Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Cream Cheese {Easy Appetizer}

No ratings yet

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Cream Cheese {Easy Appetizer}

This Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus is a simple yet elegant appetizer or side dish that's perfect for any occasion. With tender asparagus, crispy prosciutto, and cream cheese filling, this dish is a winning combination of flavors and textures!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: asparagus, easy, gluten-free, holiday appetizer, holiday sides, keto, low-carb, party foods, pork, prosciutto, roasted

Servings:

Calories: 48kcal

Ingredients

1 lb. asparagus, rinsed and patted dry (about 22-24 medium/thick spears. If using thin see notes.)
6 oz. sliced prosciutto (about 11-12 slices, depending on brand. See notes.)
6 oz. cream cheese, softened (the softer, the easier to spread. See notes.)
ground black pepper
oil, for spraying or drizzling (I like using avocado or olive oil cooking spray.)

Optional Garnish:

parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Balsamic Glaze (I use Nona Pia's Balsamic Glaze)

Instructions

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 and cut at the same point.)
Take the stack of sliced prosciutto, and cut down the center (crosswise) so that you have shorter pieces of prosciutto. (See blog notes for tips on how to separate prosciutto slices easier.)
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.
Roll the prosciutto onto the center of an asparagus spear, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining asparagus.
Lightly spray (or drizzle) oil over the tops of the prosciutto wrapped asparagus, and sprinkle with a bit of ground black pepper.
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.)
Remove from the oven, and garnish with grated parmesan. (Optional but recommended: Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze...so good!)

Video

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.
(See Blog notes on tips for working with the prosciutto.)

Cream Cheese:

I used a block of cream cheese, and left at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes 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 in blog for an alternative way of putting on the cream cheese.)

Balsamic Glaze:

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).

*See blog post for storage, "make ahead", and making large quantity tips.

(Nutritional info is for 1 prosciutto wrapped asparagus spear without balsamic glaze drizzle.)

Nutrition