If you told me that the most delicious cooked vegetable I’d ever consume would come from an air fryer, I might not have believed you – until I had Air Fryer Asparagus. It’s literally the fastest, easiest and tastiest asparagus I’ve ever had. In fact, it’s so good, I’d say it’s worth getting an air fryer if you don’t have one. Two stalks up!
Jump to:
I know, I know. I’m late to this party. But I showed up, and dammit, I brought a dish to share. I’m going to say this once and then we’re just gonna move along:
To every single one of my faithful followers, casual readers, and the countless friends and family who were like “Really? You, of all people, don’t have an air fryer yet? You really need to get one,” I say “YOU WERE RIGHT AND I WAS WRONG.” (Or slow, or lazy, or suspicious, or a little too bougie for my own good.) Regardless, you told me so. And you win.
I’m not gonna lie and pretend that once I got it the first thing I did wasn’t to haul as* to the nearest Trader Joe’s (which is not even remotely conveniently located, by the way) and hit up the frozen food section to choose a few prime test subjects, like Mac & Cheese bites, Toasted ravioli, Pastry Pups, Potstickers and a 55-gallon drum of Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream. (Don’t worry. I just inhaled the ice cream on the drive home so I couldn’t even consider air frying it.) Long story short, the thing works like a dream and after I came out of my sugar coma a couple days later, I figured I might want to, you know, try to actually cooking something “real.”
Full disclaimer: in case you didn’t know (or forgot), I am obsessed with vegetables in general, and asparagus is a particular favorite. But I say this with nary a trace of artifice or hyperbole – this was so freaking good, I may never eat asparagus that’s not air fried again. I will gladly test this theory, but I truly believe I’ve been baptized and converted. Praise be.
How to Cook Asparagus in an Air Fryer
Super simple and simply super. Air Fryer Asparagus is the fastest, easiest way to achieve side dish nirvana. Just toss these tasty stalks with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and in 6 minutes you’ve got veggie perfection!
- Trim the asparagus spears.
- Place the asparagus into the basket of your air fryer. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper then gently toss until the asparagus is well coated.
- Cook at 400°F for 6 minutes, tossing halfway through. Add 1-2 minutes or spears thicker than ½″.
- Season to taste with balsamic vinegar or reduction and serve immediately.
Chef’s Tips
- Preheat your air fryer if necessary – check your user manual.
- Remove the basket and shake the spears once halfway through cooking.
- For thicker asparagus spears, add 1-2 minutes to the total cook time.
Make It Your Way
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or reduction just before serving.
- Drizzle with lemon juice and/or zest and grated parmesan cheese just before serving.
Meaty Mains to pair with Air Fryer Asparagus
- Maryland Crab Cakes
- Balsamic Chicken Thighs
- Rosemary Flank Steak
- Italian Basil Chicken with Creamy Pan Sauce
- Dutch Oven Braised Red Wine Pot Roast
Did you make this Air Fryer Asparagus? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Asparagus
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin RecipeRecommended Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp ground pepper, or to taste
- balsamic reduction or vinegar, to taste, optional
- lemon juice, to taste, optional
- grated parmesan cheese, to taste, optional
Instructions
- Trim the asparagus ends, then place into the basket of the air fryer. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then gently toss until the asparagus is evenly coated.
- Program the air fryer to 400°F for 6 minutes; remove the basket and shake once halfway through. If the asparagus isn't cooked to taste, return the basket to the air fryer and cook 1-2 minutes longer (especially for thicker asparagus spears).
- Season to taste with balsamic reduction or vinegar, or season with a lemon juice and grated parmesan cheese.
[…] I stand by my personal assessment that air fryer asparagus is the reigning champion of asparagus cooking methods, nothing will stop me from grilling spears in […]