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Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

Air Fryer Asparagus

Published: Dec 21, 2020 · Modified: Mar 10, 2023 by Ginny · This post may contain affiliate links.

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This Air Fryer Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese is the best side dish to go with just about any main meal! Learn how to cook this in just 10 minutes flat.

salt and pepper on the asparagus on the tray and ready for the air fryer.
Super Simple 10 Minute Air Fryer Asparagus (White and Green)
Contents hide
1 🧄Why This Recipe Works
2 🥬 Ingredients
3 🥄 Why Make These in the Air Fryer vs Oven
4 🥣 White vs Green Asparagus
5 🍽️ Instructions
6 🍲 Meal Prep Instructions
7 Recipe FAQs
8 Air Fryer Asparagus

Making this dish is so fast that you really won’t even have much time to leave the kitchen. Make sure your main dish is almost ready when you pop these in, as dinner is going to be complete in a flash.

This is an easy recipe that you can pair with any of your favorite dinners.

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🧄Why This Recipe Works

  • Easy Prep – This is wash, cut, and place in Air Fryer with a little salt and pepper. If you use the white asparagus, you’ll need to slice them. This whole process is under two minutes and is perfect for those busy weeknights.
  • Simple Ingredients – Although the white asparagus isn’t found everywhere, it is often at your grocery store. You may just not see it, as your eyes are not trained for it. The green variety is available all year, though.
  • Delicious Side Dish – Since asparagus is often served as a side dish on special occasions like Easter and Mother’s Day, you know it is a great “go-to” vegetable to have for virtually any meal.
  • Quick Cook Time – This is the recipe that you make when you are just minutes away from sitting down at the table. It is that fast.
  • Versatile Seasoning – If you aren’t a fan of Parmesan cheese, that is ok. Try something else. Toss it with a little bit of your favorite seasoning.

🥬 Ingredients

One more reason to love cooking with your air fryer is that you barely need any ingredients to make such tasty food. This healthy asparagus recipe only requires four ingredients! Let’s take a look:

Asparagus – Use ½ pound of fresh asparagus. You can always make more if you are serving more than two people, but you may need to work in batches.

Grated Parmesan Cheese – This is so tasty when topped with freshly grated Parmesan.

Salt & Pepper – Add a little bit of salt and pepper depending on your taste buds.

Grated parmesan melting over the asparagus on an air fryer tray.
Add some Parmesan at the End and Let it Melt

🥄 Why Make These in the Air Fryer vs Oven 

There are a few reasons why this just makes sense. 

  1. It is so much faster. The Air Fryer heats up in 3-4 minutes, where the oven can take almost twice that long. 
  2. Cooking time in the air fryer is just a fraction of the oven. It only takes six minutes in the Air Fryer vs 15-20 minutes in the oven. 
  3. It doesn’t heat up the entire house. Think of hot, sticky summer months when just the thought of turning on the oven makes you sweat. The Air Fryer doesn’t do that. The house will stay cool and you can cook your family favorites all summer long. 
  4. Cleanup is much easier. My Air Fryer tray is small and easy to clean.  When I roast in the oven, it always takes some elbow grease to clean the sheet pan.  I don’t have to worry about that with the Air Fryer.

🥣 White vs Green Asparagus

White asparagus is a bit more delicate than the traditional green variety you find in the grocery store. 

It is sweet with just a hint of bitterness. You might taste that the green has a more “grassy” flavor to it, but you won’t find that in the white variety. 

Since white asparagus tends to be much larger, it is best to not use the bottom bit of it as it is hard and tough to eat.

We often slice them at a sharp angle and combine them with green asparagus like we did here.

🍽️ Instructions

There are just a few quick steps to the best side dish out there! 

three photos showing how to slice, season and then air fry the asparagus.
Simple Steps for a Tasty Vegetable Side Dish

Step One: Clean the asparagus and chop off an inch of the bottom. That is usually hard and woody, so it is easier just to remove it.

If you use white asparagus (not necessary), then clean and slice them to similar thickness of the green asparagus so they cook at the same rate. 

Step Two: In a bowl, spray the asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the asparagus on an Air Fryer tray or in a basket.

Leave a bit of space between them to allow the air to flow. 

Step Three: Heat the Air Fryer to 390 degrees and cook for 6 minutes. 

Step Four: Remove and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese right away. Allow it to melt all around the asparagus.

If it doesn’t melt, pop back in the Air Fryer and it will melt in about one minute or less. 

TIP: Do not put Parmesan Cheese on asparagus and walk away when it is in the Air Fryer. When I suggest that, I really do mean to stand right there for 20-60 seconds to allow the cheese to melt. 

🍲 Meal Prep Instructions 

The easiest way to meal prep this one is to clean the asparagus and trim the ends ahead of time. If you are using the white variety, clean and slice them so they are ready to go. 

These recipes are so quick and easy but there are always ways to shave a minute or two to help your night go that much smoother!

Recipe FAQs 

What does asparagus do to your body?

Asparagus is a low calorie and nutrient rich vegetable that will fuel your body and satisfy! You will find roasted asparagus is a great way to cook it up.

What part of asparagus is poisonous?

The red berries that the asparagus plant produces is toxic. You run into the same thing with rhubarb, there is part of the plant that is safe, and part that isn’t.

Do you wash asparagus before roasting?

With any produce you want to wash and prep your asparagus. Remove the woody portion.

How do you cook asparagus so it’s not chewy?

You will find if asparagus is not prepped properly you can run into a chewy texture. All you need to do is use a peeler to peel the areas of the stalk that has a harder skin.

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FREE! Air Fryer Times and Temps Cheat Sheet

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Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

After a minute, the parmesan on this asparagus will melt

Air Fryer Asparagus

This is a perfect 10 minute vegetable side dish. Air frying asparagus and topped with parmesan is a fantastic option for a healthy and delicious veggie. {WW 1 Point, Keto, Vegetarian, Gluten Free}
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 44kcal
Author: Ginny

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients

  • ½ lb Asparagus white or green
  • Olive Oil Spray
  • 2 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Trim the ends off of the asparagus and put into a bowl. If using the white asparagus, trim, slice and put into a bowl. Spray the asparagus with olive oil spray and mix with hands. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Lay out the asparagus on the Air Fryer tray or basket. Cook at 390 degrees for six minutes or until toasted.
  • Remove the asparagus and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.
  • Put back in warm Air Fryer for 20-60 seconds and allow to melt all over the asparagus. Remove and serve.

Notes

You can use the same technique and not use the cheese at all and the taste is fabulous. 
Each Air Fryer cooks slightly differently. Always watch closely until you know how your Air Fryer cooks compared to recipes. Once you have a couple down, you will know if yours cooks faster or slower. 
Feel free to season the asparagus as you would like to fit your palate. 
If you want batch cook asparagus to serve a crowd, keep it warm in the oven on baking sheet at 200 degrees. 
Do not use cooking spray in your air fryer. Invest in an oil mister. Cooking spray can eat the coating of the tray or basket. 
Use the cook time as a guide. Depending on how small or large your cooking time can vary a bit. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 44kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 901IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @savorandsavvy or tag #savorandsavvy!
Air Fryer Asparagus
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About Ginny

Hi! My name is Ginny and I know how busy life can be! I am a mom working hard to prepare healthy meals for my family that is always on the go!

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Family Photo Hi! I'm Ginny and for over 30 years, I've been creating simple and easy recipes without sacrificing on taste for our family on the go. I can't wait to show you how to do the same for your family. Read More...

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