I am not going to lie, growing up I did NOT like eating asparagus. Then one summer day, in my 20s, while I was vacationing in Lake Tahoe, my friends convinced me to try grilled asparagus. And guess what, I have been hooked on asparagus ever since. It has since become one of my favorite vegetables to eat and this air fryer asparagus recipe is awesome!
Cooking in the air fryer is convenient, fun, and quick. This air fryer asparagus is ready in less than 10 minutes. While I still love classic grilled or pan-fried asparagus, cooking asparagus in the air fryer has become my new go-to way to prepare it.
If you are a fan of air fryers and you love asparagus, you have got to give this recipe a try. If you don’t like asparagus, try this recipe anyway and see if it changes your mind. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get air frying!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients and tools
In order to cook asparagus in the air fryer you need just a handful of ingredients and tools:
- Asparagus – by the thin or fat kind, whichever you prefer.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Parmesan cheese – I usually just use the powder kind, but freshly grated works great too.
- Olive oil – Or you can use something like avocado oil, etc.
Tools
- Air fryer (highly rated) – I really like this air fryer, I have used it for a few years now, works awesome.
- Tongs
- Long container
- Knife
- Cutting board
Step 2: How to Cook Asparagus in Air Fryer
Begin by rinsing and drying the asparagus. It is usually a good idea to rinse and dry all of the vegetables that you buy, or home grew.
NOTE: Asparagus is sold really thin as well as fat. I prefer to get the smaller ones. You can cook the fatter ones the same way, they will just take a little longer to cook.
Place the raw asparagus on a cutting board and cut 2 to 3 inches off the bottoms, with a sharp knife. The ends of asparagus are really woody and not appetizing at all.
Next place the trimmed asparagus in a long container or like a pie plate. Spray or drizzle on some olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
Sprinkle on whatever seasonings that you want. I always add a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder.
Step 3: Using the Air Fryer
Use tongs and place the seasoned asparagus in the air fryer basket. Spread the asparagus spears out so they are in one layer, if possible.
Then sprinkle on some parmesan cheese. This is optional, but I love adding the parmesan. The powdery type works great, but you can also use freshly grated parmesan cheese if you prefer. If you want a little heat sprinkle on some chili flakes.
Replace the basket in the air fryer and set the temp to 400F/205C. Cook for 7 minutes. If they are fat asparagus you may need to go 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the basket and use tongs to retrieve the cooked air fryer asparagus. Put them on a plate and serve warm. Seriously, it is that easy. From start to finish you can eat asparagus in under 10 minutes.
There you go, now you know how to cook asparagus in an air fryer.
Enjoy!
How long does asparagus cooked in the air fryer last?
Like most cooked asparagus, it is best to eat air fryer asparagus while still warm. You can store the cooked asparagus in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic or foil for 3 to 4 days.
Here are other air fryer recipes you may like:
How to Cook Bacon in Air Fryer
Air Fryer Asparagus
Equipment
- Air fryer (highly rated)
- Tongs
- Long container
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb of fresh asparagus
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- Pinch Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp of Parmesan Cheese
- Cooking spray olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, etc.
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the fresh asparagus.
- Cut two to three inches off the bottoms.
- Place in a container, then spray or drizzle on some olive oil or other cooking oil. Sprinkle on the seasonings, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and any others, you may want.
- Use tongs and add the asparagus to the air fryer basket and spread the spears out evenly. Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese.
- Replace the basket in the air fryer, cook at 400F/205C for 6 to 10 minutes depending on how fat/thick the asparagus is.
- Remove then plate and serve warm. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you like the recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. Save the Pin to Pinterest! If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
Check out my other website 101 Creative Dates for fun date ideas. Food and dating go hand in hand!
We’ll be doing this, as our only oven now is an air fry oven. We like asparagus served atop toast with a cream or hollandaise sauce for breakfast. Woo Hoo
Your recipes rock. I’ve been a fan since discovering you on Instructables over 8 years.
Awesome!! Thank you so much, that means a lot. I appreciate the compliment. 🙂 So glad you have stuck with me all these years! I have a handful of other air fryer recipes too. 🙂
This is my favorite way to make asparagus! It’s quick & easy & comes out perfectly!
Awesome!! Glad you like it this way as well. 🙂
I LOVE asparagus! It’s one of my absolute favorite veggies! I’ve had this recipe for asparagus so many times! I love how it turns out being air fried! Tender, but just a bit crispy. … but the true star of the show is how the seasonings & parmesan cheese completely enhance the asparagus! Truly. My brother, who usually despises asparagus, loves this. It’s one of the few ways we’ve actually convinced him to eat asparagus! I so very much LOVE this recipe!
So glad you like asparagus as well! And glad you like it air-fried. Thanks!! 🙂
This is the BEST way to make asparagus! So easy, quick, and best of all tasty!
Thank you! Yeah I love it!