Air Fryer Asparagus Recipe (In 7 Minutes!)
Seasoned with garlic, onions, and parmesan–these crispy asparagus stems are go-to vegetables for dinner. In under 6 minutes, you’ll have a fast and easy healthy side dish by roasting nature’s french fries in an air fryer.
How to Choose Asparagus
When picking asparagus at the grocery store or farmer’s market, fresh asparagus should be firm and smooth. They should be bright green (unless you’re buying white asparagus) on the stems and have tight tips that could range in color from green, purple, and white depending on the variety.
How to Store the Asparagus for Freshness
If you don’t want to eat your asparagus after prepping them, you can easily store them in your fridge. Wrap a damp paper towel around the fresh-cut stems and place them in a reusable bag. They should stay fresh for up to three days in the crisper drawer.
You can also use containers specifically made to keep vegetables fresher for longer periods of time. Follow the directions on each container and asparagus will last up to one week without wilting.
They also vary in size and shape, but we prefer the thinner types because they’re crisper and less fibrous to eat. We also like thinner varieties because their crispy texture makes them more like asparagus fries.
Should You Wash Asparagus Before Roasting?
Yes, you absolutely should wash asparagus before roasting. Washing all vegetables before cooking and eating is necessary because you never know where the vegetables have been before you bought them at the store or farmer’s market. Wash the asparagus under running water to remove excess dirt.
Preparing and Cutting Asparagus
Clean asparagus under running water to make sure you remove all the dirt. Take a knife and cut off about one to two inches from the bottom of the stem. The bottom of the stem typically has a very fibrous texture and you don’t want to eat this.
As a kid, I learned that you can bend and snap the bottom of the stems off to figure out how much you need to remove, but I found this can take longer if you have a lot of asparagus to trim. It’s much easier to cut them with a knife at one time. To do this without removing too much, you can take one asparagus bend and snap the fibrous portion off and use that as a guide to cut the others.
Seasoning Options
Like roasted broccoli and cauliflower or air fryer cauliflower, there is a myriad of ways to season your air fryer asparagus. This recipe uses a combination of garlic powder, onion, powder, and parmesan cheese, but you can also use:
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Chili pepper flakes
- Cayenne
- Lemon slices
- Italian seasoning: oregano, basil, marjoram
- Cajun seasoning: smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder
How to Air Fry Asparagus
Using the air fryer for roasting asparagus is so easy and fast–it takes about 5 minutes to cook and you’re ready to eat it. Season the asparagus on a cutting board and mix, spray the air fryer with a light coating of avocado oil, and transfer the asparagus into the air fryer.
I like to sprinkle the parmesan on top instead of mixing it just to make sure you don’t lose any tasty cheese along the way. Cook the asparagus at 350 °F for about 5 minutes (for thinner asparagus). The asparagus should be roasted, but still crisp when you bite into them.
Can You Reheat Asparagus in an Air Fryer?
Yes! You can just as easily use the air fryer to reheat asparagus in a very similar way. To know how long to reheat asparagus in the air fryer, you need to keep in mind the thickness of the asparagus and also how much you want to reheat. How long does it take to reheat asparagus in the air fryer you say? Keep the temperature at 350 °F and cook for about two minutes, depending on how much you are reheating. If they still need more cooking time, add another minute and check. If you have thicker asparagus or have more than one serving size, reheat for about three minutes and check if it still needs heating.
Air Fryer Asparagus
Equipment
- knife and cutting board
- air fryer
- tongs
Ingredients
- 1 bundle asparagus about 20-24 thin asparagus
- avocado oil spray
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp onion
- ¼ tsp parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 °F.
- Wash the asparagus under running water. Cut about two inches off the bottoms to remove the hard stems on a cutting board.
- Lightly spray the asparagus with avocado oil spray. Sprinkle the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper on the asparagus. Use tongs or your hands to mix the seasoning to evenly cover the asparagus.
- Spray the bottom of the air fryer and transfer the asparagus into the air fryer container. Place them evenly across the bottom so they aren’t crowded. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and close the lid.
- Cook for 4 minutes for thin asparagus (and 7 minutes for thicker asparagus) or until they are browned. If you can pierce them with a fork or knife then they’re finished. They should be tender, but crisp (and not mushy). If it’s still too hard, continue to cook for another 2 minutes and check again.
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