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Home » Recipes » Side Dishes
5 from 1 rating

Air Fryer Asparagus (Quick and Easy Recipe)

August 20, 2020 by Christy Gurin (updated July 7, 2025) | Rate Recipe

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Air fryer asparagus will be your new favorite low-carb quick and easy side dish recipe! Asparagus made in an air fryer is absolutely delicious, crisp and tender, and ready to eat in a matter of minutes!

Hand holding a fork with bite of cooked asparagus on it.

This air fryer asparagus recipe is exactly what you want as for a delicious and light side dish! This spring season vegetable is one of our favorites. It’s perfectly cooked, a little bit crispy on the outside, and not overcooked in the slightest.

Plus, the optional addition of parmesan cheese and lemon elevates the flavor while still letting the asparagus itself shine as the dominant flavor.

Why make asparagus in the air fryer

Well, air frying makes everything better of course! I air fry pretty much everything but asparagus surprised me at how crispy it gets cooking like this. Its out new favorite way to do it!

The air fryer is great if you already have a main course in the oven too since it won’t compete for space. We like pairing it with lemon dill salmon or my cast iron pork tenderloin.

First and foremost, it takes half the time as roasting asparagus in the oven and you don’t have to heat up your whole oven to do it. Second, that crispiness you get in the air fryer is second to none! Squeezing the lemon on top takes away some of the crispiness so do this right before serving.

Hand using a fork to serve green vegetables out of a white serving dish.

Ingredients

In this easy recipe simple ingredients are best to let the asparagus truly shine. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Fresh asparagus – the fresher the better! You will trim off any mushy parts and several inches of the woody stalks from the bottom.
  • Oil (I use avocado oil but olive oil is fine too)
  • Salt – I use sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
  • Pepper – black pepper adds a bit of flavor without over complicating anything.
  • Lemon – a squirt of fresh lemon juice livens up the asparagus, adding a nice zippiness of acidity. You can swap with a touch of balsamic vinegar for a fun twist too.
  • Parmesan (optional) – this is entirely optional and leaving it out makes the asparagus dairy free.

You can also add a sprinkle of garlic powder and/or onion powder along with the salt and pepper for a bit more complexity. Red pepper flakes can add some heat or try bagel seasoning or lemon pepper for a tasty twist! Or if you’d like to make the recipe vegan, dairy free, paleo, whole 30 or compliant with pretty much any other diet, add some nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. Or if you want to go full on decadent, top with hollandaise sauce!

Not into asparagus? Try this recipe with green beans – it’s just as tasty!

Raw asparagus spears on a counter next to a whole lemon and block of white cheese next to a cheese grater.

How long to cook asparagus in air fryer

Cooking time depends on the thickness of your asparagus bunch. Air fry at 400°F (about 205° C) for 6-7mins for thin asparagus and 8-10 mins for thick asparagus spears. This is very important to getting perfectly crispy asparagus since thin pieces need much less time!

If you have a mix of sizes, shoot for 7-8 minutes and just toss the basket a few times while it’s cooking.

picture of thick and thin bunches of asparagus next to each other with text above displaying the cook times

Asparagus is typically sold in a “bunch” which is about 3″ (about 7.5 cm) across on the bottom when held bunched together in your hand. I’m sharing this incase you’re using fresh garden asparagus and don’t know how big a bunch is.

How to make air fryer asparagus

This recipe is easy as can be to make, perfect for air fryer novices and experts alike.

  1. Trim asparagus by removing those woody ends off of the bottom with a sharp knife (usually about 2 inches). TIP – if you aren’t sure where to cut, hold both ends of a piece and bend it until it snaps since it will typically break right where the woody part ends.
    asparagus on a cutting board with bottoms freshly trimmed off
  2. Add oil and toss.
    hand holding measuring spoon full of oil over asparagus in a bowl
  3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
    asparagus in a baking dish tossed with pepper and oil
  4. Place in preheated air fryer.
    Asparagus in air fryer basket.
  5. Cook for at 400° for 6-10 mins, depending on thickness. A single layer is ideal but if your air fryer isn’t big enough, just remove the basket and toss half way through.
    Display of an electronic kitchen appliance shows cook temperature of 400 F. for 8 minutes.
  6. Remove the cooked asparagus and serve OR sprinkle toss with lemon and parmesan and then serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
    Cooked air fryer asparagus spears in the air fryer basket.

