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
Units
Scale
- 3-4 slices uncured thick-cut bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon reserved bacon fat
- 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
- 1/8 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, 1/4 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.