Tender roasted asparagus is air fried with a crispy garlic parmesan crust. It's a simple and delicious air fryer vegetable recipe that has a cook time of only minutes and a scrumptious flavor. Air Fryer Asparagus Parmesan makes a lovely side dish for any occasion- family dinners and holiday gatherings!
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When you're in need of a simple yet comforting vegetable recipe for your dinner, and even holiday gathering, asparagus is always a wonderful choice. It has a quick cook time and can be prepared in a variety of ways.
From bacon wrapped asparagus to tossing it with pasta or simply enjoying it as a basic salt and peppered side, asparagus is a versatile vegetable with a slightly sweet flavor and a little bit of bitter undertones. It's delicious roasted, baked, and even fried like in this breaded asparagus sticks recipe.
But tonight let's air fry asparagus with cheese!
This recipe takes fresh asparagus spears and coats them lightly in olive oil. We then season them with pepper and garlic powder and top with parmesan cheese to create a tasty garlic parmesan crust.
It has a preparation time of less than 5 minutes and a cook time of just 5 minutes, making it ready to serve in only 10 minutes.
Quick, easy, flavorful, and cheesy! This air fryer asparagus parmesan will be a new favorite.
Other Air Fryer Recipes You'll Love
- Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- Air Fryer Roasted Garlic
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Air Fryer Green Beans
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make air fryer asparagus parmesan you need:
- Fresh asparagus spears: for the most flavor and best crunch factor, canned or frozen asparagus should be avoided. While green is the most popular and widely available, white or purple asparagus can be used.
- Grated parmesan cheese: substitute with shredded parmesan cheese if desired.
- Garlic powder: substitute with a teaspoon of minced garlic per teaspoon garlic powder if you prefer a more garlicky taste.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in most of recipes, but your favorite oil is fine to use.
- Black pepper: the warm and spicy flavor of black pepper counters the slight bitterness that asparagus can have. You can substitute with crushed black peppercorns for a little more kick.
Because grated parmesan cheese is a salty cheese, salt is not used in this recipe to season the asparagus.
Step-By-Step Directions
Make air fryer asparagus parmesan in 3 easy steps.
Step 1: Prepare the asparagus by washing and drying it, and trimming ½ to 1 inch off the end of the spears. Preheat your air fryer (if your model requires doing so) to 400°F (204°C).
Step 2: Rub the spears with the olive oil and place on parchment paper that has been cut to fit your air fryer. Sprinkle with desired amount of pepper, the garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Transfer to the air fryer basket or tray.
Step 3: Air fry for 4-6 minutes. The asparagus will be bright green and the parmesan cheese beginning to turn golden brown when done. *It's not necessary to rotate the asparagus halfway through.
Remove from the air fryer when done and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
Pick asparagus with stalks that are firm and plump. While you can use white, green, or purple asparagus, make sure the color is bright and not faded. The tips, or buds, should be tightly closed and dry. If the buds are open and slimy, the asparagus is past its prime. The thickness of the asparagus is up to you- thin or thick asparagus will work for this recipe.
To prepare fresh asparagus for cooking, rinse the spears under cool water. Break off about ½ to 1 inch of the ends, where the asparagus is beginning to turn to white or gray. There is no need to use a knife– asparagus easily breaks when bent.
Serve air fried parmesan asparagus with fish, steak, chicken, or turkey. It pairs well with a simple Pan Seared Herb Chicken, Air Fryer Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders and Barbecue Cheddar Air Fryer Meatloaf, among many others!
Keep air fried asparagus in the fridge for 2-3 days. It will lose some of its crunch as it's stored so it's best served immediately.
Recipe
Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Asparagus Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh asparagus spears
- 1 teaspoon olive oil extra virgin
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- black pepper to taste
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Wash and dry asparagus. Trim ½ to 1 inch off the end of the spears.
- Preheat the air fryer (if your model requires doing so) to 400°F (204°C).
- Rub asparagus with the olive oil and place on parchment paper. Sprinkle with desired amount of pepper, the garlic powder and parmesan cheese. Transfer to the air fryer basket or tray.
- Air fry for 4-6 minutes, depending on thickness. The asparagus will be bright green and the parmesan cheese beginning to turn golden brown when done. *It's not necessary to rotate the asparagus halfway through.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve warm with your favorite meal.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy!
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Addie
So quick and easy! Loved this as a side dish.
Oscar
Wow, these were so crispy and tasty. Loved using my air fryer, this will be the only way I make them from now on. Thank you.
Jeri
This is a great recipe for asparagus. The parmesan crust is delicious, and it was so easy to make!
Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
YUM! Asparagus is our 5 year old's fave veggie (because, yes, she likes the weird pee smell) and adding cheese has amped up the love even more. Thanks for the recipe!
Lillian
I love air fryer asparagus and it just doesn't get better than garlic and parmesan! Thanks for the tasty recipe.
Megan Ellam
Quick, simple and delicious! How great are air fryers!
Kayla DiMaggio
Loving this asparagus recipe! It is my favorite! Love that it is made in an air fryer!