Air Fryer Asparagus {Whole30, Paleo, Vegan, Keto}

Once you taste Air Fryer Asparagus, you’ll never make it any other way! Deliciously tender and perfectly crisp, air fried asparagus is a simple Whole30 side dish that is also vegan, keto-friendly, paleo, and gluten-free. 

Listen, I love asparagus. A lot. But I officially declare air fryer asparagus as my favorite way to eat this amazing springtime veggie.

Line drawn. Bold declaration made.

You’ll love this asparagus alongside Paleo Salmon Cakes! It’s also a delicious dish to serve with Air Fryer Egg Rolls. Or use some to top this Instant Pot Asparagus Risotto!

One of my favorite meal prep, time, and money-saving kitchen hacks is to use frozen veggies weekly. I’m so obsessed with it that I even wrote this guide on roasting frozen vegetables. And yes, you can use frozen asparagus in the air fryer! Related: How to Cook Frozen Asparagus.

What Seasoning to Use For Asparagus

This recipe used a pinch of Maldon sea salt, but regular salt, kosher salt, and Montreal Steak Seasoning (despite its name, it is vegan) are all perfect and simple seasonings for asparagus.

Need something a little fancier and next level? Try the creamy lemon sauce from this Greek Turkey Meatballs recipe. Lemon and asparagus are a match made in food heaven. I also love the Asian flavors from these Spicy Green Beans on asparagus.

Air fry the asparagus as directed below and place on a plate. Drizzle the sauces over the asparagus and serve.

Do You Have to Peel Asparagus Before Cooking It?

Nope, but you can if you like the looks of it. The bottom of most asparagus stalks are quite woody and not appetizing. While you can take a vegetable peeler and peel off the outside, I prefer the “snap” method.

Grasp one stalk of asparagus and put one hand under the tip and one hand at the bottom. Snap it in one motion. Where it breaks indicates the most tender part of the stalk. You can cut the rest of the bunch at about the same level.

How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus

*A detailed and printable recipe card is available at the bottom of this post.

Remove the woody ends from the stalks.

Place asparagus in the basket of your air fryer.

Give them a gentle spritz with olive oil and put the basket into your air fryer. Cook until they have reached your desired level of crispy (see recipe card below for cooking times and temps). Sprinkle finished asparagus with a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Don’t be aggressive with spritzing the olive oil on the stalks. Over time I’ve discovered that too much olive oil = mushy asparagus. 
• In my experience, cooking at a lower temperature means you’ll need to cook the asparagus for a longer period of time. And that dries out the asparagus and results in a subpar product. High heat + shorter cooking time = stinky pee perfection.
• No air fryer? Check out this post on three ways to cook asparagus for alternative methods.
• Fatter asparagus spears may need an additional 1-3 minutes of cooking time.

MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS

• How to Freeze Asparagus
• Instant Pot Asparagus
• Air Fryer French Fries
• Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Spicy Green Beans
• Air Fryer Green Tomatoes
• Air Fryer Cauliflower
• Air Fryer Egg Rolls
• Oven Roasted Butternut Squash {Whole30, Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free}
• Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
• Instant Pot Beets

WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS

One serving has 1 WW Freestyle SmartPoints.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Asparagus {Whole30, Paleo, Vegan, Keto}

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time7 mins

Total Time12 mins

Once you taste Air Fryer Asparagus, you'll never make it any other way! Tender and crisp, air fried asparagus is a simple vegan Whole30 side dish.

Servings: 4

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air fried asparagus, side dishes for fish, whole30 side dish

Calories: 32kcal

Author: Sarah Cook - Sustainable Cooks

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound asparagus wooden ends trimmed
• ▢ 1 tsp olive oil
• ▢ pinch kosher salt optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the woody ends from the stalks. 
• Add asparagus to the basket of your air fryer. Lightly spritz/spray with olive oil.
• Cook for 7 minutes, or until they have reached your desired level of crispy.
•  Sprinkle finished asparagus with a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you're cooking a large batch, shake the basket halfway through to distribute the stalks around for even cooking.

 

Don't be aggressive with spritzing the olive oil on the stalks. Too much olive oil = mushy asparagus. 

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Asparagus {Whole30, Paleo, Vegan, Keto}

Amount Per Serving (4 oz)

Calories 32 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 0g0%

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Sodium 2mg0%

Potassium 229mg7%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 855IU17%

Vitamin C 6.4mg8%

Calcium 27mg3%

Iron 2.4mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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