Introducing the BEST spicy garlic air fryer asparagus, the perfect recipe to convert any asparagus hater. All you need is 10 minutes, a bunch of asparagus, a few household spices and an air fryer and you'll have everyone fighting over the the bowl of asparagus at your next family gathering!
One of my roles as a Registered Dietitian is to promote a healthy, balanced diet. Of course that include a diet with vegetables, which means I have made it my personal mission to take all the commonly hated vegetables and turn them into a dish you won't be able to get enough of! Honestly, I'd say I'm achieving my mission. This spicy garlic air fryer asparagus is SO good you'll want to eat the whole bowl. AND If you haven't tried my air fryer brussel sprouts you NEED to try them after this asparagus!
How the air fryer makes THE best vegetables
The air fryer is my secret weapon to make the BEST vegetables. I love how crispy they can get veggies (especially if you cut them up into smaller pieces) with about half of the oil you would need in the oven! However my favorite part of using the air fryer is that it cooks things SO quickly! All you need is 10 minutes and you have the perfectly cooked asparagus!
I think everyone else that has an air fryer knows that my love of it isn't for lack of reason. The air fryer is NOT over hyped. I kid you not every single air fryer recipe I post instantly goes viral (check out my tiktok if you don't believe me)!
I also LOVE baking single serving recipe sin the air fryer (try this air fryer cookie if you're interested!).
Can I make these spicy garlic asparagus in the oven?
As with most air fryer recipes there is a way to make them in the oven! The only difference is the cook time will vary slightly! For this spicy garlic asparagus I recommend, following the recipe as is, spreading the chopped asparagus evenly on a prepared baking tray and roasting at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes shaking the pan halfway through cooking. Tip: to get the asparagus extra crispy try broiling at the very end for a few minutes!
What ingredients do I need to make this asparagus?
Asparagus- Take advantage of asparagus season (late February- June) when the asparagus is the freshest and the cheapest! For tips on how to choose the perfect asparagus bunch check out these tips!
Lemon- Just the juice! Lemon and asparagus is a classic combination. I love mixing sweet, sour and spicy ingredients together to create that perfect flavour combination (especially with tricky vegetables)!
Parmesan cheese- My favourite part of this asparagus recipe! I love the combination of the Parmesan cheese with the garlic and lemon! If you are vegan or would prefer another option feel free to use nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan (plus it gives a little vitamin B12 boost!).
Olive oil- You can use any cooking oil such as avocado oil, canola oil etc. This helps coat the asparagus to help them crisp up while cooking.
Honey- I really find that adding a tiny bit of honey to more bitter vegetables makes them taste AMAZING however this is totally up to you if you want to add it or not!
Red pepper flakes- can be customized based on how spicy you like things! If you like a little more heat- add more flakes. If you like a little less heat- add a less!
This isn't an ingredient but to make this spicy garlic air fryer asparagus you will also need an air fryer. I personally love this one! However any air fryer will work!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you make these don't forget to tag me on Instagram or comment below how they turned out 🙂
📖 Recipe
Spicy Garlic Air Fryer Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (or cooking oil of choice)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ tablespoon honey (optional for a touch of sweetness)
- ½ of 1 lemon just the juice
Instructions
- Using a cutting board, chop asparagus into bite sized pieces.
- In a medium sized bowl, add asparagus, oil, garlic, spices, honey, lemon juice and cheese and mix until asparagus is fully coated.
- Add asparagus to your air fryer basket, ensuring they are spread evenly along the bottom of the basket.
- Air fryer at 400°F for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Notes
- see oven instructions in the text above the recipe!
Lisa
This is amazing
Katie
Soo I tried these with asparagus (I don’t like asapragus) and they were alright, my mom loved them though. I loved the flavor just not the asparagus part so I made them with fresh green beans, AMAZING!!! So yummy!
Kate
Thank you for sharing!! Amazing side dish or snack!
Marija
Made this for dinner, was delicious and super easy to make, couldn’t stop eating it 😂😂even my toddlers liked it, definitely making it again