Our asparagus air fryer recipe will help you take your asparagus from drab to fab in under 30-minutes! Letting the air fryer do what it does best, we are going to keep this recipe simple with just some oil, sea salt, and pepper, and let the fryer work it's magic to create asparagus that is a WHOLE LOTTA YUM!
Air Fried Asparagus
Asparagus is a vegetable that has a bad reputation and we are on a quest to change that. This long green vegetable has a flavor that is similar to broccoli with a texture reminiscent of a green bean, and it is one that is super tasty when prepared properly - and this asparagus air fryer recipe is one of those proper methods!
Not only is this asparagus air fryer recipe super easy and ridiculously flavorful, but it's also perfect for a variety of dietary restrictions seamlessly fitting into gluten-free, low-carb, keto, paleo, and Whole30 lifestyles. Vegetarian eaters will also enjoy this dish as will vegans (as long as you don't add the optional parmesan at the end).
Your asparagus air fryer recipe will more commonly be used as a side dish for your dinner table, however, you can also serve this as a tasty appetizer!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Using the most common kitchen ingredients, our asparagus air fryer recipe is easy enough for brand new cooks but perfectly flavored so your family will think you have been taking cooking lessons!
- With a cook time of just 10 minutes, your air fryer asparagus will be ready in no time making this perfect for a weeknight dinner!
- The whole recipe needs just 4 ingredients!
We love using our air fryer to create perfectly cooked vegetables! Be sure to check out our other air-fried vegetable side dishes including air-fried green beans, air-fried mushrooms, and air fryer frozen Brussel sprouts.
Ingredient Notes
Fresh asparagus, your favorite cooking oil, sea salt, and pepper are about to combine to create an amazing air fryer asparagus!
- Asparagus - we use fresh asparagus
- Olive oil - or your favorite cooking oil
- Sea salt - if you love garlic feel free to use garlic salt
- Pepper
Equipment
An Air Fryer- We have an Omni Plus oven style air fryer and a small 3.2L Farberware basket style air fryer.
How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus
The most challenging part of this air fryer asparagus recipe is going to be prepping your vegetable! From there, a simple coating of oil and seasoning, then a few minutes in your air fryer and you will be done!
Air Fryer Asparagus Temperature
Preheat to your air fryer to 400F. If your air fryer doesn't automatically do this for you just manually turn your model on for 3-5 minutes before cooking.
While we do cook a lot of foods at lower temps, but air fryer vegetables do need a higher temperature.
It's ok to add oil or cooking spray to the basket if you have an aluminum air fryer basket. However, if your basket is non-stick do NOT use cooking spray. Cooking sprays ruin the finish and will make the food in the non-stick basket STICK.
Prep Ingredients
While the air fryer is pre-heating, prep the ingredients.
To prepare your asparagus, break or cut off the hard part at the end of the asparagus. If you prefer to use a knife, you'll cut off about 2" from the end. If you have thick asparagus, peel the bottom of the stalk with a vegetable peeler.
Season your asparagus with oil, salt, and pepper.
Air fryer Asparagus Cook Time
Spread your seasoned asparagus in an even layer in your air fryer and set your timer for 5 minutes.
Flip the asparagus and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes keeping a close eye on your vegetables so they do not burn.
Serve your asparagus as-is or add a drizzle of lemon juice or fresh parmesan. Enjoy!
Air fryer models can differ in cooking time. We found that our air fried asparagus was perfect between 8 and 9 minutes, but yours may take up to 10 minutes total. A longer cook-time may also be needed if you did no properly preheat your air fryer or if you prefer your vegetables cooked longer.
Recipe Tips
- If you are trying to reduce your intake of fats, you can opt to skip the oil.
- Flipping your air fried asparagus is essential to propper to cooking - don't skip this step! 😉
- Your asparagus in the air fryer will need some space for the air to circulate, so be sure not to overcrowd your fryer. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Size matters! Asparagus stalks come in a variety of thicknesses, for best results and an even cook, look for asparagus bunches that contain similar widths.
- Likewise, thinner stalks of asparagus will cook in less time than thicker ones.
Common Questions
Your air fried asparagus will pair well with a variety of main dishes. Popular pairings include chicken drumsticks, pork chops, and a wide variety of fish.
Technically yes, but the ends are woody and hard. To get the best taste and texture, snap off or cut off the ends before cooking.
Store any left over asparagus in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Air Fried Veggies
Looking for more air fryer vegetable recipes?
- Butternut Squash Air Fryer
- Frozen Brussel Sprouts Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
- Air Fryer Green Bean and Mushrooms
Come connect with us on Instagram! Be sure to tag us (wholelotta.yum) when you make a recipe. You can also find us on Facebook, and Pinterest.
Recipe
Asparagus in Air Fryer Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F for 5 minutes.
- Break or cut off the hard part at the end of the asparagus. If you prefer to use a knife, you'll cut off about 2" from the end.
- If you have thick asparagus, peel the bottom of the stalk with a vegetable peeler.
- The total air fryer asparagus cooking time is 8-10 minutes. Flip the asparagus after 5 minutes and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes depending on your preference. Keep a close eye on the veggies after the flip since models can vary with their cooking time.
- Serve with lemon juice, or parmesan, if desired.
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