This Air-Fryer Asparagus recipe is one of my favorite spring side dishes. The spears are tender, juicy, and seasoned perfectly. Ready in 15 minutes or less!
About This Recipe
Now that Spring is on its way, I'm looking forward to cooking with more fresh, vibrant, and sometimes "snappy" vegetables. And no disrespect to winter, but I'm ready to trade in hearty root vegetables for things that are lighter and more green.
Asparagus has to be my all-time favorite spring vegetable. When cooked properly, it's tender, juicy, and has a crisp bite. The key to cooking asparagus is to not overcook it. Asparagus can be eaten raw, so if you decide to cook it, you only need to cook it for a few minutes.
I'm a huge fan of allowing the natural flavors of vegetables to shine. That's why when I cook asparagus, I always season it very minimally. Just salt, black pepper, olive oil, and a spritz of fresh lemon. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also add some red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese.
Key Ingredients
Asparagus: When choosing asparagus, the thickness does not matter as much as people think. But generally, thinner asparagus is more likely to be tender, because it's younger, but thicker asparagus can be super tender as well. It mostly depends on the season. If you're eating asparagus during peak season (spring), you can basically pick any batch (thick or thin) and it will be guaranteed to be tender. In the winter, you need to be more careful. Some imported asparagus can be really bad quality.
Olive oil: I used extra virgin olive oil, but you can use any type of oil.
Salt & black pepper: This is really all the seasoning you need to make delicious asparagus.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed tastes the best.
Optional: Red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan cheese.
Instructions
STEP 1: Snap off the "woody" ends of the asparagus. Hold each spear by the base and gently bend it until it snaps. It will break where the woody part meets the tender part. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet.
STEP 2: Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
STEP 3: Place half the asparagus in the air-fryer basket.
STEP 4: Air-fry at 400°F for 4-5 minutes until crisp and tender. Season with lemon juice and optionally red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese.
Air Fryer Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- fresh lemon juice
- red pepper flakes (optional)
- freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Snap the asparagus ends off. You can just grab the asparagus near the base and snap, they should naturally snap where the asparagus goes from woody to tender. Discard the stems and place the spears on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Arrange half of the asparagus in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 4 to 5 minutes. If your asparagus is smaller, you can take them out a few minutes earlier so they don't get too soft. Repeat with the second half of asparagus. Serve the asparagus with fresh lemon juice, and optionally parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes sprinkled on top. Enjoy!
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