Both sweet and salty, Roasted Maple Bacon Asparagus makes the perfect gluten free side dish for Spring!
As Spring arrives, asparagus is in season! This is the time to pick up these wondrous stalks and create some epic meals. With an easy maple vinaigrette and crispy bacon pieces, this is a simple way to take asparagus up a notch.
Quick Look: Maple Bacon Asparagus
⏲️Ready In: 25 Minutes
🍽Servings: 4
🥗Nutrition: 230 Calories
🥘Main Ingredients: Asparagus, Bacon, Maple syrup, Stoneground mustard, Red wine vinegar
📋Dietary Notes: Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free, Nut free
⭐Why You'll Love It: This simple, flavorful roasted asparagus side dish makes an incredible Easter or Mother's Day recipe!
Have a Question? Want a Summary?
Ask AI to summarize or ask a question about this specific recipe!
Disclosure: these buttons are meant to be helpful but I am not responsible for how AI answers.
Maple and bacon are a match made in heaven for roasted asparagus! This is the perfect side dish for Gluten Free Glazed Baked Ham or Slow Roasted Prime Rib in the Oven.
If you've a big believer that bacon makes almost everything better, you've got to check out Pesto Bacon Chicken Thighs, Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, or SunButter Bacon Burgers!
Jump to:
Key Ingredients
Asparagus: I recommend making this recipe in the Spring, when asparagus is in season! Opt for crisp, fresh asparagus that isn't too thick or too thin; you should be able to "snap" the asparagus without much resistance.
Bacon: I use thick-cut bacon for this recipe; it's up to you whether you'd like to use thinner bacon or flavored/smoked bacon. The umami bacon flavor here is what makes this recipe awesome, just like Oven Roasted Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus!
Maple syrup: Use real maple syrup, not maple-flavored syrup.
Stone Ground mustard: My favorite type of mustard is stone ground! However, you can use Dijon if you prefer.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Roasted Maple Bacon Asparagus
If you'd like, you can cook the bacon as strips and crumble it after cooking. I found I like chopping it up beforehand.
Make sure you taste the vinaigrette and add more maple syrup as needed.
Step 1: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon pieces, cooking for 5-6 minutes.
Step 2: Once the bacon has crisped, remove from heat. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a plate and reserve the bacon fat.
Step 3: Toss the asparagus is 1 teaspoon of reserved bacon fat and season with salt. Roast at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons reserved bacon fat, maple syrup, mustard, and red wine vinegar in a bowl. Taste and add more maple syrup if necessary.
Step 5: Once the asparagus is done, transfer to a serving platter.
Step 6: Drizzle the asparagus with the maple bacon vinaigrette and top with cooked bacon. Serve immediately.
Top Tips from Chelsea
Adjust to taste. Make sure to taste the maple bacon vinaigrette and adjust before drizzling over the asparagus. You may find you'd like another teaspoon of maple syrup!
Watch cooking time. If your asparagus are thicker or thinner than average, the cooking time may change. Thinner asparagus will cook faster, and thicker stalks might need a little longer. Adjust the cook time 2 minutes down if the asparagus stalks are very thin, and 2 minutes up for thick asparagus.
Trim the asparagus. No one likes woody asparagus, but almost all stalks will have tough ends. Make sure to trim off the bottom 1-2 inches of the asparagus, including any tough or white parts.
Add a little cheese. For a little more flair, sprinkle the finished dish with fresh grated parmesan or bleu cheese.
Roasted Maple Bacon Asparagus FAQs
You can roast asparagus anywhere between 400 and 450 degrees F, but I prefer the middle ground: 425 degrees F! I find that's not too hot for thin asparagus stalks and still roasts the veggies up quickly.
The biggest culprit here is overcrowding the sheet pan. If you pack too many asparagus stalks onto one sheet pan, they'll steam instead of roast.
Make sure there's a little separation between each vegetable. If you have a small sheet pan, you may need to roast in batches for the best result.
If you have leftover maple bacon vinaigrette or asparagus isn't in season, try tossing the vinaigrette with Simple Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts, broccoli, or cauliflower!
Alternatively, use the vinaigrette for a hearty salad like Chopped Brussels Sprout & Kale Salad, swapping the included dressing.
Serving suggestions
Maple bacon asparagus makes a perfect gluten free Easter recipe to serve alongside Gluten Free Glazed Baked Ham or Slow Roasted Prime Rib!
That said, this gluten free side dish works well for weeknight dinners, too, served with Balsamic Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri or Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks.
More gluten free side dish recipes
Did you try Maple Bacon Asparagus? I'd love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and rating or tag me on Instagram - I appreciate your feedback.
Print📖 Recipe
Maple Bacon Roasted Asparagus
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Broiled
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Lean in to seasonal Spring produce with this Maple Bacon Roasted Asparagus recipe! This is a showstopper perfect for dinner parties, Easter, or just impressing your family for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 3-4 slices uncured thick-cut bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon reserved bacon fat
- 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon real maple syrup (plus more, to taste)
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon has crisped. Remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a plate. Set aside. Reserve bacaon fat.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the asparagus spears to the baking sheet and toss in 1 teaspoon of reserved bacon fat and salt. Roast for 10 minutes, until softened and browned slightly.
- Meanwhile, whisk remaining 3 tablespoons of bacon fat, red wine vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup together in a medium bowl until emulsified. Taste, and add more maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon at a time, until desired sweetness level is reached.
- When asparagus is done roasting, transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle the maple vinaigrette over asparagus and top with crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Trim asparagus. To prevent woody, tough parts when serving, make sure to trim the bottom 1-2 inches of the asparagus before roasting.
- Adjust vinaigrette to taste. I like starting off with just 1 teaspoon of maple syrup, and adding a little bit at a time until the vinaigrette tastes right. A little maple syrup goes a long way!
- Optionally, add cheese. Consider adding an ounce of grated parmesan or crumbled bleu cheese overtop the finished dish when serving.
Leave a Reply