Air Fryer Asparagus (Quick and Easy Recipe)

Air fryer asparagus will be your new favorite low-carb quick and easy side dish since it is absolutely delicious, healthy and done in a matter of minutes!

This air fryer asparagus recipe is exactly what you want as your evening healthy side dish! This spring season vegetable is one of our favorite side dishes, prepared simply, it pairs well with pretty much anything. It’s perfectly cooked, a little bit crispy on the outside but 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.

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!

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.

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.
   
2. Add oil and toss.
   
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
   
4. Place in preheated air fryer.
   
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.
   
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.
   

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.

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 these healthy 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
• Or, try a chicken stroganoff to go even lighter and switch things up a bit
• Eggplant lasagna doesn’t need a side, but if you were to add one, these asparagus would be it

Other healthy side dishes

If you’re looking for some other perfect side dish options, check these out:

• A simple lemon dill brown rice pairs seamlessly with asparagus
• This grilled zucchini recipe is so epic, topped with balsamic, feta and basil
• Roasted spaghetti squash is a classic
• Butternut squash tossed in fried sage and brown butter might be the best way to do squash ever
• These baked portobello mushrooms are the most popular recipe on this website

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!