The asparagus is slightly crispy on the outside while soft and juicy inside. Plus, they are ready in just 10 minutes. Check out our best vegetable sides recipe collection!
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Serving Suggestions
Tips
Make Ahead & Storage
More Asparagus recipes
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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
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
Air Fryer Potatoes
Air Fryer Mushrooms
Air Fryer Sweet Potato
Air Fryer Zucchini
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).
Asparagus Pasta
Asparagus Risotto
Grilled Asparagus
Steamed Asparagus
25 Vegan Salads
35 Healthy Pasta Recipes
35 Plant-based Recipes
title: “Air Fryer Asparagus” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-07” author: “Mildred Samuel”
Why You’ll Love It
It’s easy. Just toss the asparagus in a little olive oil, garlic, and salt, then let the air fryer do the rest of the work for you. There’s very little prep required! It’s quick. Roasting asparagus in the oven can take 15 to 20 minutes, but thanks to the circulation of hot air in the air fryer, this cooking method cuts the time in half! It’s rich in nutrients. Asparagus contains important flavonoids, like quercetin, and is also rich in vitamin K and vitamin A. The more green the asparagus looks, the better! It’s also a good source of dietary fiber and folate (also known as vitamin B9). It’s hands-off. Just press a button, and walk away until the timer goes off! You can shake the basket during the cooking cycle to help turn the asparagus, but it’s not necessary with this method. It goes with everything. This Spring vegetable makes the perfect side dish alongside your favorite cooked protein, or you can serve it as a topping over salads, bowls, pasta, or pizza. When is asparagus in season? Asparagus is harvested in the spring, with its peak months being in April and May. Though, it is often found in stores in June and even early February, too.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What do you need to cook asparagus?
1 bunch of asparagus (about 1 pound) Extra virgin olive oil Garlic Salt
I also like to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the asparagus when it’s done cooking, and a sprinkle of black pepper, but those are totally optional. (Omit if serving picky kids or family members!)
How to Air Fry Asparagus
- Remove the woody stems. Wash and dry the fresh asparagus, then remove the woody ends by gently bending each stalk towards the lower third of the stalk. The stalk should snap, leaving you with a smaller bottom piece that you can discard, or save for making a future veggie stock. (The texture isn’t as tender as the rest of the stalk!) Alternatively, you can use a sharp knife to trim asparagus towards the bottom of the stalk. Repeat the process until all of the asparagus stalks have had the woody bottoms removed.
Shopping Tip: Choose asparagus stalks that aren’t too thin. Very thin asparagus will have a fibrous texture that is not enjoyable to bite into. Look for medium-thick asparagus spears, for the best results! Very thick spears can become a little too slimy in the center for my liking, so you really want to look for something in the middle of very-thick and very-thin. 2. Season well. Place the asparagus in a large bowl, and drizzle with olive oil, freshly minced garlic (or garlic powder), and salt. You can add any other spices you like at this point, too. Transfer the asparagus to the air fryer basket, and arrange them in a relatively single layer. It’s okay if a few pieces overlap.
Air Fry. Cook the asparagus at 400ºF until the asparagus is fork tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. The thicker the stalks, the longer they will take to cook. Start with a 6-minute cook time, and check on them from there, so you won’t over-cook the veggies. If the asparagus isn’t as tender as you’d like it to be, add 2 more minutes of cooking time, then check on them again. You can cook them as long as you’d like, but in general, this shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes in total.
Enjoy! Once the asparagus is tender, transfer it to a serving plate an top with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of black pepper, to taste. The tart lemon juice makes the flavor pop, but this is totally optional. (I omit this when serving my kids– they like it more plain, with just garlic and sea salt.)
Need more flavoring ideas? Try topping this air fryer asparagus recipe with Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for extra flavor. You could also toss it with soy sauce and garnish with sesame seeds, for a different variation. Leftover asparagus can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can reheat the asparagus from the fridge in the air fryer for 3 to 4 minutes at 350ºF when you are ready to serve it again.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Want to make the most of your air fryer? Try these popular ideas!
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes. This post includes an easy formula to help you calculate the perfect cooking time for your potatoes by their weight. You’ll also learn how to check the middles for fool-proof results every time. Air Fryer French Fries. The whole reason I bought an air fryer in the first place was to make crispy french fries at home. These don’t disappoint! Air Fryer Chicken Breasts. This is my favorite way to cook chicken. It turns out perfectly tender and flavorful every time. Air Fryer Bacon. I love cooking bacon in the air fryer, because the grease drips to the bottom of the basket for easy clean-up, and a less-greasy result. Air Fryer Broccoli. A fast & easy side dish! Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts. Try cooking these whole, rather than sliced in half, for the most melt-in-your-mouth results.
If you’re not sure which air fryer is best, be sure to also check out my air fryer review, where I cover 9 different models that I tested in my own kitchen. If you try this air fryer roasted asparagus, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
