Easy Air Fryer Asparagus

Are you a fan of preparing asparagus simply, roasting with the tiniest amount oil and sprinkling of salt, to allow the unique flavour of asparagus to really shine.

Well, cooking the tender spears it in the air fryer means that you can enjoy delicious roasted asparagus in a fraction of time that traditional oven roasting method requires. How amaaaaazing is that?! As easy as these Air fryer Zucchini Fries and Air Fryer Green Beans.

Healthier Air Fryer Asparagus

Not only is asparagus one of the tastiest vegetables around, it is super low in calories (a half cup contains just 20 calories!). 

Plus you get to free up your oven, grill or instant pot so you can cook other dishes at the same time. easy peasy veggies right.

Asparagus is soooooo versatile. Serve it up for breakfast of brunch in omelettes and quiches, or add it to soup or a lovely salad for a light and healthy lunch. Plus air fried asparagus really is the perfect side dish to most any main course.

Asparagus is great paired with seafood, particularly my delectable Air Fryer Salmon, Air Fryer Shrimp. So good!

Why You’ll ♡ This

• kids and picky eaters alike love ’em!
• they are simple to prepare and no deep frying needed.
• they are very and customizable.
• Tastes as good as traditional roasted asparagus.
• this are a versatile side that goes with everything.

Ingredient Notes

• Asparagus – For this you need fresh asparagus which has been rinsed and the woody ends cut off.
• Olive Oil – Use your at hand Olive oil or other mild flavored oil for to cook this.
• Salt – A sprinkle of salt, finished this ff wonderfully.
• Lemon juice – Optionally you can squeeze on some lemon juice for extra flavor.

Ready to learn how to how to air fry asparagus. Then gather up your ingredients and I will show you….

How To Air Fry Asparagus

Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below

1. Preheat the air fryer air fryer to 400 degrees F / 200C.
2. Trim, rinse and dry asparagus spears.
3. Lightly spray with cooking spray or olive oil and sprinkle with the best sea salt.
4. Place the asparagus spears in single layer inside the air fryer basket.
5. Cook for 5-8 minutes.
6. Remove from air fryer and serve.

Top Recipe Tips

• Try and make sure the vegetable stems are all of a similar size so that they cook at the same time.
• Add some extra flavour by seasoning your air fryer asparagus with your favourite herbs and spices. Try a combination of thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder. See more below.
• Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket to the veggies cook and crisp up well (they will steam rather than crisp up if too full).
• For those not following a vegan diet, I highly recommend trying out the variations on this recipe for air fryer roasted asparagus further below.
• Do make sure to trim / cut or snap off the inedible woody stems before cooking.

How Long To Cook Asparagus In Air Fryer

Air fryer temperatures can vary depending on the make and model. I recommend starting out with less cook time, checking for doneness, and then adding more time as needed.

Wondering how long to air fry asparagus? Time will depend on how thick the asparagus spears are. Thinner stems will be done in 5 minutes, whilst thicker stems will need to cook for 6-8 minutes.

Season Your Air Fryer Vegetables

Use seasoning blends to effortlessly add flavor to your crisp, crunchy vegges. You can use store bought seasonings as they certainly make your life easier.

But you can also make you own easy homemade spice blends like

• Blackened Seasoning. {<= amazing on vegetables)
• Tuscan Seasoning.
• Super Easy Greek Seasoning.

Delicious Variations

Air Fryer Asparagus With Bacon

You will absolutely loooooove the combination of tender asparagus and crispy meaty bacon. Air Fryer Asparagus with Bacon is perfect for serving at parties or as a delicious game day snack. Because everything is better with bacon, right?!

Here is how to make asparagus wrapped bacon in the air fryer:

• Trim, rinse and season asparagus stalks, following this recipe.
• Wrap one slice of bacon (or prosciutto) around 2-3 asparagus stalks, depending on thickness, and secure with a toothpick.
• Place your wraps in a single layer inside the air fryer basket. Cook at 400F / 200C for 8 minutes, checking for doneness at least once and adjusting cook time if needed.
• These are ready to eat, so serve and enjoy!

Parmesan Crusted version

Parmesan Crusted Asparagus is amazingly delicious. Air frying the cheese provides a wonderfully nutty flavour and a great crunchy outer coating, thanks to the air fryer. To make Air Fried Parmesan Asparagus, follow these easy steps:

• Trim, rinse and season asparagus stalks, following this recipe.
• Sprinkle the asparagus with salt and grated Parmesan cheese, and other seasonings and herbs if desired.
• Place the coated asparagus in a single layer inside the air fryer
• Cook at 400F / 200C for 8 minutes, checking for doneness at least once and adjusting cook time if needed.

Other Variations

• Add spices – spices like pepper, garlic powder and more add a little bit of variation.
• Add heat – red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper or chipotle flakes are an easy way to add heat.

Storage

• Store – Leftover Air Fried Asparagus should be stored in an air tight container for up to 3 days. 
• Freeze – These are perfect for freezing. Follow the recipe, cool, wrap in aluminium foil, add into a ziplock bag and freeze.

FAQs

How To Trim Asparagus Spears

How To Many people swear by the ‘bend and snap’ method for trimming their asparagus spears. And while that does indeed remove the woody ends, you will end up with asparagus stalks that are different lengths.

Plus it may remove some of the perfectly tasty, usable portion of asparagus in the process. I find it is faster and more efficient to simply trim off the tough woody ends using a chef’s knife.

• Just line up your stalks.
• Cut at the point where the green colour begins to fade to white,.
• Slice off the ends. Easy peasy!

Best Way To Store Asparagus (uncooked)

If you’re planning to cook your asparagus within a couple of days, you can simply wrap the woody ends in a wet paper towel and store in a plastic bag.

But if you want to store it for longer, use this method to keep your asparagus fresh for up to 2 weeks:

Trim a little bit off the bottom of your asparagus stems. Fill a canning jar or a pint glass with 1-2 inches of water. Place the asparagus upright inside the container. Loosely cover the top of the asparagus with a plastic bag.Store inside the fridge

How To Trim Asparagus

Trimming asparagus is super easy. Simply lay spears on a cutting board, and line the basses of all the stem together. Then use a sharp knife and cut all the woody bits off. If you have a large bunch, you will need to do the trimming in batches.

How Do You Know When These Are cooked.

You will notice that the spears turn from bright green to dark green when cooked.

• 

More Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes:

• Air Fryer Beets.
• Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Air Fryer French Fries.
• Air Fryer Frozen Waffle Fries.
• Air Fryer Corn On the Cob.

Serving Suggestions

• Air Fryer Pork Chops <= to mop up all those lovely juices.
• Air Fryer Fried Chicken <= It pairs well with this.
• Air Fryer Salmon <= my favorite combo.
• Air Fryer Steak <= the prefect accompaniment.

Weight Watchers Points

A serving contains 0 (yeap, zero!) Blue Plan SmartPoints.

Recipe Tools

• An Air Fryer.
• A spray bottle.
• Air Fryer Accessories.
• Salt.
• A sharp knife.

Thank you for reading my Airfryer Asparagus recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.

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