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Last Updated on December 16, 2023

Let me tell you that asparagus’s deliciousness is hiding beneath all the media-driven dislike of healthy food. However, it’s time to debunk the myth with a tasty recipe that you and your kids will love. In this article, I’ll tell you all about two air fryer recipes, one with oil and one without. So let’s jump in!

Ingredients

Before jumping straight into the kitchen, check this list of ingredients and make sure you have it. Luckily, they’re all easy to get and widely available.

Air Fryer Asparagus With Oil:

• One lb. of asparagus stalks
• One teaspoon of olive or avocado oil
• Garlic powder or one clove of fresh minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of pepper

Air Fryer Asparagus Without Oil:

• One lb. of asparagus spears
• One tablespoon of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon of seasoning salt
• Grated parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
• One teaspoon of soy sauce (optional)
• Parsley flakes to taste (optional)

How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus With Oil

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 5-9 minutes
• Nutrition calories: 57 calories
• Number of servings: 4

Now that you know what ingredients to prepare, it’s time to cook a restaurant-worthy plate of roasted asparagus.

Trim Your Asparagus Spears

The first step you want to do is trim your asparagus spears to get them ready for cooking. This step is essential because if you look at the end of an asparagus spear, you’ll notice that it’s tougher than the rest of the vegetable.

So naturally, it’s much harder to chew. You can either snap off the asparagus spears’ ends or cut them using a knife or sharp scissors.

If you prefer snapping, hold each fresh asparagus stalk in your hands, and put your thumb on the point where the green part and tough part meet.

Then, press your thumb to feel where the asparagus hardens, and keep pushing till it snaps. I prefer cutting because it’s less time-consuming, but you’re free to do what suits you.

If you choose to cut, lay the asparagus spears in front of you so that the ends are next to each other. Then, use a sharp knife to cut at the area where the brown and green meet. You can also use a pair of scissors, but again, it’s more time-consuming.

Add the Seasoning to the Asparagus

The next step is the easiest, and you can improvise here if you like. For example, if you have a favorite seasoning that you can’t imagine food without, it won’t harm to add a dash of it. I love adding red pepper flakes for a more spicy flavor.

What you should do here is first measure the ingredients and make sure they’re the right amounts. Believe me; you don’t want too much garlic or too much salt in your air fryer roasted asparagus.

After measuring them, put your fresh garlic, avocado oil or olive oil, salt, and pepper in one bowl and whisk them gently with a spoon.

Next, grab your trimmed asparagus stalks, put them in a large bowl, and pour your ingredients mix on top of them. Here, it’s essential to make sure the seasoning is evenly distributed, so mix your spears till they all look equally delicious.

Air Fry Your Asparagus

I used a 6-quart air fryer for this simple recipe, and it took the pound of asparagus nicely. You can adjust the amount of asparagus according to your air fryer’s size and the number of your family members.

But it’s worth mentioning that if you have a larger air fryer, you should leave your asparagus inside for less than the time I’ll state below. Conversely, if you own a smaller model, you can leave the asparagus inside for a few minutes longer.

If you’ve used an air fryer before, then you probably know it works best when preheated. Ideally, you should preheat yours for about two to three minutes on a 370°F heat.

After the three minutes are up, put your asparagus in the air fryer basket, but make sure the spears aren’t sitting on top of each other. It’ll be best to put them in a single layer to make sure they cook evenly. The cooking part will take less than 10 minutes.

If you want to have super tender stalks, you can leave them in the fryer for up to nine minutes. But if you want to feel a bit of a crunch with each bite, you can take them out at the six-minute mark.

No matter how many minutes you plan on cooking your meal, it’ll be best if you toss them halfway through the cooking time. And, of course, you should know that the thicker and bigger the spears, the longer they’ll take to cook.

And now, all you have to do is enjoy the delicious golden brown asparagus in front of you!

How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus Without Oil

• Prep time: 7 minutes
• Cook time: 6-9 minutes
• Nutrition calories: 30 calories
• Number of servings: 4

My favorite part about owning an air fryer is getting the perfect crunch and a flavorsome taste without any extra calories that oils and fats add to meals.

You’ll love this air fryer asparagus recipe if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle and let go of oil. So grab your ingredients and read on!

Trim Your Asparagus

As I’ve mentioned in the other recipe, you should trim your asparagus spears before cooking them. Then, you can either use a sharp knife to cut the tough parts or snap them off using your hands.

Season the Asparagus

After you trim asparagus stalks, it’s time to get them ready for air frying. First, throw them in a bowl and prepare your ingredients on your counter.

Then, mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Those should be paprika, seasoning salt, and pepper. Of course, you can also improvise here and add your favorite seasonings to taste.

Whisk your seasonings in the bowl till the ingredients come together beautifully.

The next step is to season the asparagus using your mix of ingredients. But you need to toss the stalks well to make sure the seasonings go everywhere.

Put the Asparagus in the Air Fryer

Before putting your asparagus in the air fryer basket, preheat it for about two minutes at a 400°F temperature. Then, throw your asparagus in, and air fry them for about six to nine minutes.

You can adjust the cooking time according to your personal preference. But let me warn you that air frying the asparagus for a long time might strip the delicious stalks of their crunch. I don’t know about you, but I sure love an extra crunchy texture in my roast asparagus.

And as I’ve mentioned in the other recipe, don’t forget to toss the spears halfway through the cooking minutes. This way, they’ll cook evenly.

After the air fryer timer goes off, put your asparagus spears on a plate and drizzle them with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. I prefer balsamic vinegar because it adds a perfect balance of sweet and sour to plates. Then, sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top.

If you’re late to dinner, you can simply reheat your spears in the air fryer by putting them back for about three or four minutes. This way, they’ll stay crispy, and you’ll get to eat a hot and delicious meal.

Foods That Pair Well With Air Fryer Asparagus

If you’re stuck on what to cook next to your air fryer asparagus, I’ll give you a few ideas that pair well with the delicious side dish.

• Air Fried Eggplant Slices
• Mushroom soup
• Steak and mashed potatoes
• Risotto
• Carbonara pasta
• Salmon – check out my Keto Salmon Cakes recipe
• Lamb chops
• Tuna fish
• Chicken casserole
• Lasagna
• Dipping sauces (ranch-hollandaise-lemon caper) or bacon queso dip

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Olive Oil Better or Avocado Oil?

Olive oil is a bit richer on the nutritional side because it has more iron, calcium, vitamins, and potassium. However, both avocado and olive oil are healthy and excellent sources of good fats. So you can cook with whichever flavor you like better.

Can I Use an Oven Instead of the Air Fryer?

Yes, you can. But roasting asparagus in the oven will take more time, and you’ll need to set it at a higher temperature. Ideally, you should set the oven to 425°F and leave the asparagus inside for about 12-15 minutes.

Can I Refrigerate or Freeze My Asparagus Spears?

Yes, you can. If you don’t plan on eating your air fryer roasted asparagus now, you can put your stalks in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for a week. That’s why they’re one of my favorite meals for precooking full week meals. You can also cook a large amount and put them in the freezer for a few months.

To Wrap Up

Having an air fryer lets you lead a healthy lifestyle without giving up the delicious flavor. Take asparagus, for example. Air frying it will give you a perfect crunch and a tasty flavor, and you’ll still get to stay fit and healthy. So you can give it a second chance as I did and try an air fryer asparagus recipe tonight!