Air Fryer Asparagus that is cooked in just 7 minutes and comes out perfectly crispy, without needing a ton of oil or fat! Serve as game bites with your favorite sauce or as a keto side dish with our air fryer chicken thighs!
How about a healthy side dish or game bites that you can prepare in just 15 minutes from beginning to end?
Awesome, right?!
They have the cozy Italian flavors that we crave and it is a simple recipe!
Table of Contents
Reasons to Make these Asparagus in Air Fryer
- Healthy – this recipe is low-fat, keto, and gluten-free. Plus it is quite nutritious and rich in dietary fiber (½ cup of asparagus contains 1.8 grams of fiber, which is 7% of your daily needs). It's one of the best ways to eat your veggies, and they are better than French fries!
- Quick and easy recipe – Prepare and cook them in just 15 minutes!
- Super delish – It has bright Italian flavors since it calls for lemon, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and garlic.
- Versatile – You can serve our air fryer asparagus either as the perfect side dish for busy weekdays or as a casual appetizer for sports games and more. If serving as an appetizer, pair with a sauce of your choice to dip them in. They remind me of asparagus fries!
Ingredients and Substitutions for Air Fryer Asparagus Recipe
- Fresh asparagus – Although you can use frozen asparagus, I do not recommend it because the excess water will make them mushy. If using frozen asparagus, make sure to thaw them first and then pat them dry very well with a paper towel. Either fresh or frozen, there is no need to peel them before cooking. Just make sure to trim the woody part. You can use any leftovers to make this one sheet pan shrimp and asparagus.
- Olive oil – Just enough to brush them and cook in the air fryer. It will prevent sticking and will make them golden brown. You may replace it with avocado oil if you prefer.
- Garlic powder + salt – I mixed them together before seasoning the asparagus. You are welcome to add extra spices such as onion powder.
- Freshly ground pepper – This will boost the flavor of this dish!
- Parmesan cheese – Because it is salty, make sure to not add too much salt to the recipe! This will work like bread crumbs, giving a crunch to the air fryer roasted asparagus.
- Lemon juice – This will tie all the flavors together! Moreover, sprinkle some lemon zest on top right before serving if you want! Or you may use lime juice or balsamic vinegar.
- Red pepper flakes (optional) – Skip it if you don’t enjoy spicy foods, but if desired this will give our air fried asparagus a kick.
How to choose asparagus
When buying fresh asparagus, make sure to look for the following:
- TEXTURE/APPEARANCE: Crisp asparagus must be plump and firm, and tips should be tightly closed.
- COLOR: They should be green, purple, or white, depending on the variety. Just make sure the color is not faded!
- ODOR: Make sure they don’t smell spoiled!
How to trim asparagus
- Before cooking these easy air fryer asparagus, rinse them under cool running water and then pat them dry well with a paper towel.
- If you prefer, peel the spears with a vegetable peeler although it is not necessary!
- Snap off the bottom of one stalk! It will naturally break just about where the woody part ends and the tender part begins. Next, line up that spear close to a pile of other spears, and cut off the tough, woody ends using a sharp chef’s knife.
- Toss the ends and season your spears!
How long to cook asparagus
There is no need to preheat your air fryer. Their cook time varies according to the temperature you set to air fry them. At 380° F (190° C), fresh asparagus cooks for about 7 minutes. Of course, thin asparagus cooks faster!
But make sure to leave space inside your air fryer basket so that air can circulate. To do this, lay them in a single layer instead of piling them on top of each other.
This means, if your air fryer is small, divide them into batches to cook.
How to make Air Fryer Asparagus
- Wash under cold water, pat them dry with a paper towel, and trim the tough woody ends of the asparagus spears. Place them onto a baking sheet in a single layer and brush them all over with olive oil.
- Season them with a mixture of garlic powder and salt. Then sprinkle parmesan cheese and the freshly ground pepper on top!
3. Spray your air fryer basket with no-stick spray or brush on some olive oil. Line up the seasoned asparagus in one layer inside of your air fryer. If yours is small like mine, you may have to cook them in 2 batches.
4. Air fry asparagus at 380° F (190° C) for about 7 minutes or until tender and golden brown. No need to preheat the air fryer to prepare crispy asparagus!
5. Before serving, squeeze lemon juice on top and serve with lemon wedges and more Parmesan cheese (and red pepper flakes, if desired).
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container or freezer plastic bag for about 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave (about 60 seconds) or in a preheated air fryer at 350 degrees F (3-5 minutes) or just until hot.
You may freeze them for about 1 month and thaw them in the fridge overnight. But be aware that they won’t be as firm or have the same crunch as when they were first cooked.
Other air fryer recipes:
PIN & ENJOY!
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Air Fryer Asparagus
Equipment
- baking sheet
- brush
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus no need to peel them
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt or more depending on how salty your Parmesan cheese is
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra to serve with
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ lemon or more if desired
- red pepper flakes to taste (OPTIONAL)
Instructions
- Wash under cold water, pat them dry with a paper towel, and trim the tough woody ends of the asparagus spears. Place them onto a baking sheet in a single layer and brush them all over with olive oil.
- Season them with a mixture of garlic powder and salt. Then sprinkle parmesan cheese and the freshly ground pepper on top!
- Spray your air fryer basket with no-stick spray or brush on some olive oil. Line up the seasoned asparagus in a single layer inside your air fryer. If yours is small like mine, you may have to cook them in 2 batches.
- Air fry asparagus at 380° F (190° C) for about 7 minutes or until tender and golden brown. No need to preheat the air fryer in order to prepare crispy asparagus!
- Before serving, squeeze lemon juice on top and serve with lemon wedges and more Parmesan cheese (and red pepper flakes, if desired).
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- TEXTURE/APPEARANCE: Crisp asparagus must be plump and firm, and tips should be tightly closed.
- COLOR: They should be green, purple, or white, depending on the variety. Just make sure the color is not faded!
- ODOR: Make sure they don’t smell spoiled!
- Before cooking these easy air fryer asparagus, rinse them under cool running water and then pat them dry well with a paper towel.
- If you prefer, peel the spears with a vegetable peeler, although it is not necessary!
- Snap off the bottom of one stalk! It will naturally break just about where the woody part ends and the tender part begins. Next, line up that spear close to a pile of other spears, and cut off the tough, woody ends using a sharp chef’s knife.
- Toss the ends and season your spears!
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
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