An easy air fryer asparagus recipe that results in perfectly roasted, tender asparagus!
A delicious and healthy vegetable side dish that's on the table in under 10 minutes!
This is the recipe I turn to when asparagus is in season, and I want a quick and easy vegetable side for dinner.
Cooking asparagus in the air fryer produces wonderfully tender stems and crispy spears. The kids absolutely love it too!
👩🍳 Love air fryer sides? Try my crispy air fryer broccoli!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
Here's why this is the best air fryer asparagus recipe!
- Quick and easy vegetable side
- Perfectly roasted in the air fryer
- Healthier than oven roasted asparagus
- Goes well with so many different meals
- 4 simple ingredients
🛒 Ingredients
- Asparagus - use young tender asparagus with thin stems. Thick woody stemed asparagus is best avoided!
- Olive Oil - a light olive oil is best.
- Seasoning - sea salt and black pepper.
🥄 Equipment
An air fryer is an obvious requirement for this recipe, and I use the Ninja Foodi Health Grill and Air Fryer* (*affiliate link). It not only air fries food but also grills, bakes, and dehydrates too. It's a super useful kitchen gadget and one that I definitely wouldn't do without.
What is an air fryer?
Air fryers are small(ish) kitchen appliances that operate like a convection oven—except in a smaller, more concentrated space. My air fryer has a large capacity (5.7 litres) so is relatively large compared to some of the smaller fryers you can buy.
The air is circulated at a high temperature and evenly around the food, which makes the food cook more quickly than in a conventional oven and helps give foods a crispy coating without the need for lots of oil and fat.
🔪 How to cook asparagus in air fryer
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Preheat your air fryer to 200c (400F).
Two: Wash the asparagus under cold running water to remove any dirt, then remove the woody stems with a sharp knife (remove around 3cm at the base of the stem). Pat dry.
Three: Drizzle the olive oil over the spears (it's best to do this on a baking tray), and use your hands to make sure that each spear is well coated in oil.
Four: Place the asparagus in your air fryer in a single layer. Use tongs to turn the spears after 5 minutes, then start checking to see if they are cooked after 7 minutes (you don't want them to burn!). Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
💭 Top tips
- Make sure you preheat your air fryer so it's up to temperature before adding the asparagus. This ensures a beautifully tender stem and crispy top.
- Use thin stemmed asparagus so it cooks evenly in under 10 minutes.
- Try to make sure the asparagus is in a single layer in the air fryer basket, so the hot air can circulate around each spear.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Air fryer asparagus goes so well with so many different dishes. Try it as a healthy veggie side dish to air fryer whole chicken, paprika chicken pasta, slow cooker sausage casserole, air fryer chicken breasts, or slow cooker roast beef!
In the summer months I often serve it up with creamy creme fraiche chicken and Parmentier potatoes, for an easy al fresco dinner!
Check out my easy air fryer recipes for more inspiration!
📖 Variations
Vary the seasonings - here are a few ideas!
- Grated Parmesan
- Soy Sauce
- Lemon Juice
- Salted Butter
- Hollandaise Sauce
- Smoked Paprika or Cayenne Pepper
- Pomegranate Molasses
🥡 Storage
- To Store. The air-fried asparagus will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. You can either reheat in the microwave or, to retain its crispy texture, reheat in your air fryer for a few minutes at 200c.
- To Freeze. Air fryer asparagus is not suitable for freezing.
❓ FAQs
Pop it back in your air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 200c (400F), which will allow it to crisp up again.
Yes because it uses less oil than regular roasted asparagus. You'll need just 1 teaspoon of oil for 250g of asparagus!
The woody ends of asparagus are tough, so they taste best when trimmed. Use a sharp knife to cut off the bottoms, or alternatively snap the ends off with your hands. You'll need to take off about 3cm.
😋 More air fryer sides
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan
- Air Fryer Roast Potatoes
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
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Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Asparagus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 250 g Asparagus
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 200°c (400F).
- Wash the asparagus under cold running water to remove any dirt, then remove the woody stems with a sharp knife (remove around 3cm at the base of the stem). Pat dry.250 g Asparagus
- Drizzle the olive oil over the spears (it's best to do this on a baking tray), and use your hands to make sure that each spear is well coated in oil1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- Place the asparagus in your air fryer in a single layer. Use tongs to turn the spears after 5 minutes, then start checking to see if they are cooked after 7 minutes (you don't want them to burn!). Season with salt and pepper, and serve.¼ teaspoon Salt, ⅛ teaspoon Pepper
Notes
- Make sure you preheat your air fryer so it's up to temperature before adding the asparagus. This ensures a beautifully tender stem and crispy top.
- Use thin stemmed asparagus so it cooks evenly in under 10 minutes.
- Try to make sure the asparagus is in a single layer in the air fryer basket, so the hot air can circulate around each spear.
- Grated Parmesan
- Soy Sauce
- Lemon Juice
- Salted Butter
- Hollandaise Sauce
- Smoked Paprika or Cayenne Pepper
- Pomegranate Molasses
- To Store. The air fried asparagus will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat. You can either reheat in microwave or, to retain it's crispy texture, reheat in your air fryer for a few minutes at 200c.
- To Freeze. Air fryer asparagus is not suitable for freezing
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