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Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Cream Sauce (Dairy Free, Whole30, Paleo, Keto)

  • gluten-free Gluten-Free
  • dairy-free Dairy-Free
  • paleo Paleo
  • low-carb Low Carb
  • keto Keto
  • whole30 Whole30

Disclosure: This prosciutto-wrapped asparagus recipe has been sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. All opinions are my own.

This recipe for Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Cream Sauce is so easy to make and the perfect side dish or appetizer for a special occasion brunch. It comes together in less than 20 minutes and is dairy free, paleo, gluten free, Whole30, and low carb, and keto! Perfect for a variety of diets, but definitely not lacking in flavor.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus on serving dish pouring on lemon cream sauce

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Cream Sauce (Dairy Free, Whole30, Paleo, Keto)

This recipe for prosciutto-wrapped asparagus really couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is get some nice, thinly-sliced prosciutto, wrap it around your individual asparagus stalks, roast in the oven for 10 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes!

While the asparagus is roasting you can whip up your sauce in the blender! I use my Vitamix to make a super silky, creamy sauce. But really any high-powered blender will do the job. You could also try with an immersion blender, but I can’t guarantee that you’ll get a super smooth sauce.

How to make prosciutto-wrapped asparagus with lemon cream sauce

STEP 1:

Preheat your oven to 425ºF and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

STEP 2:

Dry the asparagus well and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1/8 tsp pepper. 

STEP 3:

Wrap each stalk of asparagus with prosciutto by laying one slice of prosciutto on a cutting board, placing the asparagus stalk on top at one end, and rolling the stalk up like a sushi roll. Work the prosciutto up the stalk in a twist so that the prosciutto is evenly distributed and not too thick in one place. Your prosciutto should be thin and will likely break apart some when separating the sheets and rolling.

Not to worry, that’s totally fine! Perfection is not necessary here. If your prosciutto slices are thicker you will want to slice them lengthwise down the middle and wrap each stalk of asparagus in  1/2 slice of prosciutto. The idea is to have a thin layer of prosciutto so that it can crisp up a bit during the cooking process. Place finished wrapped asparagus stalks on prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced and not touching. Use two baking sheets if necessary to prevent crowding.

STEP 4

Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, then broil on high for about 2 minutes to get some crispy edges on the prosciutto. YUM!

STEP 5

While asparagus is roasting, you can make the sauce. I love that you can make it quickly while everything is already in the oven! Place 1/2 cup cashews and a small clove garlic in a high-powered blender. If you’re a garlic lover like me, it can be tempting to add more than 1 small clove, but don’t do it! Since the garlic is only slightly “cooked” by the boiling water, adding more than that can make it too overpowering for this delicate lemon sauce.

Okay, back to the recipe: Pour 1/2 cup boiling hot water over the cashews and garlic and allow it to sit for 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, the zest of 1 lemon (don’t skip this!), and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Blend it all up on high until completely smooth (about 2 minutes). Replace the lid once it’s done to keep sauce warm until ready to serve.

STEP 6

When asparagus is done cooking, remove to a serving dish and top with lemon cream sauce. Serve prosciutto-wrapped asparagus with lemon cream sauce immediately while asparagus is hot.

closeup of Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Where can I buy all of the ingredients?

I picked up everything I needed for this prosciutto-wrapped asparagus recipe at my local Sprouts Farmers Market. Sprouts is my favorite destination for all of the freshest veggies and fruits. Their produce department is always well-stocked and super fresh!

I picked up some gorgeous organic asparagus for this recipe that were just perfectly fresh! I also love that I can always count on Sprouts to have all of the specialty health foods I may be looking for like raw cashews and high-quality olive oil.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus on sheet pan

My inspiration for this prosciutto-wrapped asparagus recipe

I’ve always been a huge fan of prosciutto and when I lived in Europe a few years ago I had some of the tastiest cured meats. Particularly in Barcelona! When we were there we found the coolest market full of different vendors will all sorts of things from fresh fruit and veggies, to seafood, fresh oysters on the halfshell (you better believe I ate my fair share of those right in the market!), smoothies and juices, nuts, cheeses, olives, and, of course, all the cured meats you could ever imagine!

We’re talking like 20 different kinds of jambon, walls and counters full of all varieties of salami, chorizo, jambon iberico, and who knows what else! It was like a foodie dream. Not kidding. You could buy the meats by the gram or just grab a snack cup to eat while you walk around the market! My kind of snack! Pretty sure my lunch that day was just cured meats, cheeses, olives, oysters, and a fresh juice. And I’m totally okay with that! Honestly, I wish that was my lunch every day! But I digress. If you want to check out this market for yourself it’s called La Boqueria. Highly recommended!!

Given my love for prosciutto, I wanted to create a special, yet simple brunch dish that included this delicious meat and top it off with a dairy free (and egg free) alternative to hollandaise. And let me tell you, this prosciutto-wrapped asparagus recipe did not disappoint!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus on serving dish with cream sauce

The most delicious lemon cream sauce!!

Move over, hollandaise, because there’s a new sauce in town and it’s completely dairy free and great on everything. I’m not kidding, one taste and you’re going to want to add this lemon cream sauce to literally everything!

