Oven Roasted Asparagus With Bacon Bits, Bread Crumbs and Parmesan Chee

If Ina Garten, Martha Stewart and Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation got together to make asparagus, I like to think they’d land on something like this recipe.

It contains bread crumbs like Martha’s asparagus recipe.

It’s got Parmesan cheese like Ina’s recipe for Parmesan Roasted Asparagus.

And it’s got plenty of BACON, in honor of meat-loving Ron Swanson (played by Nick Offerman).

This recipe joins our growing collection of tasty bacon and vegetable side dishes, including Bacon-Wrapped Sweet Corn and Fried Cabbage with Bacon.

• You’ll love how the crunchy topping contrasts with the earthy flavor of the asparagus.
• The preparation couldn’t be easier.
• Cooking asparagus in the oven is simple. No steamer baskets or draining hot water needed!
• Drizzling the spears with a little of the bacon fat before roasting makes it taste sooo good.
• You can prep the asparagus and make the topping ahead of time, so it’s a perfect recipe for a party when you want to have FUN!

1. Cook the bacon in a skillet, reserving the bacon grease.
2. Drain and crumble the bacon.
3. Prepare the crumb topping.
4. Clean and trim the asparagus.
5. Arrange it on a pan, and drizzle with the bacon fat.
6. Spoon the crumb topping over, and bake until the asparagus is tender and the topping is lightly browned and crispy.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut the bacon slices in thin strips, about 1/3 inch. Cut the long strips of bacon in 1/3 inch squares.Transfer the chopped bacon to a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until bacon is well browned and crispy.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon bits to paper towels to drain and cool.

In a small bowl, combine the homemade bacon bits, the Italian bread crumbs and the shredded Parmesan cheese. Use a fork to combine well.

We like to simply break off the tough bottom part of the asparagus with our hands. The break will usually naturally occur just where the asparagus tends to get tough and woody. You can also cut off the tough bottom stem with a sharp knife.

If the asparagus is thick, you can use a vegetable peeler to peel the tough ends down to the more tender middles before trimming.

After trimming, arrange the spears on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Cover with the crumb mixture. Pop in the oven and cook until the asparagus is tender and the crumb topping is lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve and bask in the compliments!

Here’s the printable recipe:

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