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fried asparagus spears on a white plate with a small bowl of dipping sauce
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4.97 from 29 votes

Fried Asparagus Sticks Recipe

Fried Asparagus Sticks are made with a cornmeal batter and pan fried until crispy brown, just like southern fried okra. Serve plain or with a tasty dipping sauce.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Total Time8 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fried asparagus recipes, fried vegetables
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 209kcal
Author: Kristina Tipps

Ingredients

  • 1-2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
  • ½ lb asparagus spears, washed and ends trimmed
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • In a large deep pan heat oil over high heat until it reaches 350°F (about 5 minutes). The oil should be about 1 inch deep, deep enough for the asparagus to be fully submerged.
  • Combine the cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg until whites and yolk are mixed.
  • Working in batches, dip the asparagus in the beaten egg to thoroughly coat it. Place into the bowl of cornmeal breading and coat completely.
  • Turn the heat to medium and add the breaded asparagus to the hot oil in a single layer. Fry for 5 minutes, until a deep golden brown.
  • Transfer fried asparagus to a paper-towel lined plate to soak off any extra oil. Serve warm or room temperature.

Notes

Prep: to prepare fresh asparagus spears for cooking, rinse them under cool running water. Then snap about ½ to 1 inch of the woody ends off, where the asparagus begins to fade to white or gray. There is no need to use a knife– asparagus spears easily break when bent.
Breading Variations: make parmesan fried asparagus spears by adding parmesan cheese to the cornmeal breading. Reduce the cornmeal to ¼ cup and substitute it with ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. For a spicy version,  add ½ to 1 teaspoon of chili powder, cayenne, Cajun, or Creole seasoning for every 1 cup of breading.
Storing: in the fridge for up to 5 days. Fried vegetables will become less crispy when stored for later use, so know that when reheating you will not get the exact same crispy asparagus as you had fresh off the stove.
Reheating: put in the toaster or air fryer for a 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, put on a baking sheet and warm in the oven. A microwave is not recommended, as the breading will become even less crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 3mg