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Air Fryer Asparagus is a quick and healthy side dish for any meal. This is your new favorite way to cook asparagus, in just 10 minutes!

This asparagus recipe goes with almost any meal! We love to pair with Honey Lemon Roast Chicken and a fluffy Baked Potato.

asparagus in air fryer basket with lemon slices and parmesan cheese
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Why We Love this Recipe

Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies, and one of the only vegetables my husband will eat. In fact, he looks forward to it! I’ve cooked it a variety of ways, sauteeing on the stovetop, Roasted Asparagus in the oven, and I also absolutely love it with pasta in my Spicy Lemon, Asparagus & Bacon Pasta.

I make this side dish all the time! It’s one of those super easy, toss it and go kind of recipes. The result is a simple, quick side dish that pairs well with just about anything.

Lemon adds a very subtle fresh kick of flavor and you can adjust for your liking, adding more or omitting it altogether. The addition of fresh Parmesan cheese offers a salty, nutty finish.

wood cutting board, lemon, parmesan cheese, asparagus

How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus

Prep. Wash and trim the woody ends from asparagus. Hold each end of one stalk and bend. It should snap where it needs to and you can just toss the thicker woody ends. Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees. Check your manual because not all brands require preheating.

raw asparagus in air fryer basket

Air Fry. Spray a light coating of olive oil cooking spray in the basket. Regular cooking spray will also work, I just prefer the olive oil for cooking. Place the asparagus in the basket, spray it with a little more cooking spray, then season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, shaking the basket about halfway through to redistribute the asparagus.

air fryer asparagus in air fryer basket

Melt cheese on top. Turn off the air fryer and pull out the basket. Sprinkle ¼ cup of fresh parmesan cheese on top, then close the drawer and just long enough to let the cheese melt.

Garnish and serve. Plate asparagus as desired, either on a large serving platter or on individual plates, and sprinkle with lemon juice, lemon zest and more fresh parmesan.

FAQs

Can you cook asparagus too long?

Asparagus cooks pretty quickly, especially the thinner stalks, so you’ll want to watch closely and remove it right away. The thicker the stalks, the longer they will take to cook, but they will still be done in just a few minutes.

I like my asparagus to still have a bit of a bite to it, so I usually ere on less time.

How can you tell when asparagus is done?

Air Fryer Asparagus only take 5 minutes to cook. It should be bright green in color and tender but still have a crisp bite to it. In other words, you can pierce it with a fork but it’s not floppy.

You can play around with it to fine just the right amount of time for your particular unit since they do vary a bit my manufacturer.

What to serve with asparagus

Truly, this Air Fryer Asparagus recipe will pair well with any protein. Most often I serve it with Oven Baked Chicken BreastsLemon Herb Pork Tenderloin, or Spicy Garlic Shrimp. You can also chop it up and toss it with some One Pot Chicken Alfredo.

plated asparagus with lemon and parmesan

How to Buy Asparagus

Asparagus is sold in 1-2 pound bunches, and there are usually two sizes of stalks – thick and meaty or pencil thin stalks. I prefer the thinner ones but you can go with either. The thicker the stalks the longer they will take to cook.

The key is to choose pieces that are roughly the same thickness, otherwise you’ll end up with some softer and some more crisp.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days. Reheat carefully, as you don’t want it to overcook and become mushy. I suggest reheating in your airfryer instead of the microwave.

Leftover air fryer asparagus is great in a Frittata or a Ham and Cheese Quiche.

Recipe Tips

  • Do not add all the cheese at once, it will likely slip off the asparagus completely. By adding in two different ways, you will ensure each stalk has a bit of cheese.
  • I love using olive oil cooking spray with this recipe so that the vegetable has minimal oil. Alternatively, you can toss the stalks in a bit of extra virgin olive oil before cooking.
  • For this particular recipe, it’s ok to pile the asparagus up a bit as long as you toss halfway through cooking.
  • Each air fryer unit varies greatly. When in doubt, consult your manufacturer’s guide.
white plate, asparagus with lemon slices and parmesan, wood cutting board, air fryer handle

More Asparagus Recipes

Recipe

Air Fryer Asparagus

5
Air Fryer Asparagus is a quick and healthy side dish that's ready in less than 10 minutes, served with fresh Parmesan and lemon.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 pounds asparagus (1-2 pounds – one bunch)
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice
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Instructions
 

  • Wash and dry asparagus and trim off stalky ends.
  • Prepare the air fryer by spraying the basket with a light coating of cooking spray.
  • Place asparagus in an air fryer basket and spray with a little more olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the asparagus.
  • Cook at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes, tossing once halfway through cooking.
  • When asparagus is finished, top with ¼ cup of the cheese and close the air fryer to allow the cheese to melt.
  • Remove the asparagus from the basket and plate it. Top with the remaining ¼ cup cheese and lemon zest and juice.

Notes

Do not add all the cheese at once, it will likely slip off the asparagus completely. By adding in two different ways, you will ensure each stalk has a bit of cheese.
I love using olive oil cooking spray with this recipe so that the vegetable has minimal oil. Alternatively, you can toss the stalks in a bit of EVO before cooking.
For this particular recipe, it is OK to pile the asparagus up a bit as long as you toss halfway through cooking.
As usual, each air fryer unit varies greatly. When in dough, consult your manufacturer’s guide.
Keyword air fryer asparagus

Nutrition

Calories: 59kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 6gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 323mgPotassium: 241mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 930IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. Mrmatt says:

    You’re a sweetie great
    Recipe for a single guy that cooks in the air fryer I really appreciate the recipes quick and easy to the point keep up the good work