Asparagus and air fryer are made for each other, and this air fryer asparagus recipe is proof of that. It’s quick, healthy, and, most importantly, delicious.
The asparagus is slightly crispy on the outside while soft and juicy inside. Plus, they are ready in just 10 minutes.
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We love cooking asparagus in many different ways; however, air fryer asparagus is one of our favorite recipes because they are quick and easy to make, taste delicious, and are a canvas for dressings and toppings.
This blog post shows you the most straightforward and delicious method to make air-fried asparagus with a few pantry staples in about 10 minutes.
In the variations chapter below, we will show you our favorite toppings and dressings; we think you will love them!
Overall, air fryer asparagus are similar to oven-baked asparagus, except that they are faster to “roast,” crispier on the outside, and juicer on the inside, thanks to the quick cooking time.
We kid you not; these asparagus are so juicy and tasty they won’t even reach the table. So be ready to make a double batch.
Ingredients
Asparagus
Please use fresh asparagus for the best results.
You can use farmed asparagus (the thick green ones you commonly find at the supermarket) or wild asparagus (normally found at farmer’s markets, have thinner stalks, cook faster, and have more taste).
You can also use white asparagus.
Frozen asparagus also work in the air fryer, but they won’t be as crispy as they contain more water.
Olive oil
Toss the asparagus in just a touch of extra virgin olive oil to help them cook in the air fryer.
Without oil, they tend to burn before they are ready. The oil helps cook them evenly.
We recommend extra-virgin olive oil because it tastes delicious with asparagus and has a ton of polyphenols that make it stable at high temperatures (meaning it’s healthier for you).
Garlic
Add a couple of crushed garlic cloves to the air fryer to add a garlic aroma to the asparagus as they cook.
For a stronger garlic flavor, you can substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder for garlic cloves.
Salt and pepper
Add a pinch of sea salt and a few twists of black pepper to bring out the asparagus flavor.
To add heat to this recipe, you can replace the black pepper with red pepper flakes.
Lemon & Fresh Herbs
The simplest dressing for air fryer asparagus is a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, basil, or dill right before serving them.
You can substitute balsamic vinegar, pomegranate molasses, or a little soy sauce for lemon.
For more dressings ideas, check out the “variations” chapter below.
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F or 200C for 3 minutes.
In the meantime, rinse the asparagus and shake off excess water.
Pat them dry, then trim the woody ends of the asparagus by chopping them off with a sharp chef’s knife on a cutting board.
Tip: we prefer to trim asparagus with a knife, but you can also use the “bend and snap” method, although that takes more time.
Transfer the asparagus to a large plate or large bowl, and toss well with olive oil, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic cloves.
Transfer them to the air fryer basket and air fry at 400°F or 200°C for about 8 minutes, moving them around the basket halfway through cooking.
They can overlap, as you see in the picture. There’s no need to arrange them on a single layer.
Tip: Cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer, so keep an eye on them halfway through cooking to ensure they won’t burn.
Also, note that larger asparagus spears will take longer to cook, and thinner ones will cook faster.
The asparagus is cooked when tender and slightly crispy on the outside.
To check for doneness, slide in the tip of a knife. If it slides easily, the asparagus is ready.
Transfer air-fried asparagus to a serving plate, and add a squeeze of lemon and some freshly chopped parsley or basil on top.
If needed, add an extra pinch of salt.
Variations
Air-Fryer Asparagus with Dukkah and Tahini Sauce
Dukkah is a Middle-Eastern and Egyptian nut, herb, and spice blend excellent as a condiment for air fryer asparagus.
Tahini sauce is a rich, creamy, nutty, and incredibly nutritious drizzle-on-everything sauce, and it is a perfect flavor match with asparagus.
We like to serve this variation on a bed of cannellini beans tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley. We sprinkle with dukkah and drizzle with tahini sauce.
Air-Fryer Asparagus with Honey Mustard Dressing
Drizzle with our honey-mustard dressing (or maple syrup) to give the asparagus a touch of sweetness and acidity and make them even more delicious.
We make it with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tbsp honey or maple syrup, 1/2 tbsp mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 twists black pepper, mustard, and honey or maple syrup.
