Asparagus is an excellent choice to go on the side of any main dish, and our Air Fryer Asparagus is so easy to make and tasty enough that you’ll also want to eat it for a healthy snack. Topping any vegetable with parmesan cheese is a no-brainer, but the citrusy bite of lemon juice really is what pulls all of the flavors together for these jolly green stalks. Just set your air fryer sous chef to the right temperature, and it will perfectly cook the asparagus in 8-10 minutes. That’s one less pan on the stove or in the oven, leaving you plenty of room for the bigger dishes. After you cook asparagus in the air fryer, we’re certain you won’t want to cook it any other way again.

Some perfect main dishes that complement these green veggies are our Juicy Sirloin Steak or Crispy Fried Chicken.

Why Our Recipe

  • Quick and easy blend of ingredients.
  • Perfect cooking time while letting your meat rest before serving.
Close up view of air fryer asparagus.

Never did we expect that this green powerhouse originated in the Mediterranean region, but considering all of the delicious things that come from that area of the world, we really shouldn’t be surprised. With lots of sun, asparagus stalks grow from crowns – which pretty much makes this veggie a royal in our book.

Ingredient Notes

  • Asparagus: Thicker stalks tend to be a little tougher and slightly more bitter, so we like to pick out bunches with thinner stalks. Trim off the tough ends before cooking.
  • Olive Oil: No need for expensive olive oils, any extra-virgin olive oil will add good flavor.
  • Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice works well and keeps prep to a minimum.
  • Parmesan Cheese: For maximum meltage, freshly grate a wedge of parmesan cheese using the smallest size on your cheese grater. But to save time, pre-shredded parmesan cheese is a good pick.

Layers of flavor

Make sure to arrange the asparagus in a single layer in your air fryer basket, this will ensure that it cooks evenly. And coating your asparagus in this simple mix of ingredients and spices before cooking allows the stalks to tenderize while infusing them with more flavor. Then you add on some cheese, and voila! A quick and easy vegetable with layers of flavor.

Close up view of air fryer asparagus.

Timing is everything

While we recommend 8-10 minutes of cooking time, keep an eye on your asparagus and check it by spearing it with a fork. If the fork meets a little resistance and then pierces through, you’ve got perfectly cooked asparagus. If the fork feels like it is piercing into a raw vegetable, it’s not cooked long enough. And you want to try to avoid the fork going straight through the stalk without any resistance because then it’s cooked too long and might be a little mushy or soggy. Limp asparagus is no one’s friend.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Reheat portions in the air fryer on the Reheat setting for 2-3 minutes, until it’s warmed and crispy.

More recipes using your air fryer as a sous chef: