Tender asparagus sprinkled with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and bacon wrapped in phyllo dough and baked until it’s crispy and golden brown.
I’ve teamed up with Athens Foods this month to share four great recipes. The first one is my version of their Phyllo and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus recipe. My husband isn’t a big prosciutto fan, but I wanted to keep that smokey flavor in the recipe. So instead of wrapping the asparagus in prosciutto, I added finely chopped crisp bacon before rolling the asparagus in phyllo.
These delicious asparagus bundles were part of our Thanksgiving dinner this year. They were a perfect addition because you can make them ahead of time, and they look elegant even though they’re easy to make.
When you’re working with phyllo dough you need to be sure and keep it covered so it doesn’t dry out. I covered the sheets with plastic wrap and a damp towel.
Combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and bacon in a small bowl. Or, if you prefer not to put bacon on top of the phyllo dough, just combine the cheese and bread crumbs, and sprinkle the bacon on separately. The bacon looks pretty on top, but it is harder to get to stick to the phyllo.
It’s important that you use a medium asparagus for this recipe and not little, thin asparagus. Thin asparagus will cook too quickly and your phyllo won’t have enough time to get crispy and brown.
Remember to save some of the breadcrumb cheese mixture to sprinkle on top of the bundles before you cook them. It adds such a pretty finish.
Athens Fillo Dough is tissue-thin pastry dough so it bakes up light, crispy and flaky. Which leads to the dilemma of the best way to eat phyllo asparagus bundles.
My family was divided on whether or not you should eat them with a knife and fork, or if you should pick them up like finger food or an appetizer.
The bundles don’t need a sauce, but I liked dipping them in cranberry sauce. My husband on the other hand dipped his in turkey gravy.
These crispy asparagus bundles are perfect for special dinners like Thanksgiving or Christmas, but you don’t need to wait for a special occasion. I made them again this week and served them with pork chops and baked potatoes. They make any dinner special.
Phyllo, Parmesan, Bacon Asparagus Bundles
Ingredients
- 6 sheets Athens Fillo® Dough thawed
- 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons crisp bacon finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Cooking Spray
- 18 medium asparagus spears trimmed
Instructions
- Thaw one roll of fillo following thawing instructions on package.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Unroll and cover the sheets with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent drying out.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, bacon, and Parmesan cheese.
- Place one sheet of fillo on work surface and lightly coat ½ of the sheet with cooking spray lengthwise. Fold sheet in half lengthwise and spray top layer.
- Place 3 spears of asparagus on top of the fillo dough 1-inch from the short end. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the bread crumb mixture evenly on the asparagus.
- Roll the fillo around the asparagus to create a bundle. Place bundle on a baking tray seam side down. Lightly spray the outside. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture to garnish.
- Repeat with remaining sheets of fillo dough and asparagus.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the fillo is a light golden brown and asparagus in tender. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use leftover phyllo dough to make a fun dessert.
Simply Caramel and Chocolate Turnovers
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Athens Foods , but all opinions expressed are always my own. Visit Athens Foods for more great Fillo Dough recipes.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
What a great recipe for a big dinner and everything is already portioned! 😀 And thanks for the tip about the medium asparagus too mum 😀
Kitchen Belleicious
asparagus is one of those veggies that my kids just won’t eat. But with that said they love love bread and biscuits and no doubt phyllo dough too so I would love to give this a try with them
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles
This looks so good – I want it for my supper right now!
Monique@The Urban Mum
Oh yummy, I have a Christmas Eve cocktail party coming up – these will be a welcome addition to my menu planning! This recipe is a very sophisticated take on what was a favourite of mine as a kid; every NZ party included asparagus (tinned), wrapped in a slice of white (buttered) bread! Love your version… Cheers Mx
Jamie
Oh I just happen to have phyllo in the fridge which is rare for me… and company coming! These are gorgeous as well as a delicious treat. I wonder if I can get asparagus. If not thanks for the idea and I’ll see what I can make!
TidyMom
I love that these are baked……..and that breadcrumb cheese OH MY!!! pinning!
Jenny Flake
What a fun appetizer! Love!!
Jersey Girl Cooks
These look great. I would serve them as a side or appetizer and pick them right up with my fingers!
leslie
WOW..these are beautiful. I bet the would be the first to at a party!
Lori @ RecipeGirl
Great idea! I love the crunch that the Fillo adds to the veggie packet!
2 Sisters Recipes
Lovely bundles of asparagus! So yummy! Thanks for the tip about how to keep the dough from drying out. Have a great week Barbara!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious
Great pick up food and i love the filling!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
Not that hard and they look like you have slaved in the kitchen for hours. I love those kinds of recipes.
Plus my entire family likes asparagus.
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
How elegant those look! I can see those for Easter, too!
Joanna@ Everyday Made Fresh
We love asparagus! I love your recipe on how to jazz it up a bit!
Adri
What an elegant appetizer! I love phyllo, and Athens is the brand I have used since the eighties. I have found it superior to other brands which are often dried out or all too fragile. Also Athens bakes up nicely, colors well, and has a pleasant snap. Nice job on the article, m’dear!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
A fantastic appetizer idea! They look scrumptious.
kelley {mountain mama cooks}
Yum! I used to make something similar. These look delicious!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
What a treat this would be! I love phyllo as it makes everything look better. I even saw a show where Jamie Oliver made a mincemeat puff pastry roll and put it in phyllo. I can’t wait to try that one.
Rosa
A wonderful idea! Those bundles look really delicious.
Cheers,
Rosa