Tips for making the best air fryer asparagus

While this recipe is incredibly simple, there are a few ways it can go wrong. To make sure yours ends up the best it can be:

  • For ultimate crispiness make sure asparagus is dry before rubbing with oil.
  • Serve right away. Like immediately. The one downside to the air fryer is that, unlike deep frying, the crispiness usually doesn’t last more than 5-10 minutes. A small price to pay for being so much healthier!
  • Make sure to cut all of that woody hard part off the bottom of the asparagus.
  • Check the asparagus at the six minute mark regardless of thickness (every air fryer is different).
  • Tweak the seasoning to fit your favorite flavors or what you’re serving. A few ideas of what you can add: garlic powder, onion powder, herbs de Provence, tarragon, dill, fresh basil, or whatever you have that sounds good.
  • If you have too much asparagus or a small air fryer basket, you can chop the asparagus spears into thirds and shake the air fryer basket once in the middle of the cook time.
Air fried asparagus garnished with shredded parmesan cheese in an oblong-shaped serving dish.

What to serve with asparagus

It feels silly making a list of things to serve with this because asparagus pairs well with EVERYTHING. Either way, here are a few ideas to get you thinking of a few options:

  • Serve with some juicy grilled chicken kabobs
  • This lemon dill salmon is practically begging to be served with asparagus
  • Instant Pot beef stroganoff is a hearty, yet lightened up version of a comfort food classic
Hand holding a bit of asparagus up on a fork against a light colored background

Other asparagus recipes

  • This lemon asparagus quinoa side dish is so so simple, entirely vegan yet so delicious
  • This oven roasted asparagus is the non air fried version of this recipe
  • These prosciutto wrapped asparagus bundles are one of my favorites

Another pro tip – leftover cooked asparagus tastes great in an omelette or scramble the next day!

More

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Recipe
Hand holding a fork with asparagus topped with grated cheese over a bowl of more asparagus.
Recipe
5 from 1 rating
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Air Fryer Asparagus

Created by: Christy Gurin
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Print Recipe
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
4
Air fryer asparagus is a low-carb, quick and easy side dish recipe! Make this recipe for delicious, tender, perfectly seasoned asparagus.
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Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
 

  • 1 bunch asparagus*
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil or even just cooking spray
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • Pinch black pepper a little less than 1/8 tsp.
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice juice from half a lemon
  • 1/4 Cup (optional) finely grated parmesan or 1-2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

Instructions

  • Preheat air fryer to 400° (205° C).
  • Trim woody ends off bottom of asparagus.
  • Rub asparagus with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper (I usually eyeball it and end up using about ¼ tsp. salt and a a little under 1/8 tsp. pepper).
  • Arrange asparagus in a single layer* and cook in air fryer for 6-10 minutes depending on thickness (thin for 6-7mins and thick for 8-10 mins). Start checking for desired doneness at 5 minutes and every 2 minutes after that.
  • Place asparagus on a serving plate and squeeze lemon over the top. Sprinkle with parmesan if desired and serve immediately. As with all air fryer foods, the crispiness doesn't last long so serve and eat quickly for best flavor.

Video

Notes

  • Asparagus is typically sold in a “bunch” which is about 3″ (about 7.5 cm) across on the bottom when held bunched together in your hand.
  • The woody ends are typically about 2” on the bottom and if you’re not sure where to cut, break one with your hand. Where it breaks easily is the length you should cut them all.
  • If you have too much asparagus or a small air fryer basket, you can chop the asparagus spears into thirds and shake the air fryer basket once in the middle of the cook time.
  • For ultimate crispiness make sure asparagus is dry before rubbing with oil.
  • Tweak the seasoning to fit your favorite flavors or what you’re serving. A few ideas of what you can add: garlic powder, onion powder, herbs de Provence, tarragon, or sprinkle with fresh dill, basil or parsley on completion.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 215mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg

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posted in: Air Fryer, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, Quick and Easy, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Whole-30

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Hi, I'm Christy

I started cooking, baking, and helping in the kitchen when I was old enough to reach the counter. I am a food lover with a focus on quick and easy dinners using wholesome ingredients that are approachable for the home chef. If you crave flavor but always find yourself short on time, you’re in the right place.

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