Asparagus in the air fryer

A plate of air fryer asparagus garnished with lemon and parsley.

This air fryer asparagus is tender stalks of asparagus coated in olive oil, garlic and an assortment of herbs and seasonings, then cooked to tender and browned perfection. A 10 minute side dish that’s the reliable accompaniment to almost any main course option.

My family loves asparagus in almost any preparation, whether it’s grilled, in stir fries, or roasted in the air fryer. I make this side dish at least once a week, it’s just that good!

I serve a green vegetable with dinner almost every night, and my kids always devour asparagus when it’s on the menu. This air fryer asparagus is loaded with flavor and can be on the table in a matter of minutes!

Air fryer asparagus ingredients

Ingredients including asparagus, olive oil and seasonings.

The ingredient list for this recipe is quite unfussy, and including raw asparagus, olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and parsley.

How do you make air fryer asparagus?

Coat your asparagus stalks in a mix of olive oil, garlic powder, dried herbs and seasonings. Place the asparagus in the air fryer, then cook until the asparagus is just tender. The cook time may vary a bit depending on the thickness of your asparagus. Add a sprinkling of parsley and you’ll be ready to eat!

Step by step shots showing how to air fry asparagus.

Tips for the Reliable Air Fryer Asparagus

I prefer to use medium to thick asparagus stalks for this recipe – the really thin ones easily overcook and can get mushy.
Serve this asparagus as a side dish, or cut it into bite size pieces and add it to pasta, pizza, salads or sandwiches.
This dish can be made a day in advance and reheated, but I prefer to serve it freshly cooked.
This recipe calls for dried Italian seasoning which is available at most grocery stores and consists of a mix of dried herbs including basil, oregano, thyme and parsley. If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand, it’s fine substitute your go-to dried herb.

Parsley being sprinkled over a plate of cooked asparagus.

Recipe FAQs

Is asparagus healthy?

Asparagus is full of nutrients that are part of a healthy diet such as Vitamins A, C and K. This veggie also contains folate, iron, copper and calcium. Asparagus is high fiber and low in calories and carbohydrates.

How do you trim asparagus?

The bottom of asparagus is tough and woody, and can be unpleasant to eat. You’ll want to trim the ends off your asparagus stalks before you proceed with this recipe. The finest way to figure out where to trim your asparagus is to take a single stalk and bend it. Where the stalk snaps is where the tender part starts and the woody part ends. Line up all your asparagus stalks, then trim the bottom off each one in the same spot as where the first piece of asparagus snapped in half.

How long does it take to cook asparagus in the air fryer?

It takes about 6 minutes to air fry asparagus. This time assumes you are using medium to thick sized stalks. Thin stalks will take less time.

Air fryer asparagus flavor variations

There are so many different ways to flavor your asparagus! Sometimes I make this recipe as written, and other days I add other ingredients to mix things up a bit.

Bacon: Stir in 1/3 cup of cooked and crumbled bacon right before serving.
Cheese: Sprinkle with 2-3 tablespoons of grated parmesan or crumbled feta cheese right before serving.
Nuts: Sprinkle 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts or thinly sliced almonds over the asparagus when it comes out of the air fryer.

Air fryer asparagus served with chicken and couscous.

You cannot go wrong with this recipe – it’s healthy, tastes memorable and is ready in no time.

More great ways to enjoy asparagus

Air Fryer Asparagus Video

Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen A plate of air fryer asparagus garnished with lemon and parsley.

This air fryer asparagus is tender stalks of asparagus coated in olive oil, garlic and an assortment of herbs and seasonings, then cooked to tender and browned perfection. A 10 minute side dish that's the reliable accompaniment to almost any main course option. Time Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Total Time11 minutes

Course Side
Cuisine American
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus stalks trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or your go-to dried herb
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves chopped
lemon wedges for serving optional

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Arrange the asparagus stalks in a single layer on a plate. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the asparagus and toss to coat evenly.
Place the asparagus in the air fryer. Set the temperature to 400 degrees F.
Cook for 6 minutes until asparagus is tender and tips are lightly browned.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.

Notes

I prefer to use medium to thick asparagus stalks for this recipe – the really thin ones easily overcook and can get mushy.
Air fryer asparagus can be made a day in advance and reheated, but I prefer to serve it freshly cooked.