Whisk well, and drizzle on top of asparagus.
Air-Fryer Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese
Asparagus and grated parmesan cheese are a match made in heaven.
You’ll need grated parmesan cheese. I’d recommend importing Italian “Parmigiano Reggiano” or “Grana Padano.”
Also, it’s best to get a block and grate it at home rather than get it pre-grated. This way, you’ll know your parmesan isn’t cut with some cheaper cheese.
To make air frier asparagus with parmesan, follow the instructions above.
Then, sprinkle them with a handful of grated parmesan cheese before cooking. If you have two layers of asparagus, add parmesan to each layer.
Air fry at 400°F or 200°C for 8 minutes till the asparagus is soft on the inside and crisp on the outside.
The cheese should be melted and golden. Serve this variation without lemon or dressing, as the parmesan gives the asparagus plenty of flavors.
Serving Suggestions
Serve roasted air fryer asparagus as a quick and easy starter, side dish, or a healthy snack.
Also, did you know that asparagus goes well with tofu? Try them as a side dish with some of our easy tofu recipes.
Our favorites are marinated tofu on rice, lemon tofu with creamy sauce, orange tofu in sweet and sour sauce, tofu cacciatore, and tofu in pizzaiola sauce.
You can even add air-fried asparagus to our delicious vegan pasta salad, a protein-packed chickpea quinoa salad, or our creamy tofu salad.
Tips
Preheat the air fryer: this ensures your asparagus will cook faster and stay tender-crisp.
Toss with oil: coating asparagus with as little as 1 teaspoon of olive oil ensures that the asparagus cook evenly without burning.
We tried cooking without oil; the asparagus burned on the outside before they were fully cooked.
And that’s the beauty of an air fryer; you won’t need much oil to make deliciously crispy vegetables.
Questions
Yes. Always rinse asparagus before cooking to remove the dirt accumulated during transport, sand, and soil debris.
There is no need to peel fresh asparagus. However, if your asparagus is a few days old and is less fresh, you can peel off its skin with a vegetable peeler. In this case, the peel can be hard to chew.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: air fryer asparagus are best eaten right out of the air fryer as they are deliciously charred and tender crips. However, they store well for several days.
Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: we recommend warming them in the microwave or air fryer for a few minutes.
Freezer: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.
More Air Fryer Recipes
If you liked these air-fried asparagus, you might also like some of our other vegetable side dishes. Some of our favorites are:
- Air fryer zucchini
- Air fryer eggplant
- Air fryer sweet potatoes
- Air fryer green beans
- Air fryer brussels sprouts
- Air fryer mushrooms
- Air fryer potatoes
More Asparagus recipes
Get more green and healthy inspiration from these easy and delicious asparagus dishes:
- Asparagus pasta (lemon juice, garlic, onion, bowtie pasta, parmesan, etc.)
- Italian asparagus risotto (arborio rice, garlic, lemon, almond flakes, vegetable broth).
- Steamed asparagus (mustard vinaigrette, salt, pepper, olive oil, asparagus).
- Grilled asparagus (asparagus, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon).
- Roasted asparagus (olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon, asparagus).
Air Fryer Asparagus
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 bunch (16 oz/1 lb) asparagus
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 twists black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic crushed, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 wedges lemon (for serving)
- 1 tablespoon parsley or basil, chopped (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400° or 200°C for 3 minutes. Rinse the asparagus and shake off excess water. Pat them dry, then chop off the woody ends with a sharp knife.1 bunch (16 oz/1 lb) asparagus
- Add asparagus to a large bowl or plate, and add olive oil, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic cloves. Mix well to coat asparagus with oil.2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 twists black pepper, 2 cloves garlic
- Arrange in air fryer basket (they can overlap) and air fry for 8 minutes. Move them around halfway through cooking.Note: cooking time varies based on the air fryer, so keep an eye on them. They are cooked when crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Transfer onto a serving plate and serve. You can add lemon wedges to squeeze on top and freshly chopped parsley or basil. If needed, add an extra pinch of salt on top.4 wedges lemon, 1 tablespoon parsley
- For more serving suggestions and topping ideas, check out our "variations" chapter above.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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