Learn How to Make Crispy Prosciutto in just 10 minutes with one ingredient and a baking sheet! These simple prosciutto crisps add big flavor to salads, pasta, soups, sandwiches, and more.
Crispy prosciutto is light and delicate and adds the perfect amount of crunch to your dish. Prosciutto is a rose-colored, delicate Italian specialty that is normally soft and pliable. Cooking it makes the paper-thin meat marbled with fat nice and crispy.
Baking the prosciutto is the superior way to prepare crispy prosciutto. The oven evenly distributes and circulates the heat, allowing the prosciutto to cook evenly. This method maintains the prosciuttos thickness versus pan frying, creates even texture throughout each piece, and allows you to cook small and large batches easily.
Eat it as a high-protein snack or top off your favorite pasta, like Cacio e Pepe with Burrata or Veggie Pesto Pasta with Zucchini and Asparagus. You'll want to put these easy prosciutto crisps on everything!
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About Crispy Prosciutto
- Taste - Crispy prosciutto tastes rich, salty, and lightly sweet. It's more delicate than bacon and doesn't have a smoky flavor.
- Texture - The prosciutto is perfectly crispy and a great accent for a pizza or creamy pasta.
- Effort - These prosciutto chips are easy. Just bake the prosciutto, let it cool, then enjoy!
- Time - It takes less than 15 minutes to bake the prosciutto then a few minutes for it to cool down (and get crispier).
What is prosciutto?
Prosciutto (pronounced "pro-shoo-tow") is dry cured Italian ham. It is made from high quality pork legs that are covered in salt and left to rest for a few weeks. They are then washed, hand seasoned, and dry aged for 1 to 3 years. Finally, the prosciutto is sliced and sold. It is traditionally served in thin slices and enjoyed with cheese and/or fruit.
What are the different types of prosciutto?
Prosciutto falls into 2 categories: Prosciutto cotto ("cooked ham”) or Prosciutto crudo ("raw ham"). Prosciutto cotto is slowly cooked and usually seasoned with herbs or spices. On the other hand, prosciutto crudo is never cooked and just lightly seasoned with salt. Prosciutto cotto has a light and herby flavor while prsociutto crudo has a purer prosciutto flavor.
Ingredients
- Prosciutto - We buy our prosciutto from Trader Joe's or other common grocery stores. If we are feeling fancy, we will get Prosciutto di Parma, a uniquely rich prosciutto.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- Spicy - Sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper or red chili pepper flakes on the prosciutto slices to make them spicy.
- Garlic powder - Garlic powder adds the classic and pungent aroma.
- Herbs - Add juniper or rosemary for extra herbaceous flavor.
Substitutions
- Prosciutto cotto - We typically use prosciutto crudo for this recipe, but you can also use Prosciutto cotto for a slightly lighter and herbier prosciutto.
Instructions
In the Oven
- Arrange prosciutto - Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay thinly sliced prosciutto flat with space between each piece. Make sure the slices are not touching each other and do not crowd the baking sheet or the prosciutto will not properly crisp. (Photo 1)
- Cook prosciutto - Place on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the prosciutto slices. Keep a close eye on the prosciutto once in the oven to make sure they do not burn. (Photo 2)
- Cool prosciutto - Remove from the oven and transfer the prosciutto to a wire rack to cool. The prosciutto will become crispier as it cools. Then serve as a topping for salad and soup, add it to a cheese board, or enjoy it as a snack.
Pro Tip: Figure out what you want to make with the prosciutto crisps ahead of time. That way you can prepare the other ingredients while the crisps are baking.
What to Serve with Crispy Prosciutto
We love these prosciutto crisps on pizza, pasta, a Peach Arugula Salad with Burrata, a Pear and Rocket Salad, or in a PLT (prosciutto, lettuce, tomato) sandwich. It is also delicious with a fruit like figs or on its own as a crunchy snack.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Since the prosciutto is covered in salt for a few weeks, the moisture is drawn out, which prevents bacteria in the meat.
It can, but we don't advise it because the texture won't be as crispy as when it is oven baked.
Prosciutto di Parma is made exclusively from pigs from the Parma region of Northern Italy. Parma's air and climate add a uniquely sweet and almost nutty flavor on the meat. Legitimate Parma ham will have the stamp of the Ducal Crown with the word "Parma" in the middle.
The exact date is unknown, but started thousands of years ago In Italy when Italians would dry-age pork legs to extend their longevity. Over the past couple thousand years, the process has been perfected.
Pancetta comes from the pig's belly, while prosciutto comes from the leg. Prosciutto is salt cured for months, making it safe to eat raw, but pancetta needs to be cooked. Pancetta also has a richer and more robust flavor than prosciutto.
Yes, bacon has more saturated fat and more calories per serving. However, both prosciutto and bacon should be enjoyed in moderation.
Equipment
Crispy prosciutto calls for just a few common kitchen essentials, including a sheet pan or rimmed baking sheet, sheet parchment paper, and a cooling rack.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover crispy prosciutto in an air-tight container or wrap in foil for up to 2 days. You can enjoy it either hot or cold. To reheat, heat the oven to 350°F, remove the prosciutto from the refrigerator, and allow the prosciutto room temperature (about 5 minutes). Then place the prosciutto on a baking sheet and heat for 5 minutes.
Top tips
- Keep a close eye on the prosciutto while it bakes. It is so thin that it can burn easily.
- Don't overcrowd the baking sheet or the prosciutto slices won't get crispy because there is too much moisture.
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How to Make Crispy Prosciutto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 oz prosciutto
Instructions
- Preheat oven - Heat oven to 375°F
- Arrange prosciutto - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay prosciutto flat with space between each piece. Make sure the slices are not touching each other and do not crowd the baking sheet or the prosciutto will not properly crisp.4 oz prosciutto
- Cook prosciutto - Place on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the prosciutto slices. Keep a close eye on the prosciutto once in the oven to make sure they do not burn.
- Cool prosciutto - Remove from the oven and transfer the prosciutto to a wire rack to cool. The prosciutto will become crispier as it cools. Serve as a topping for salad and soup, add it to a cheese board, or enjoy it as a snack.
Notes
- Refrigerate leftover prosciutto in an air-tight container or wrap in foil for up to 2 days. You can then enjoy it either warm or cold. To reheat, heat the oven to 350°F and allow the prosciutto to reach room temperature (about 5 minutes). Then place the prosciutto on a baking sheet and heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Figure out what you want to make with the prosciutto crisps ahead of time. That way you can prepare the other ingredients while the crisps are baking.
- Don't overcrowd the baking sheet or there will be too much moisture and the prosciutto slices won't get crispy.
- Keep a close eye on the prosciutto while it bakes. It can burn easily.
- Crispy prosciutto is best served as soon as it's made.
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