Incredibly easy and totally delicious, this air fryer asparagus recipe is going to transform the way you cook this classic veg. It’s super quick and easy to prepare and makes a fantastic side dish for just about any meal, from a casual weeknight dinner to a fancy Sunday roast.
Why I love air fried asparagus (and you will too!)
Asparagus is one of those ingredients that’s just crying out for a bit of love and attention, and cooking it in the air fryer is the perfect way to turn it into something special. No more sad boiled asparagus!
What I love most about this recipe is how quick and fuss-free it is it’s one of my go-tos on busy weeknights when I’m scrambling to get a home-cooked dinner on the table.
Simple ingredients
- Fresh asparagus. Look for spears with firm and plump stalks, with tightly closed tips. Avoid yellowing or wilted stalks.
- Olive oil. You can substitute a different cooking oil with a high-smoke point like avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Seasoning. You can just use basic salt and pepper, but I like to add some garlic (granules or powder) for added flavour.
Let’s cook this asparagus in the air fryer
1
Preheat.
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F. Preheating is important for this recipe because the air frying time is relatively short, and so you want it to be up to temperature when you put the asparagus in.
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat mode, just set it to air fry for 2-3 minutes.
2
Prepare.
Trim the woody ends from your asparagus. Then place the asparagus in a mixing bowl and drizzle some olive oil over it. Add the seasoning, then toss to coat, ensuring the oil and seasoning is evenly distributed.
3
Air fry asparagus.
Place the asparagus in the air fryer basket in an even layer. Then air fry at 200°C/ 400°F for 7-10 minutes, until tender.
Note on cooking times: how long to air fry asparagus
The cooking times might vary depending on the thickness of your asparagus. Generally, thin spears will take about 5-7 minutes, while thicker ones will require 8-12 minutes. Keep an eye on the asparagus during the cooking process and adjust the cook time if needed.
Variations and serving ideas
- Lemon-pepper asparagus: use some lemon juice and lemon zest with the basic salt and pepper seasoning.
- Parmesan asparagus: sprinkle asparagus with grated parmesan for the last two minutes of cooking time.
- Drizzle cooked asparagus with Hollandaise sauce to serve.
- Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with grated parmesan and bacon bits.
- Or try this Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus.
Air Fryer Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus (approx 1lb/ 450g, washed and trimmed)
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil (Note 1)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder – optional)
Directions
- Preheat air fryer to 200°C/ 400°F for 2-3 minutes.
- Place asparagus in a bowl, drizzle with oil, add the salt, pepper and garlic granules, then toss to coat.
- Place asparagus evenly in air fryer basket, then air fry for 7-10 minutes [Note 2] until asparagus is tender.
Notes
- You can substitute another cooking oil with a high-smoke point.
- The cooking times might vary depending on the thickness of your asparagus. Generally, thin spears will take about 5-7 minutes, while thicker ones will require 8-12 minutes. Keep an eye on the asparagus during the cooking process and adjust the cook time if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
