Easy Air Fryer Asparagus Recipe
Air Fryer Asparagus is the perfect healthy side dish recipe ready in minutes. Crispy roasted asparagus is seasoned to perfection for a quick and easy addition to your family’s dinner.
Are you air fryer obsessed like me? I bought an air fryer late last year and I’ve been using it more than my oven. I seriously love this kitchen appliance. If I can air fry it, that’s what I’m doing!
Have you ever tried asparagus in the air fryer? It’s sooo good! It’s nice and crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside.
This will become your new favorite way to make asparagus. It certainly is for me!
It’s easy to make in minutes and really brings out the incredible flavor with just the right amount of spices. I always watch for sales on asparagus at the grocery store, so I snag some for my family’s dinner.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
To make air fryer roasted asparagus, you’ll need the following ingredients.
- Asparagus: Make sure you wash and trim it first.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Water
How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus
Follow along to learn how to make air fryer asparagus!
- Step One: Add olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder to a bowl and stir. Add asparagus to bowl and toss to cover.
- Step Two: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. When the timer goes off, add the water to the bottom of the air fryer pan.
- Step Three: Add the asparagus to the air fryer basket and cook for 5 to 7 minutes for thinner asparagus and 7 to 9 minutes for thicker asparagus or until desired crispness is reached.
- Step Four: Remove the asparagus from the basket and serve warm.
How to Trim Asparagus
First off, you don’t need to peel asparagus. I never do.
You do need to trim the hard and woody ends of the spears. I like to line them all up on a cutting board and then cut the ends off in one easy swoop. A large chef’s knife works great for this job.
Some people like to keep the ends and use them in stir-fries or soup. You could also just put them into the compost. I usually end up composting them.
How To Know When It’s Cooked
Pierce the asparagus spears with a fork; it should be tender but not soggy. Add a few more minutes of cooking time if it’s still hard. You don’t want to eat a crunchy asparagus – not good, trust me.
Your goal is to cook it till it’s crisp-tender. If it’s mushy, it means you overcooked it.
Storage Instructions
I recommend refrigerating leftovers in a shallow, covered container or plate for up to three days.
For leftovers, you have a few options for reheating. You can reheat it in the microwave or the oven. If you use the oven, add some olive oil to them on the baking sheet.
You can also reheat in the air fryer. Put it back in the air fryer for 3 minutes at 400°F to crisp it up! Yum!
How Long to Cook in the Air Fryer
- You’ll cook thin asparagus between 5 and 7 minutes at 400°F.
- You’ll cook thick asparagus between 7 to 9 minutes at 400°F.
All air fryers are different, so keep an eye on them the first time you make them so you’ll know the optimal time for your particular brand of air fryer.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Rinse the asparagus well and pat it dry with a paper towel BEFORE you toss it in olive oil and the spices.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. You may have to make this recipe in two batches if you have a smaller air fryer.
- Keep an eye on the asparagus to ensure you don’t overcook them. All brands of air fryers vary, so it’s best to watch them closely so you cook them to perfection.
- Dress up your asparagus with various ingredients, including a splash of lemon juice, freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, lemon pepper seasoning, red pepper flakes, or sea salt.
What to Serve with this Recipe
It’s such a versatile recipe that goes with practically anything! I have a few recommendations for you to try:
Love asparagus? Try my oven roasted asparagus.
Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Potato Chips
- Air Fryer Pizza
- Air Fryer Oreos
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
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Air Fryer Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus washed and trimmed
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Add olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder to a bowl and stir. Add asparagus to bowl and toss to cover.
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F. When the timer goes off, add the water to the bottom of the air fryer pan.
- Add the asparagus to the air fryer basket and cook for 5 to 7 minutes for thinner asparagus and 7 to 9 minutes for thicker asparagus or until desired crispness is reached.
- Remove the asparagus from the basket and serve warm.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Love dipping them in ketchup.