Asparagus and speck make a light and tasty side dish. Ever since I started making them this way, there isn’t a single one left! They get devoured in an instant.
And luckily they’re super easy to prepare: with just 2 ingredients and a few minutes you get a killer side dish!
Plus, asparagus are like personal trainers for our gut: light, purifying and full of fiber.
Speck is the good “bad boy”: smoky, bold, but leaner than many other cured meats.
It only takes a few minutes and you have a plate that looks like it came from a mountain restaurant, and you can cook them either in the oven or in the air fryer.
Fresh spring asparagus taste of sunshine, green meadows and the end of winter boredom. If you add Alto Adige speck… it’s like putting on your hiking boots and heading up to the alpine hut.
It’s one of those dishes that fills you up without knocking you out on the couch. Perfect to say “I ate well” without a crisis of conscience.
Ideal to serve not only as a side dish but also as an appetizer.
I also recommend
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Electric oven, Air fryer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients for preparing asparagus and speck
- 1.1 lb asparagus
- 3.5 oz speck
- to taste fine salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Air fryer
- Parchment paper
- 1 Baking tray
Steps to prepare asparagus and speck
To prepare the delicious asparagus and speck, thoroughly wash the asparagus under running water and remove the toughest part of the stem. Bend the asparagus and it will break at the right point.
If you use white or very thick asparagus, peel them lightly with a vegetable peeler from the middle down.
Bring a pot of abundant salted water to a boil and cook the asparagus for about 8 minutes. They should be crisp-tender.
Drain them and cool them by immersing in cold water to keep their color and texture.
Line a baking tray, or the basket of the air fryer, with parchment paper and lay out two slices of speck. Place 3 or 4 asparagus in the center of each slice and wrap them with the cured meat. Arrange them on the tray and bake at 356°F for 10–15 minutes or air-fry at 392°F for 5 minutes.
Serve hot
Enjoy, from Barbara!
Storage and tips
You can add shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano or drops of balsamic vinegar for an extra touch
If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge for two days in an airtight container
Before serving I recommend reheating them in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes at 356°F
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