prepared on an outdoor grill or in a hot oven. Cured rather than smoked, this paper-thin, Italian-style meat lends a delectable saltiness to the asparagus as they cook together.

Roll It in Phyllo Dough

For a vegetarian route, wrap up asparagus in sheets of store-bought  phyllo dough, Boursin cheese and Parmesan before baking until the bundles are crispy, decadent and oozing with cheese.

Asparagus Bundles
Tie It Up with Scallions

Use another tall, skinny vegetable — scallions — to do the tying. Roast the two veggies together until tender, then wrap up a few spears of the asparagus with the onion-y veggie to make individual portions.

Get more asparagus recipes from our friends in #SensationalSides:

Homemade Delish:  Asparagus Crostini

In Jennie's Kitchen:  Asparagus & Arugula Panzanella

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Asparagus, Onion & Pesto Pizza

The Mom 100: Millet Greens Salad

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