Quick and Easy Air Fryer Asparagus

Lightly seasoned and topped with Parmesan cheese and drizzled with lemon juice this air fryer asparagus is the ultimate spring vegetable with a tender delicate taste. Cooking asparagus in the air fryer is a quick and easy way to serve this tender spring vegetables. You can have perfect asparagus on the table in just a few minutes!

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To me asparagus is the ultimate spring vegetable. It is at its peak in March and April and one of the first fresh vegetables we can harvest after a long winter.

Asparagus is delicious too and with a quite different taste from most vegetables. It is mild and tender with a fresh earthy taste. But overcooked asparagus can taste bitter, so it is important to cook it correctly.

Air Fryer Asparagus

An air fryer is excellent for cooking many quick and healthy vegetables, like air fryer green beans and air fryer baked potatoes. The high heat of the air fryer means you can cook delicious vegetables like asparagus in less time with less oil.

This recipe uses just a tiny bit of oil and the asparagus cooks in less than 10 minutes, much faster than using an oven. In addition this recipe is easily adaptable and is keto friendly, low carb and vegetarian, making it a perfect side dish for almost any occasion.

Roasting Asparagus

Asparagus is best cooked simply, with just a little bit of seasoning. Roasting the asparagus in an air fryer means it is ready to eat in a fraction of the time it would take to cook in the oven.

The asparagus is tender but still a little crunchy without losing the distinctive flavor of the vegetable. This method of cooking asparagus is versatile and works for a fancy Easter dinner or a simple family meal.

How to Prepare Asparagus

When you eat asparagus you are eating the green stems of the plant that shoot up out of the earth in spring. Because of this the ends of the stalks can be woody and should be trimmed.

One method of trimming asparagus is what is called the bend and break method. To do this you simple bend the stalk until it breaks. The stalk should break where the woody part ends and green tender part begin.

I usually trim the stalks with a knife however, because it is quicker and results in more even ends. Just cut the stalks where the color starts to change from green to white.

Best Seasonings for Asparagus

I like to use Herbes de Provence seasoning on my asparagus. Herbes de Provence is a seasoning mix that combines common herbs like oregano, rosemary, savory and thyme with lavender.

I love the lavender in this mixture because it smells amazing and, like asparagus, reminds me of spring. This combination is my favorite way to season asparagus.

But you can season the asparagus with almost any seasoning you like. It is quite tasty with just salt and pepper, and I also like it with lemon pepper seasoning. Some people even use spicy mixtures like Cajun seasoning.

How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus

1. Spray with Oil

Once the asparagus is washed and trimmed spray it with a little olive oil from a mister bottle or cooking spray. I usually just spray the oil for two of three quick spritzs. This adds enough oil to allow the seasoning to stick to the stalks.

2. Season

Sprinkle the Herbes de Provence or whatever seasoning you prefer on the asparagus. Use tongs to toss the stalks so that the seasoning nicely coats the vegetable.

3. Air Fry

Put the asparagus in the air fryer and cook it at 360 F for about 7 minutes. Asparagus stalks vary in thickness, so very thin stalks might cook a little more quickly and thick stalks might take longer.

The asparagus is done when it is a bright green color and a little bit brown on the ends and edges of the stalks. Don’t overcook it, the stalks should still be slightly firm.

4. Serve

I like to sprinkle my air fryer asparagus with a little bit of Parmesan cheese and add some lemon wedges. The cheese melts a little bit on the cooked stalks for a delicious flavor.

Drizzling a little bit of lemon juice over the asparagus really complements its flavor and brings out the lavender in the seasoning.

What to Serve With Asparagus

You can serve asparagus with almost any meal. It is great for brunch, lunch or for dinner. It is excellent for Easter dinner with a main dish like Instant Pot Leg of Lamb or sous vide Beef Tenderloin.

But a vegetable as tender and tasty as asparagus shouldn’t be reserved for only special dinners! It is an easy side dish to make any time you want to add a little bit of spring time flavor into your meals.

Find More Air Fryer Vegetables

• Air Fryer Delicata Squash
• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes