Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Cream Cheese {Easy Appetizer}

Ingredients Needed

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with cream cheese requires just a few simple ingredients to make (most of them I purchased from Costco). This is what you will need:

• Asparagus
• Prosciutto (preferably a good quality one like Prosciutto di Parma)
• Cream Cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Ground black pepper
• Oil (I used olive oil spray)
• Balsamic Glaze (optional)

How to make Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Cream Cheese

Step 1. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus. (I like to snap the tough end off of one asparagus, then line the rest up next to it and cut at the same point.)

Step 2. Take the stack of sliced prosciutto, and cut down the center (crosswise) so that you have shorter pieces of prosciutto.

Step 3. Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray or drizzle with a bit of oil. Take a piece of the prosciutto and carefully spread a thin layer (about ½ tbsp) of the softened cream cheese in the center. 

Step 4. Roll the prosciutto onto the center of an asparagus spear, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining asparagus.

Step 5. Lightly spray (or drizzle) oil over the tops of the prosciutto wrapped asparagus, and sprinkle with a bit of ground black pepper. 

Step 6. Place the baking sheet in the center rack of the oven, and roast the asparagus for about 8-10 minutes without flipping. (Time may vary depending on thickness of the spears. See notes. Optional: Broil for about a minute to crisp up a bit more.)

Step 7. Remove from the oven, and garnish with grated parmesan. (Optional but recommended: Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze...so good!)

Recipe Notes

Asparagus: 

• The asparagus I used were medium-thick (22 spears in a pound) and took closer to 9 minutes to be fork tender. If yours are on the thinner side, check at around 6-7 minutes. You don't want to overcook, or the asparagus will be too mushy. 
• If you have extra thin asparagus (like pencil thin), you can cook these in bundles. Wrap the prosciutto slice around 3 thin asparagus (longer cooking time may be needed).

Prosciutto: 

• Try to use a high quality prosciutto. I used a 6 ounce pack of Prosciutto Di Parma (from Costco's double pack). It had 11 slices of prosciutto, which when cut in half made 22 wrapped asparagus.  
• It can be tricky to peel the pieces of prosciutto apart, which is why the packs that have them separated with a piece of wax paper are great. Here is what I found helped:
  • It was easier to work with when the prosciutto was at room temperature.
  • Peel a slice off with the piece of wax paper under it, then lay the prosciutto meat side down on a cutting board. Gently peel off the wax paper with one hand, while holding down the prosciutto onto the cutting board with the other (see photo).

Cream Cheese: 

• I used a block of cream cheese, and left at room temperature to soften. You can also use cream cheese spread. I tried both, and the block cream cheese seemed to hold together a bit better after roasting, but either way you will get some spillage.
• Don't worry about some spilling out...it will still be delicious! When you scoop it off the tray the spilled cheese can come with it.   🙂
• (See "Making a Large Batch" section for an alternative way of putting on the cream cheese.)

Balsamic Gaze:

• Balsamic Glaze is optional but highly recommended! It adds a bit of sweet and tangy flavor. Be sure to use balsamic glaze, NOT balsamic vinegar. We love using Nona Pia's Balsamic Glaze (which we usually find at Costco or Amazon).

Make-Ahead Tips for Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

You can prep this Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus up to 1 day in advance. Here's how:

• Follow the recipe steps (except the roasting).
• Cover the baking sheet with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you are ready to cook.
• Leave on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking to bring it to room temperature, or just add an extra minute or two to the cooking time.

Making a Large Batch

I made a double batch of these Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus for a party, and here is what I found helpful:

• I prepped the day before and piled the rolled asparagus into a casserole dish (see photo below), covered, and refrigerated until ready to lay out on the baking sheets the next day.
• Since I was making so many, I started getting a bit tired of carefully spreading the cream cheese onto the prosciutto. So, I found a new technique that is a bit more hands on, but made prepping these much quicker.
  • I first cut my cream cheese block up into ½ tablespoons (so for a 6 ounce piece of cream cheese that is 24 pieces). Let the cream cheese come to room temperature to soften a bit.
  • Lightly oil your fingers (I just did a quick spray with olive oil).
  • Take a piece of the cream cheese, and squish/roll it around the center of an asparagus (it felt like a stickier play dough). Then lay it on a prosciutto slice and roll. Once I got the hang of it, I made them so quickly! You can watch a quick video I made of me rolling them this way HERE.

Storing Prosciutto Wrapped Asapargus

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can eat them cold, or reheat in the oven or air fryer until heated through.

Hungry for more Appetizers? Give these a try:

• Bacon Wrapped Shrimp {Stuffed with Jalapeños & Cheese}
• Baked Meatballs with Sweet & Spicy Apricot Glaze
• Crispy Baked Shredded Beef Taquitos