Air Fryer Asparagus is the BEST way to cook this delicious green vegetable. Still a little bite, the perfect crunch and finished off with the perfect combination of lemon, Parmesan and a little chilli flakes. Just a few ingredients and less than 10 minutes for asparagus in the air fryer - a versatile side dish.
About air fryer asparagus
Asparagus is a top tier vegetable. So much delicious flavour, easy to cook with and a versatile side that will go with almost anything. Whilst you can boil or roast it, air fried asparagus gives the best results.
If you have every wondered "can I cook asparagus in the air fryer?", then you are in the right place!
This is a vegetable side dish that you don't need to overthink. Just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in, and less than 10 minutes until it's on the table.
Looking for more air fryer vegetable recipes? Why not try our easy Air Fryer Aubergine, crispy Air Fryer Kale or our quick Air Fryer Peppers?
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Asparagus - To ensure that this is the best it can be, make sure you are making this with in-season asparagus. Not only will it have the best flavour and texture, but it will be cheaper too. Try to go with medium thickness spears, not the really thick ones, as this means they won't burn but they are cooked quickly. To get the perfect asparagus, look for spears that are firm and a nice bright green colour. The tips should be dry and held tightly to the stalk. Thinner asparagus spears are younger and therefore more tender.
- Oil - We used olive oil to cook it all in.
- Lemon - Make sure you have a juicy lemon. You could add some lemon zest too if you wanted extra lemon flavour.
- Salt & pepper - Generously season.
- Parmesan - This is option, but we find it really finishes the whole dish off nicely.
- Chilli flakes - Again, this is optional if you don't like spice, but we love adding some chilli flakes for a punch of flavour when serving.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to cook asparagus in the air fryer - Step by step
One: Put the asparagus into a bowl. Drizzle over the oil and add the salt and pepper. Mix well to coat all of the asparagus.
Two: Put the coated asparagus into your air fryer.
Three: Cook at 200°C for 8 minutes, shaking halfway through cooking.
Four: Serve topped with a squeeze of lemon juice, grated Parmesan and the chilli flakes.
How to pick asparagus
Before you even get to making this recipe, you want to make sure that you pick the perfect asparagus.
Try to pick the thinner asparagus, as the thicker ones can be more woody and overripe. You want them to be firm, and not limp and a nice bright green colour.
Make sure the spears aren't wet and mushy - you are looking for them to be closed.
To keep your fresh asparagus at its freshest, check out this detailed guide for tips on how to store asparagus.
Variations
Asparagus in the air fryer is a really simple side dish, so there aren't too many ways that you can adapt it. You could also add some fresh crushed garlic before putting it in the air fryer though - that adds a nice flavour.
Instead of just salt and pepper, you could add your favourite seasoning blend. We like Italian Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning.
A splash of soy sauce or balsamic vinegar added before cooking adds a lovely flavour, without any extra effort.
If you wanted to cook some other veggies at the same time, then mushrooms are a good addition.
Serving suggestions
The great thing about asparagus is that it is so versatile and can be served with almost anything. Here are some of our favourite suggestions.
Fish - For a light and fresh meal, why not serve this asparagus in the air fryer with some fish? Our Creamy Dill Salmon, Air Fryer Cod or Gambas Pil Pil are all good pairings.
Chicken - Chicken and asparagus is a winning combination. Why not try our Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs or Chicken Kiev?
Pasta - The perfect vegetable to be served with pasta. This goes so well with our Lemon Pasta, White Bean Pasta or Mackerel Pasta.
Dip - We also would happily just dip this into some Healthy Ranch Dressing or Chipotle Southwest Sauce!
Salads - This is also a delicious way to add some green veggies to a salad. Try it on our Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad or our Steak Salad.
Also, because everything is better with bacon, why not crumble some cooked bacon over the cooked asparagus before serving? Try our Air Fryer Bacon which can be cooked at the same time.
Extra Tips
- You can prepare it in advance by mixing everything together, and keeping it in the fridge until it is ready to go in the oven.
- When trimming asparagus, snap don't cut the ends. It will break naturally where the spear starts to get tough.
- Make sure the asparagus is in a single layer in the air fryer basket, so it can get nice and crispy. If they are too close together, then everything will just steam.
- Don't overcook the asparagus, as it will lose its colour and flavour. Cooking times will vary depending on how thick your asparagus spears are. For thin spears, you might only need 4-5 minutes, whereas ours were thicker so needed 8 minutes.
- For a little crunch, you can serve this with some crushed cashews or almonds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Air fryer asparagus is a great batch cook dish, as it will store in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can keep it in the fridge to add to meals throughout the week. It's a good addition to salads and pasta dishes for easy work lunches. Or even just to snack on.
Yes, you can but it will change the texture once defrosted. You can freeze in a freezer container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
You can reheat it in the air fryer for about 3 minutes, until it is heated through.
Chances are you have overcooked it or used too much oil. All air fryers cook at different rates, so check yours after 6 minutes to see how it is going.
You can, however you won't get the same crispiness due to all the water that will be in it.
More asparagus recipes
If you’ve tried this air fried asparagus recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Asparagus
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) Asparagus spears - woody ends chopped off
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 pinch Sea salt
- 2 pinch Ground black pepper
- 10 g (2 tablespoon) Parmesan - grated
- 0.5 teaspoon Red chilli flakes
- 0.5 Lemon - juice only
Instructions
- Put 200 g Asparagus spears into a bowl. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon Olive oil and add 2 pinch Sea salt and 2 pinch Ground black pepper. Mix well to coat all of the asparagus.
- Put the coated asparagus into your air fryer.
- Cook on the Air Fry setting at 200°C/400°F for 8 minutes, shaking halfway through cooking.
- Serve topped with juice of 0.5 Lemon, 10 g Parmesan and 0.5 teaspoon Red chilli flakes.
Recipe Tips
- You can prepare it in advance by mixing everything together, and keeping it in the fridge until it is ready to go in the oven.
- When trimming asparagus, snap don't cut the ends. It will break naturally where the spear starts to get tough.
- Make sure the asparagus is in a single layer in the air fryer basket, so it can get nice and crispy. If they are too close together, then everything will just steam.
- Don't overcook the asparagus, as it will lose its colour and flavour. Cooking times will vary depending on how thick your asparagus spears are. For thin spears, you might only need 4-5 minutes, whereas ours were thicker so needed 8 minutes.
- For a little crunch, you can serve this with some crushed cashews or almonds.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Andrea says
What a simple and delicious way to have asparagus. Thanks for all the suggestions on what to serve it with. It's a fabulous side dish.
TAYLER ROSS says
I made this asparagus with dinner last night and it was perfect! I'll never make it another way again
suja md says
This looks really delicious. Can't wait to try it out! thanks for the recipe
Kristine says
This asparagus came out perfectly cooked and it was SO EASY! Great recipe, thank you!
Ned says
Not only the flavor was amazing, but so awesome and easy to make in the air fryer! Thank you!