Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Dipping Sauce

This Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus is an easy appetizer! It's roasted in the oven and served with a creamy lemon tarragon dipping sauce.

Every year as springtime rolls around, I find that I start to crave asparagus. This Wrapped Asparagus with Prosciutto is a flavorful appetizer to enjoy during the warm spring and summer months.

Tis the season...for fresh asparagus. Asparagus is available all year round, but spring is far and away the best time for this stuff. It's cheaper, more flavorful, looks better, and tastes better.

Asparagus in an incredibly versatile vegetable and can be used to make everything from salads to soups to side dishes. One of the best ways to enjoy this spring veggie is to roast it in the oven. The roasting process helps to bring out its natural sweetness and gives it a slightly crispy texture.

I love to wrap fresh asparagus with prosciutto before roasting in the oven. The prosciutto complements the asparagus perfectly and adds a great salty element. The combination of asparagus and prosciutto results in a tasty appetizer.

To make it even more decadent, this simple appetizer is served with a creamy dipping sauce made with sour cream, Dijon mustard, tarragon, and lemon juice. The addition of the sauce makes this dish irresistible.

Jump to:

• What Is Prosciutto?
• Ingredients For Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
• How To Make Roasted Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
• What Does Tarragon Taste Like?
• How To Make Creamy Dipping Sauce
• What To Serve with Prosciutto Roasted Asparagus
• How Long Does Roasted Asparagus Last In The Fridge?
• Can It Be Made Ahead?
• Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Dipping Sauce

What Is Prosciutto?

Asparagus is one of those things that's best served simply. One of my favorite ways to prepare it is by roasting or grilling with a little bit of olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Every now and then, though, I want to jazz it up a bit.

Enter prosciutto. I know people say "everything is better with bacon", but I disagree. I like to amend that statement to "everything is better with prosciutto".

Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham (the word 'prosciutto' translates to 'ham' in the Italian language). It's made from pork hind legs that are salt-cured and dry-aged for months or even years.

It's sliced thinly and often served as an appetizer or part of a charcuterie board along with bread or crackers. Prosciutto is salty, sweet, and a little decadent. Unlike bacon, it's not smoked, so the flavor is more mild than bacon.

Prosciutto can be enjoyed on its own, or served on bread or crostini, added to a sandwich, used as a pizza topping, or wrapped around vegetables like this asparagus or fruit like melons.

It may be eaten raw or cooked. When cooked, prosciutto becomes crispy and makes a great addition to salads, pasta, or flatbreads.

You can find prosciutto in the deli section of your local grocery store or specialty foods store.

Ingredients For Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 1 lb. Asparagus
• 4 oz. Prosciutto
• 4 tsp. Olive Oil (split)
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
• ¼ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Pepper (split)
• ½ cup Sour Cream (full fat)
• 3 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
• 2 ½ Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• ½ tsp. Sugar
• ¼ tsp. Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp. Dried Tarragon

How To Make Roasted Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

This is an incredibly easy appetizer to prepare.

All that's needed is to trim the woody ends from a bunch of fresh asparagus, wrap the asparagus spears in some prosciutto, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roast in the oven until crispy.

This recipe calls for 1 lb. of fresh asparagus. The thickness of asparagus may vary. I recommend using asparagus that is of medium thickness. If the asparagus is too thick, it may have a woody texture and bitter flavor.

If the asparagus is thin, you can simply wrap 2-3 of the spears in prosciutto and create a small bundle instead of wrapping each asparagus spear individually.

1. Start by heating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash and trim the woody ends from 1 lb. of fresh asparagus.
3. Remove 4 oz. of prosciutto from the package. Cut each slice of prosciutto into quarters or thirds.
4. Wrap each slice of prosciutto around the middle portion of an asparagus spear (or bundle 2-3 spears together if the asparagus is thin).
5. Repeat with the remainder of the asparagus spears and prosciutto.
6. Place half of the prosciutto wrapped asparagus onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the second half onto a separate baking sheet.
7. Drizzle 2 tsp. of olive oil onto the first baking sheet and sprinkle with ⅛ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Make sure the asparagus is evenly coated in the oil and seasoning.
8. Repeat with the second baking sheet, adding another 2 tsp. of olive oil, ⅛ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper, and tossing to coat.
9. Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 15-16 minutes.
10. Once the asparagus is roasted and the prosciutto is crispy, remove the baking sheets from the oven and set aside.

Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the asparagus.

