Air Fryer Asparagus

This air fryer asparagus is so delicious, you’ll never want to make it any other way! Asparagus in the air fryer is tender, crispy on the ends, uses very little oil, and takes 10 minutes from start to finish!

If you're looking for a quick and healthy way to cook asparagus, look no further than your air fryer. Just like air fryer mushrooms and air fryer Brussels sprouts, this cooking method is super fast and makes some of the best asparagus I’ve ever had.

Using an air fryer to cook asparagus yields spears that are crispy on the ends, tender in the middle, and perfect as a side dish for easy entrees like air fryer pork tenderloin, baked feta pasta to air fryer whole chicken. I like to serve air fryer asparagus with Parmesan and a squeeze of fresh lemon for a bright flavor. It's also delicious on its own with just a touch of salt and pepper.

Can’t get enough asparagus in the spring? Try my recipes for sauteed asparagus, lemony baked asparagus, and asparagus bacon egg casserole too!

What you’ll need

The ingredients here are simple because asparagus is the star of the show! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Asparagus spears
• Extra virgin olive oil or oil spray 
• Salt and pepper
• (optional) Grated parmesan – Freshly grated is always best, as it will “stick” to the asparagus better. 
• (optinal) Lemon – Cut this into wedges for garnish.

What should I look for when buying asparagus?

For asparagus lovers, spring is the best season to enjoy it. Asparagus is available all year, but in spring, it’s so fresh and abundant, you'll often find it on sale.

When buying asparagus, it should be firm, not limp. Avoid asparagus with shriveled stalks and frayed tips, which are signs that it’s past its prime.

You'll notice there are different sized spears. Thick spears are firm and can take longer to cook, while thinner spears are more delicate, but easy to over-cook. Choose the best size asparagus for the job, but make sure to adjust cooking times accordingly.

Does asparagus need to be peeled?

No, however some cooks like to peel thicker asparagus spears near the lower portion of the stem where the skin is tough. I prefer using a knife to cut off these tough ends, instead of peeling, because I can do it in one quick cut.

How to make air fryer asparagus

Ready for a 10-minute spring side dish?! Here’s what you’ll need to do.

Prepare. Lightly coat the asparagus with the olive oil, then place it in a single layer in your air fryer basket. I always season after air frying to accommodate restricted diets.

Note: In these pictures, you're seeing ½ lb. medium asparagus spears in my 5.7 quart air fryer basket.

Cook. Select 380°F and cook the asparagus for 5 to 7 minutes. I usually check it at 5 minutes, give it a shake, and continue as needed.

Finish. Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter. Enjoy it with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, which is delicious all on its own; or garnish asparagus with Parmesan and lemon wedges. In this case, I prefer to skip adding salt because the Parmesan adds the perfect salty flavor.

Tips for success

Here are some tips for cooking asparagus in an air fryer:

• Prepping asparagus. Asparagus usually has 1-2 inches of tough, woody stem near the bottom. You can either remove these ends with a knife or snap them individually with your hands. I prefer the knife method for convenience.
• Adjust the cooking time as needed. This recipe is written for medium asparagus with tender-crisp results. If you are using thinner spears, they’ll need less cooking time in the air fryer, while thicker spears will need more. If you want your spears softer, you can cook the asparagus longer until they're to your liking.
• Don’t crowd the basket. The key to air fryer success is giving food room for the air to circulate, so don’t crowd the asparagus. My recipe uses ½ lb. asparagus that, as you can see, fits perfect in my 5.7 quart basket-style air fryer, but any fryer will work for this recipe. If needed, make asparagus in two batches; the cooking time is short enough to do this efficiently.

How to store and reheat leftovers

To store, allow the asparagus to cool and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to five days. It can be eaten cold, at room temperature, warmed in the microwave, or reheated in the air fryer. 

You can also use leftover asparagus in recipes like my breakfast pizza on puff pastry.

Can this recipe be frozen?

Air fryer asparagus is best eaten fresh out of the air fryer, but if you have leftovers that you’d like to freeze, they can be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.