Air Fryer Asparagus

Air Fryer Asparagus cooks quickly and has a perfectly tender inside, slightly crispy outside, and delicious seasonings for flavor in every bite!

You guys, I made asparagus in the air fryer, and I was BLOWN AWAY by how easy and fast it was!  It’s funny, I would have never expected my go-to cooking method for asparagus to end up being the air fryer, but it is now!  Asparagus is in season in the spring, which means you can get a great deal on it when it’s freshest.  I love roasted asparagus, but even the thin ones seem to dry out and take forever.  I like steamed asparagus, but it’s hard to get that right too.  The air fryer takes the guesswork out of it.  You must try it! 

How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus

*This is a visual how-to section, scroll down for the full printable recipe card. 

I know a lot of people love to snap each end of their asparagus, but man, that takes so much longer than cutting them all off at once with a sharp knife, so that’s what I do.  

Now, I have a stainless steel basket air fryer (I got it from Costco because it’s nontoxic), so I don’t want to get too many additional seasonings on it just to burn, etc.  I place a piece of parchment paper town over the basket, add the asparagus, then sprinkle on the oil, seasonings, salt/pepper, and grated parmesan cheese and toss to combine.  Then, I remove the parchment paper and place the asparagus directly on the rack.  You could cook it on parchment paper, but then, technically, you aren’t truly air-frying it. 

The mesh holes in the basket allow the air to circulate evenly, cooking the food.  If you place paper of that it, you won’t get that air circulation.  I do foil-line the bottom tray underneath the basket for easier cleaning, though.  This is an oven-style air fryer, but the same principle applies to the basket-style ones.  (See my full review of my air fryer here.)

Swaps and Substitutions

This recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, and low-carb.  To make it dairy-free/paleo/vegan, substitute the parmesan.  

• Asparagus –  you can use any asparagus, thin or thick, and it will change the cooking time.  
• Avocado Oil – You can use your preferred oil, canola or olive oil would work great. 
• Garlic/Onion – Feel free to sub your favorite seasonings. I like easy-peasy garlic and onion.  
• Salt/Pepper –  utilize to taste.  
• Parmesan – optional, but I love the taste of parmesan with asparagus.  If you can’t do dairy, sub nutritional yeast.  

How to Store and Freeze Air Fryer Asparagus

To store: Store in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.  

To freeze: You could freeze this asparagus after cooking it for sure, up to 3 months in an air-tight container.  You may not want to, though.  The texture is likely to be akin to canned asparagus when you defrost it.  Very soggy and kind of stringy.  But some people don’t mind freezer food.  I’m more picky!  

What to Serve with Air Fryer Asparagus

•  Air Fryer Chicken Tenders without breading
• Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
•  Healthy Chicken Parmesan 
• Chimichurri Chicken, Steak, Shrimp, or Salmon
• Honey Chipotle Salmon

Tag me if you make these! I love to see what you guys make! You can tag me on Insta @hungryhobbyRD and Facebook @hungryhobby!