The asparagus should soften slightly, the ends may become slightly crispy and charred, and the prosciutto crispy when finished cooking. Simply roast for a few more minutes if needed.

What Does Tarragon Taste Like?

Tarragon is an herb with a slight anise, or licorice flavor. It's subtle, but distinct and adds a lot of depth to just about any dish. Tarragon is slightly grassy with notes of citrus.

It's utilized extensively in French cuisine and added to sauces like Béarnaise sauce as well as chicken and poultry dishes, fish and seafood, and roasted vegetables.

You can use dried or fresh tarragon to make this creamy tarragon dipping sauce. I prefer dried tarragon because I have some on hand all year long, but fresh tarragon is delicious (if using fresh tarragon, make sure to use French tarragon and not Russian tarragon, as it is much more flavorful).

The ratio of fresh tarragon to dried tarragon is 3:1. This recipe calls for 2 tsp. of dried tarragon. If opting for fresh tarragon, simply use 2 Tbsp. of fresh minced tarragon.

If you love tarragon, be sure to check out this Lemon Tarragon Chicken Salad!

How To Make Creamy Dipping Sauce

This Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus is tasty on its own, but even better with the addition of a creamy dipping sauce.

It only takes a few minutes to prepare this dipping sauce and can be made while the asparagus is roasting in the oven.

This sauce is tangy, savory, and has a slight herbal flavor that complements the roasted asparagus perfectly. It can be used as a dipping sauce or drizzled over the top of the asparagus when serving.

1. To make the sauce, add ½ cup full fat sour cream, 3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 ½ Tbsp. lemon juice, ½ tsp. sugar, ¼ tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp. of kosher salt and ⅛ tsp. of pepper, and 2 tsp. of dried tarragon to a small mixing bowl.
2. Use a small whisk or a fork to stir all of the ingredients until completely combined. The sauce should be easily drizzled over the asparagus. If it's too thick, simply add a bit more lemon juice or some water to thin it out.

You will likely end up with more sauce than needed. Feel free to cut the sauce recipe in half if you'd like a smaller amount.

If you have extra sauce, it may be used as a dipping sauce for raw vegetables like carrots and celery on a crudité platter, drizzled onto roasted veggies, or served alongside roasted chicken, fish or seafood, or steak.

Any leftover sauce may be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

For more detailed instructions and serving ideas, check out this post for Creamy Lemon Tarragon Sauce!

What To Serve with Prosciutto Roasted Asparagus

The Roasted Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus is perfect served on a platter alongside a bowl of the creamy dipping sauce. You can also drizzle some of the sauce on top of the asparagus if you prefer.

This is a great recipe for a cocktail party or any spring or summer get-together. It feels a little fancy, but is incredibly easy to make.

Appetizers like this one are great served alongside other Mediterranean-inspired bites with some crisp white wine.

It's perfect served with some bread along with this Italian white bean dip, spinach artichoke stuffed mushrooms, mushroom gruyere tartlets, and smoked salmon dill ricotta crostini. Another option is to serve with a variety of cheeses, smoked or cured meats, and pickled vegetables or olives.

Roasted asparagus also makes a nice side dish served with grilled or roasted chicken, Mediterranean meatballs, fish or seafood, or grilled steak.

Love asparagus? Don't miss these recipes!

• Asparagus Broccoli Soup
• Ham, Cheese and Asparagus Frittata
• Smoked Salmon Quinoa Asparagus Salad
• Skillet Shrimp and Spring Vegetables

How Long Does Roasted Asparagus Last In The Fridge?

Any leftover roasted asparagus with prosciutto may be stored for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Keep in mind that the asparagus will become soggier the longer it's stored in the fridge.

Any leftover dipping sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Can It Be Made Ahead?

Yes, this Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus can be made ahead of time.

1. To make ahead, assemble the asparagus and prosciutto (without roasting) and store in an airtight container in the fridge for a day.
2. Roast the asparagus and prosciutto as directed.
3. The dipping sauce may also be made the day ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Love appetizers? Be sure to check out these recipes!

• Cold Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Kalamata Olive Tapenade
• Roasted Mushroom Tapenade
• Smoky Baba Ghanoush
• Prosciutto Gruyere Tartlets
• Harissa Tahini Sauce
• Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Looking For More Mediterranean-Inspired Appetizers? Don't Miss These!

Spring Herb Whipped Feta Dip

Homemade Hummus

Roasted Prosciutto Wrapped Figs

Caprese Crostini