Air Fryer Parmesan Asparagus (with Lemon)
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This air fryer asparagus recipe features savory Parmesan cheese and citrusy lemon flavors for a light and easy side dish. Made with only 5 simple ingredients and ready in less than 15 minutes including prep time, it’s a great addition to busy weeknight dinners.
I love healthy side dishes that are versatile and can be served with just about any main course meal. This makes planning dinner easy and if something changes on the fly I can still use up my fresh produce.
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We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. But I’m picky about the texture – you can’t pay me to eat mushy asparagus. I’ve found the best way to achieve crispy asparagus is by roasting it to perfection in the air fryer.
I think using the air fryer to roast veggies is the best way to prepare them. In fact, it’s become one of my favorite cooking methods. Not only does it cook quickly, you can use less oil and still get crispy results. And there’s hardly any mess to cleanup, which this busy Mama appreciates.
Serve up air fried asparagus with some of our favorite main dishes like Million Dollar Chicken Bake, flank steak, coconut shrimp, or drumsticks.
New to air frying? Get the low down on maximizing your usage of this amazing small appliance, including easy clean up tips, with our best air fryer tips for beginners.
How to Choose the Best Asparagus and Store It
Asparagus can be found year round in the grocery store with the most tender asparagus available during Spring and early Summer months. You’ll want to stay away from asparagus that has wilted tips or if you notice a slight sour odor coming from the bundle – these are signs the vegetable is past it’s prime.
We like to use medium-sized spears because they tend to be more tender and are better for air frying, grilling, and steaming. Thicker asparagus is meatier, may take more time to cook and may need to be boiled or steamed to get the tenderness you are looking for.
If you aren’t planning on cooking the asparagus immediately, trim the ends and set the spears cut side down in a glass of water. Lay a ziploc bag over the top to cover the tips until you are ready to cook.
Get the low down on our 12 must-have accessories for air fryer cooking.
Lemon Parmesan Asparagus Ingredients
- fresh asparagus
- extra virgin olive oil – you can substitute avocado oil if that’s what you have on hand
- sea salt flakes & ground black pepper to taste
- lemon juice – try to use fresh if possible
- grated Parmesan cheese – shredded works well too
- spray oil for the air fryer basket – I use an oil mister
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Parmesan Asparagus in the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
Rinse the asparagus spears and pat dry. Trim asparagus by cutting off the tough part of the stalks, removing about an inch. Discard the woody ends.
Add the trimmed asparagus to a large bowl and drizzle with oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir to coat.
Unsure which oil to use? Check out our handy guide to the Best Oil for Air Fryers.
Spray a little oil on the air fryer basket, then add the seasoned asparagus.
Cook until tender. This usually takes about 6-8 minutes.
Transfer to a serving dish and top with Parmesan cheese.
Prep Tips:
- The tough ends can be removed by breaking them off where the stalks start to bend.
- Peel the ends of asparagus spears if you’re using thicker stalks – a vegetable peeler works great for this.
- If your basket is smaller you may need to trim a little more from the ends to fit your air fryer basket.
Tips for Making Asparagus in the Air Fryer
- The Parmesan cheese can be left out if preferred.
- Do not substitute canned or frozen asparagus with this recipe.
- For crispier results, place the asparagus in the basket in a single layer.
- Use a parchment paper liner for easy cleanup.
- You may need to adjust the cook time based on the thickness of asparagus. For thicker stalks, you’ll need to increase the cooking time. Reduce the cooking time for smaller or thinner stalks.
Asparagus Recipe Variation
If you like a crust/crunchy topping, mix the Parm with some panko breadcrumbs. Top the spears just before cooking, and spray with a little more oil. Watch it closely to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Parmesan Asparagus
Refrigerate leftover asparagus Parmesan in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, place it back in the air fryer and heat for a couple of minutes at 350 degrees F.
We don’t recommend freezing because the texture gets a little funky.
And there you have it! We hope your taste buds are impressed with this easy air-fried asparagus recipe. Not only is it flavorful but cleanup is a breeze.
More Tasty Air Fryer Side Dishes:
- Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
- Air Fryer Crispy Green Beans
- Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
- Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn
**Save Air Fryer Asparagus Parmesan Recipe for Later**
Air Fryer Parmesan Asparagus with Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt flakes & ground pepper to taste
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- spray oil for air fryer
Instructions
- Prep the asparagus by running the stalks under cold water to remove any dirt or debris. Remove the woody ends by cutting off about an inch from the bottom or breaking the stalks where they start to bend and discard. Pat dry.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Place prepped asparagus in a large bowl. Drizzle on olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper then toss to evenly coat.
- Lightly apply spray oil to the air fryer basket and place asparagus in the basket.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes until tender (when a fork easily pierces the stalks).
- Move asparagus from the basket to a plate and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For thicker stalks, peel the bottom half of the stalks with a vegetable peeler.
- Trim off more from the bottom of the stalks or cut them in half to fit your basket if needed.
- We don’t recommend using canned or frozen asparagus.
- Cooking times may need to be adjusted based on the thickness of the asparagus. Thinner stalks will require less cooking time and thicker stalks require more time.
- Store leftover asparagus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in air fryer at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
