How to Cook Air Fryer Asparagus

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Make Air Fryer Asparagus for a family-favorite vegetable side dish without turning on the oven. The asparagus becomes crisp-tender and flavorful in a few minutes with your air fryer.  

Overhead picture of air fryer asparagus, topped with salt and fresh lemon juice, with lemon wedges and serving tongs.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe It’s hard to find an easier or faster way to cook asparagus for a tasty side dish. You can season the spears however you like and don’t need to turn on the oven!

We’ve been making quick side dishes in the Instant Pot for years, and we’re thrilled to share more of our go-to air fryer recipes with you, like this simple side dish. 

If you love this air fryer asparagus recipe, be sure to try our other vegetable dishes like Air Fryer Crispy Green Beans, Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup, Instant Pot Eggplant Parmesan Pasta, and Stuffed Green Pepper Casserole.

Ingredients for air fryer asparagus, including asparagus, parmesan, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

Asparagus is generally in season from February to May, but since our grocery store had a good-looking bunch available, we jumped on it.

Here’s what you need for the best Air Fryer asparagus:

  • Asparagus. Trim off the thick, woody ends of the stalks first. 
  • Seasoning. You can use any blend of spices, seasonings, and herbs you like! We kept it simple with basic salt and pepper.
  • Parmesan. We like a sprinkle of parmesan at the end.
  • Lemon. A little lemon zest sprinkled on after air frying helps brighten things up. 
Asparagus in an air fryer basket ready to be cooked in an Instant Vortex.

How to Cook Asparagus in an Air Fryer

This easy recipe will work in any brand of air fryer including the Instant Vortex and Cosori. It also works with pressure-cooker-style air fryers, like the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, but you may need to cut the asparagus in half to get it to fit inside the round air fryer basket.

This recipe is pretty straightforward. Start by preheating your air fryer to 375°F. While it heats, season the asparagus in a zip-top bag with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings. Shake until the asparagus is well-coated. 

A Ziplock bag filled with fresh asparagus to coat with oil and seasoning, with lemon wedges in the background.

If you intend to use a parchment paper liner, make sure it is cut to fit. 

When the air fryer is hot, add the parchment if you’re using it, then add the asparagus to the air fryer in a single layer for 4 to 8 minutes, until they’re crisp-tender. 

For best, most even results, flip the asparagus halfway through cooking. When they’re done, remove the asparagus from the air fryer and sprinkle with the lemon zest and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately!

Close up picture of air fryer asparagus on a serving plate, topped with parmesan, salt, pepper, and with fresh lemon wedges.

Important Tips for Making Asparagus in an Air Fryer

The cooking time for asparagus varies quite a bit depending on the thickness of your veggies. We tested this recipe with pencil-thin asparagus as well as thicker spears that were about the size of a Sharpie marker. Be sure to check your asparagus frequently to ensure they don’t overcook.  

  • Because you’re air frying, the tips of the asparagus can become cooked before the rest of the spear is ready. If the bunch of asparagus you bought has a variety of thicknesses, put the thicker ones in first and add the thinner spears partway through. Or, if your spears themselves vary in thickness, chop them in half and add the tops after a minute or two of cooking.
  • We use a parchment liner for this recipe, but it’s not required. It makes cleanup easier, but your asparagus won’t be quite as crisp! If you’re using a liner with edges, we recommend using magnets to help secure the edges. This helps make sure the parchment doesn’t come into contact with the heating element. 
Overhead picture of air fryer asparagus, topped with salt and fresh lemon juice, with lemon wedges and serving tongs.

Frequently Asked Questions about Air Fryer Asparagus

How to store leftover cooked asparagus?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. You can enjoy them cold or reheat them for a few minutes in the air fryer. 

Seasoning ideas for air fryer asparagus

You can use any spices you like to flavor your asparagus! For spice, try chili powder, paprika, or hot pepper flakes. Herbs like oregano, basil, or thyme are nice. Or try a pre-mixed blend like an Italian seasoning or fajita blend. 

What’s the best temperature for air frying asparagus?

We found that 375°F is the ideal temperature for crisping up asparagus without burning the edges. Your asparagus will still have a crispiness to it that it doesn’t get in the oven; however, you’ll have to watch it close and take it out if you start to spell 

What should I serve with air fryer asparagus?

We like to serve this easy side dish with Chicken Lazone, Make Ahead Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs, and No-Grill Instant Pot Hamburgers.

A fork full of asparagus, over a plat with more air fryer asparagus on it, with lemon wedges on the plate.

MORE Vegetable Recipes

Try these other easy veggie side dishes next:


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Overhead picture of air fryer asparagus, topped with salt and fresh lemon juice, with lemon wedges and serving tongs.

Air Fryer Asparagus

Servings: 6 people
Course: Veggies
Cuisine: American
This Air Fryer Asparagus recipe makes crisp-tender stalks flavored with your favorite seasonings and topped with lemon zest for a delicious, healthy side dish.
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Ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus trimmed*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • Additional seasoning as desired
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving
  • Lemon wedges optional, for serving
  • Lemon zest optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Select Air Fry and preheat the air fryer to 375F.
  • In a ziplock bag, combine the oil, salt, pepper, and additional seasonings (if using). Add the trimmed asparagus and shake until well combined.
  • When the air fryer is hot, place a parchment liner in the air fryer basket. Add the asparagus and use tongs to distribute evenly.
  • Roast until crisp-tender at the edges, 4 to 8 minutes,* stirring halfway through the cook time. Remove from the air fryer as soon as you notice browning at the tips. Serve immediately.

Notes

*The cook time varies quite a bit based on how thick your asparagus is. For pencil-thick asparagus, 4 minutes was enough. (If you like it extra crisp tender, 3 minutes would work.) For medium asparagus, 6 minutes is a good fit. And the really thick asparagus needs closer to 8 minutes to be fully cooked.
Also, keep in mind that the asparagus continues to cook as it cools, so remove it before it’s done to your liking. 

Nutrition

Calories: 36kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 567IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg

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