Air Fryer Asparagus

Need a quick and easy side dish that’s healthy? Air Fryer Asparagus is so easy with only a few ingredients.

One of my favorite side dishes is roasted asparagus and my new favorite way to make it is in my air fryer! Cooking asparagus in an air fryer is so easy and it hardly takes any time at all.

why you’ll love air fryer asparagus

• This air fryer asparagus recipe only uses 6 ingredients and three of them are seasonings!
• The air fryer cooks the asapargus perfectly and quickly, every single time.
• Prep is so easy for this and if you are a weekly meal prepper, it will be even quicker!

ingredients for air fryer asparagus

• Fresh asparagus – Asparagus when it is in season is the tastiest ever! Have you ever noticed that there are skinny ones and thicker ones? They’re basically the same except for the size and the thicker ones are much better for cooking in your air fryer or roasting in the oven.
• Seasonings – Kosher salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder are all you need to season the asparagus before air frying it.
• Lemon wedges – A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice will really elevate the flavor of the air fried asparagus.

More ways to dress up air fryer asparagus

What I love about this recipe is that you can change up the seasonings and garnishes depending on what you like! Here are some other ways to season it:

• Add some dried herbs like parsley, thyme, oregano or Italian seasoning before you cook them.
• Since you will have fresh lemons on hand, you could even add a little lemon zest to the asparagus.
• Coat them in flavored oils if you have them on hand – olive oil flavored with garlic, herbs, and other seasonings is an easy way to dress them up.
• For serving, try adding some grated Parmesan cheese or Asiago cheese sprinkled over the top.
• Add some chopped fresh herbs before you serve them, too! Parsley or chives would work great.
• For those who enjoy a bit of a kick, red pepper flakes are a great addition!

how to prepare asparagus

Before you cook it, you will want to trim the woody ends. The ends are tough and fibrous and you can trim them a couple of ways:

• Hold one stalk and bend it. It will naturally break where the tough end meets the more tender part.
• Or, you can use a knife and trim an inch or two off the ends. You can do this with several at a time to make it faster.

Once you’ve done the trimming it’s super easy to get it ready to go in the air fryer.

how to cook asparagus in the air fryer

With the asparagus on a plate or lined sheet pan, drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with seasonings. Toss to coat.

Place the asparagus spears, trimmed of their woody ends and seasoned, in the air fryer basket and close.

Adjust the temperature of the air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and cook seasoned asparagus for 8 to 9 minutes.

Transfer the cooked asparagus to a serving dish and garnish with lemon wedges. I love fresh squeezed lemon juice over the top!

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer: I do not recommend freezing cooked asparagus. It will be tricky to thaw and reheat without it being soggy. That being said, you could freeze it and then just use it in soups or pastas!

The best way to reheat leftover asparagus so it still has a little crispiness to it, is to use the air fryer for a couple of minutes. I do not recommend using the microwave.

Have you added fresh asparagus to your grocery list yet? You’re going to want to make this easy side as soon as possible! It’s so easy there’s no excuse to not eat your veggies!

how to serve air fryer asparagus

Asparagus is such a great side veggie that you can pair with just about anything and the air fryer makes it so simple to cook, so you can spend more time on the rest of the meal.

Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken is so moist on the inside with a perfectly crispy outside and goes so well with asparagus. Maybe even add a side of your favorite potatoes or a salad to finish off the meal.

Another great meal to enjoy this asparagus with is Easy Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta. It is so creamy and filled with more delicious vegetables and protein packed chicken. You could even use leftover asparagus to add to this pasta dish for supper the next day.

more delicious air fryer veggies

• Roasted sweet potatoes are another delicious side dish – they cook so much faster than they do in the oven!
• For a super-easy side, you will love my roasted broccoli that cooks in the air fryer.
• If you love baked potatoes you have to try my air fryer baked sweet potatoes – you can cook them whole and then load them up with your favorite toppings!
• Try Air Fryer Corn on the Cob for your next cookout! Save space on the grill and avoid heating up the stove top.