Tender air fryer asparagus with lemon and garlic and perfectly crisp tops only takes around 10 minutes, including prep time!
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This air fryer asparagus recipe was a special request over on my YouTube channel, and I'm so thrilled with how it turned out! Of course, I've included a video to go with it, so you can see how truly easy this recipe is to make!
When you cook asparagus in the air fryer, you end up with tender stems and crispy tops in about half the time it takes in the oven. And this recipe with zesty lemon and garlic is so flavorful!
The most important thing to remember when you're making asparagus in the air fryer is that the size of your spears are directly related to your cooking time.
Asparagus spears can vary greatly in size. Some are skinnier than a pencil. I've also seen asparagus spears as fat as a cigar. The skinnier the spear, the faster your asparagus will cook in the air fryer.
For that reason, the cooking time below is an estimate and quite broad. Five to 10 minutes will work in most cases, but if you have a particularly skinny or fat asparagus, you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Looking for more air fryer sides? Also try my air fryer zucchini and air fryer hush puppies!
✓ Ingredients and substitutions
- asparagus - A handful is about right. See the tips section and recipe card for notes about how size of the spears impacts cooking time.
- lemon juice - Adds a zesty flavor.
- olive oil - Helps the tops get crisp and adds moisture.
- garlic - Adds umami and flavor.
- black pepper - For topping.
🥣 How to make air fryer asparagus
Snap or trim the woody stems off of the ends of the asparagus spears and discard the woody part.
Toss the rest of the asparagus with the lemon juice and olive oil in a large bowl.
Transfer to your air fryer basket, and cook at 400° F for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking every 2 to 3 minutes. The asparagus is ready when the stems are tender and the tops are looking crispy.
Transfer the asparagus back to the large bowl, and add the garlic.
Put it back into the air fryer basket and cook at 400° F for just 1 more minute.
Arrange your asparagus on a serving plate and add an extra squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of black pepper before serving.
💡 Helpful tips
- Your cooking time will depend on the size of your asparagus and on your air fryer. In general, smaller spears will take less time, while you may need to tack on a few minutes for big spears. Also keep in mind that some air fryers cook faster than others!
- Shake that basket! You want the asparagus to move around, so the spears all cook up evenly. If you don't shake, you'll end up with overcooked spears on the outside and undercooked ones on the inside of the pile.
🫙 How to serve and store
I like to serve air fryer asparagus topped with a sprinkling of black pepper. It's a lovely side dish! Here are some ideas for entrees to pair with it:
- Crispy Tofu and a side of mashed potatoes or whole grains
- BBQ Tofu, also with mashed potatoes or a whole grain side
- Vegan Tater Tot Casserole
If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can reheat them either in the microwave or by throwing them back into the air fryer for five to seven minutes at 350° F.
♨️ More air fryer vegetables
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Asparagus
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus spears about 25 spears, depending on the size of each spear
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice plus more, for serving
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Snap or trim the woody stems off of the ends of the asparagus spears and discard the woody part. Toss the rest of the asparagus with the lemon juice and olive oil in a large bowl.
- Transfer to your air fryer basket, and cook at 400° F for 5-10 minutes, shaking every 2-3 minutes. The asparagus is ready when the stems are tender and the tops are looking crispy.
- Transfer the asparagus back to the large bowl, and add the garlic. Put it back into the air fryer basket and cook at 400° F for just 1 more minute.
- Arrange your asparagus on a serving plate and add an extra squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of black pepper before serving.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!