This Air Fryer Asparagus recipe teaches you how to make the best crispy spears! Fresh asparagus is seasoned and quickly roasted until the perfect tenderness is reached. Serve this easy side dish along with your vegan or low-carb entrees for a healthy meal.
If you have never made asparagus in the air fryer then you are in for a lovely surprise.
Not only do you get ultra crispy spears but they’re also SO super quick to cook up.
I’m talking like less than 10 minutes kinda’ quick. Even roasted asparagus takes closer to 20 minutes to make!
You can then keep it super simple and just season with a bit of oil, salt and pepper.
Or spruce it up a bit with a few other simple seasoning suggestions. (Make sure you take a peak at these below!)
It makes the best and easiest side dish to serve with just about any main dish.
It’s also great for anyone on a plant-based or low-carb diet.
Ingredients
The simple ingredients you need to make this air fryer asparagus recipe include:
- Asparagus. One pound of asparagus spears will fit perfectly into a 6-quart air fryer. Thinner spears will cook more quickly while thicker spears take a bit more time.
- Oil. You can select either avocado or olive oil.
- Garlic. Fresh minced garlic cloves are preferred but garlic powder may also be substituted.
- Salt and pepper. Use these to season to taste. There are also quite a few seasoning substitutions you can make, so be sure to read below for more information!
How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus
The basic steps for making air fryer asparagus are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
Trim the Asparagus
The end of the spear is tough, fibrous, and extremely difficult to chew. You need to completely remove the woody ends by either cutting or snapping it off.
- Cut – locate the junction where the light white or brown end starts to turn darker green and slice with a knife.
- Snap – Hold one stalk in both hands and place your thumb at the junction of the light brown and green part. Press lightly until you can feel where the asparagus is soft versus where it is hard and continue pressing until the spear snaps in two.
Season the Asparagus
Measure the oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and whisk everything together.
Add in the asparagus and mix until all of the spears are completely coated.
Air Fry
The air fryer is sort of like the oven in that it needs a little bit of time to preheat before using. It’s best if you can let it heat up to 370°F for at least 3 minutes before adding in your food for the best results.
Arrange the asparagus spears in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 6-9 minutes tossing halfway through. Smaller spears will take less time to cook than larger ones.
This recipe was created using a 6-quart Air Fryer. However, a smaller or larger air fryer may also be used.
If using a 4-5 quart model, you may need to increase your cook time by a few minutes. If using a larger air fryer, you’ll want to decrease your cook time by 1-2 minutes.
Variations to Try
While this air fryer asparagus tastes incredible with just some simple salt and pepper, there are a few other flavor options you can try:
- Top with some grated Parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
- Drizzle on a bit of balsamic glaze.
- Give it a little Asian flair with some teriyaki sauce.
FAQs
Vegetables such as asparagus are a great addition to a low-carb diet. One cup of asparagus has 5.2 grams of carbohydrates.
The ends of asparagus are woody and tough and should be removed before cooking. If the entire spear is stringy and chewy it is likely overcooked.
Soaking is not necessary, however, the spears should be thoroughly washed.
A higher smoke point oil is best for air frying, such as avocado or safflower oil. Olive oil may also be used but you’ll want to make sure to keep your cooking temperature below 375°F.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Remove the tough part. Cut or snap off the woody ends before cooking.
- Notice the size. Thinner spears will take less time to cook than thicker ones.
- Less room means more time. Increase the cooking time if using a 4 or 5 quart air fryer, reduce it for a larger capacity.
- Try new flavors. Each time you make this dish experiment with different seasonings or sauces!
More Air Fryer Recipes
If you want a few other simple vegetable side dish ideas to make in the air fryer, you may also enjoy:
Air Fryer Asparagus Recipe
This Air Fryer Asparagus recipe teaches you how to make the best crispy spears! Serve this easy side dish along with your vegan or low-carb entrees for a healthy meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. asparagus ends trimmed*
- 1 Tbsp. oil olive or avocado
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Instructions
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Heat air fryer to 370°F for at least 3 minutes.
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Whisk together oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
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Add trimmed asparagus spears and stir until they are well coated in the sauce.
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Place asparagus into the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 6-9 minutes, tossing the basket halfway through. (Smaller spears will take closer to 6 minutes to cook while larger spears will take up to 9 minutes.)
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Serve asparagus with a sprinkle of additional black pepper and salt, to taste. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- You can either trim asparagus with a knife or by using the snap method:
- With a knife: Locate the junction where the light white/brown end starts to turn darker green. Cut at this point to remove the woody end.
- Snap method: Hold one spear in both hands and place your thumb at the junction of the light brown and green part. Press lightly until you can feel where the asparagus is soft versus where it is hard and continue pressing until the spear snaps in two.
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Connie says
This is delicious and perfectly air-fried. I added the lemon zest and parmesan cheese as well. It was so good with our salmon last night that we’re having it again tonight along with chicken marinaded in mesquite. The Asparagus is a must try.
London Brazil says
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Connie! I love salmon and asparagus. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Eileen says
Just made this and it was sooooo easy and delicious. I used 1 lb of fresh asparagus, but did find that it took about 20 minutes total to air fry.
London Brazil says
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Eileen! I’m sorry it took a little longer to get the texture you wanted. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!