As a topping for this crispy prosciutto-wrapped asparagus it’s amazing, but it can also be used for a dairy free eggs benedict, as a sauce for any kind of seafood (I’m thinking salmon or shrimp!), and even as a sauce for pasta! Creamy lemon pasta with scallops, anyone?? I’m definitely going to be trying that ASAP!

As I mentioned above, I make this sauce in my Vitamix, but you can really use any high-powered blender. Only have a food processor or immersion blender? Those could work, but I’m not sure you’ll be able to get as silky and creamy of a sauce.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus lined on a sheet pan

What kind of prosciutto do I use?

You can use any kind of prosciutto for this prosciutto-wrapped asparagus recipe, as long as it’s thinly sliced. Thicker slices will be too chewy and won’t crispy up in the oven during the short cook time. You can use pre-sliced packaged prosciutto or prosciutto from the deli counter. Just ask for something thinly sliced and tell them what you’re using it for and they should know how thin to slice it.

It should be almost falling apart when handled, but not so thin that you can’t grab it in full sheets when removing from the packaging. Don’t worry if it starts to fall apart some when you’re wrapping it around the asparagus, just do your best to wrap it up and it will still turn out well!

Why no salt to season the asparagus?

Keep in mind that different varieties of prosciutto have different levels of saltiness. Since all prosciutto is salty, you’ll notice that we aren’t going to salt the asparagus prior to cooking. That being said, if your prosciutto variety isn’t very salty then you may want to add salt when serving. Something like my favorite Maldon salt would be perfect for finishing this prosciutto-wrapped asparagus!

lined on a sheet pan are Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Equipment needed to make this prosciutto-wrapped asparagus

  • Large sheet pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Cutting board
  • Chef’s knife
  • Oven
  • High-powered blender
  • Silicone spatula (to get all of that delicious sauce out of the blender)
  • Spoon
  • Serving Dish
Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus on serving dish topped with lemon cream sauce

Looking for more brunch recipes?

Be sure to check out my other brunch and breakfast recipes! Here are some of my faves!

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    Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus on serving dish with lemon cream sauce

    Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Cream Sauce (Dairy Free, Whole30, Paleo, Keto)

    • gluten-free Gluten-Free
    • dairy-free Dairy-Free
    • paleo Paleo
    • low-carb Low Carb
    • keto Keto
    • whole30 Whole30
    No ratings yet
    This easy recipe is perfect for a side dish or appetizer for Mother's Day brunch! It's so simple to make, always impressive, and packed with flavor. Fresh asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and roasted to crispy perfection then topped with a dairy-free lemon cream sauce that gives hollandaise a run for it's money! This recipe is paleo, gluten free, dairy free, Whole30, and keto.
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients 

    • 1 bunch 16oz/450g asparagus, washed and ends trimmed*
    • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/2 lb thinly-sliced prosciutto
    • 1/2 cup 72g raw whole cashews
    • 1 small clove garlic**
    • 1/2 cup boiling hot water
    • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
    • Zest of 1 lemon
    • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 425ºF and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Dry asparagus well and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1/8 tsp pepper. 
    • Wrap each stalk of asparagus with prosciutto by laying one slice of prosciutto on a cutting board, placing the asparagus stalk on top at one end, and rolling the stalk up like a sushi roll. Work the prosciutto up the stalk in a twist so that the prosciutto is evenly distributed and not too thick in one place. Your prosciutto should be thin and will likely break apart some when separating the sheets and rolling. Not to worry, that's totally fine! Perfection is not necessary here. If your prosciutto slices are thicker you will want to slice them lengthwise down the middle and wrap each stalk of asparagus in  1/2 slice of prosciutto. The idea is to have a thin layer of prosciutto so that it can crisp up a bit during the cooking process. Place finished wrapped asparagus stalks on prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced and not touching. Use two baking sheets if necessary to prevent crowding.
    • Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, then broil on high for about 2 minutes to get some crispy edges on the prosciutto.
    • While asparagus is roasting, make the sauce. Place 1/2 cup cashews and small clove garlic in a high-powered blender. Pour 1/2 cup boiling hot water over them and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Blend on high until completely smooth (about 2 minutes). Replace lid once it's done to keep sauce warm until ready to serve.
    • When asparagus is done cooking, remove to a serving dish and top with lemon cream sauce. Serve immediately.

    Did you love the recipe? I would love it if you left me a 5-star review below!

    Notes

    *This recipe is intended for thicker asparagus, as shown in the photos. If you have thin asparagus stalks, you will need to reduce the cook time to around 5 minutes and then broil for about 2 minutes to crisp up the prosciutto. You want the asparagus to be cooked through but not completely soft and limp. 
    **If you're a garlic lover like me, it may be tempting to add more, but I urge you not to. A very small clove of garlic is plenty for this delicate sauce. The garlic gets cooked somewhat by the boiling water, but not all the way and more than 1 small clove can be overwhelming in the sauce. 
    Did you love the recipe? I would love if you left me a 5-star review below! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Author: Kit

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