Asparagus Spirals
This is a fun twist, literally, on asparagus. Simply wrap asparagus spears with thin strips of bacon and crescent dough, then sprinkle on some Italian seasoning. Bake the Asparagus Spirals until golden brown…they are beautiful and so tasty. Serve them with a creamy dipping sauce as an appetizer or a side dish to pasta or chicken.
I made Asparagus Spirals recently for a family gathering. These are SO easy to make. You can adjust the recipe to make just a few for a weeknight dinner or a whole sheet pan, as I did. Only five ingredients and you have a yummy appetizer or side dish for a spring meal.
How do I know if asparagus is fresh?
Make sure to buy the freshest asparagus you can find. Look for stems that snap when you bend them and asparagus tops that are full and plump. You can buy them by the pound at a local farmer’s market or prepackaged in your grocery store.
You can substitute ham or prosciutto for the bacon. Both are delicious and a bit less fatty than bacon. Bacon and ham are more affordable than prosciutto. I usually have bacon in the freezer, so that is what I used.
Selecting a dough to use is simply a personal preference. I used Pillsbury’s Sweet Hawaiian crescent dough. We like that added sweetness. The dough gets golden brown and makes a great presentation. There are several different options of crescent dough to choose from, including original, butter flake, reduced fat, honey butter and Sweet Hawaiian. Pick the one that your family likes the best.
Asparagus Spirals Recipe
What’s needed?
- 16 asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed to about 6 inches
- 8 slices of bacon
- 1 tube Sweet Hawaiian Crescent dough (8 crescent rolls)
- olive oil
- Italian seasonings
How to make Asparagus Spirals?
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Rinse, dry and trim asparagus to about 6 inches in length.
- Unroll the crescent dough on the counter into a large rectangle. Press seams of dough together. Cut 1/2 inch strips of dough from side to side, 16 strips in total.
- Cut the strips of bacon in half lengthwise, removing any extra fat as you go.
- Wrap each asparagus spear with one strip of bacon and then one strip of crescent dough. Secure the dough by pinching with your fingers. Place each spiral on a non-stick baking sheet. You can also use parchment paper to prevent the bottoms from getting overly browned.
- Drizzle a tiny stream of olive oil over each spiral and sprinkle with Italian seasonings.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from the oven and serve warm with ranch dressing or sour cream for dipping.
It is just that simple. These are delicious and an affordable way to encourage your picky-eaters to eat their veggies. Make some today for dinner or for a special family gathering.
Asparagus Spirals
Ingredients
- 16 asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed to about 6 inches
- 8 slices of bacon
- 1 tube Sweet Hawaiian crescent dough, 8 crescent rolls
- olive oil
- Italian seasonings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Rinse, dry and trim asparagus to about 6 inches in length.
- Unroll the crescent dough on the counter into a large rectangle. Press seams of dough together. Cut 1/2 inch strips of dough from side to side, 16 strips in total.
- Cut the strips of bacon in half lengthwise, removing any extra fat as you go.
- Wrap each asparagus spear with one strip of bacon and then one strip of crescent dough. Secure the dough by pinching with your fingers. Place each spiral on a non-stick baking sheet. You can also use parchment paper to prevent the bottoms from getting overly browned.
- Drizzle a tiny stream of olive oil over each spiral and sprinkle with Italian seasonings.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from the oven and serve warm with ranch dressing or sour cream for dipping.
