This air fryer asparagus recipe is such an easy side dish and it's super tasty. Plus, it only takes a few simple ingredients and roughly 10 minutes to make. I use the 5 in 1 Ninja Foodi which has a grill option, so this recipe includes both the air fryer and grill cooking methods.
For more easy air fryer recipes, check out my Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken, Loaded Air Fryer Jicama Fries, Air Fryer Eggless Meatloaf, and Honey Lemon Pepper Wings.
Since I made this asparagus recipe in a Ninja Foodi, the instructions are Ninja Foodi-based. However, you can use any air fryer brand for this. This recipe is AIP/Paleo, gluten-free, low carb, Whole30 compliant, and vegan.
With the AIP diet focusing so much on nutrient density, green vegetables are an important staple. While roasting vegetables in the oven cooking is fine, takes time and forethought.
Being able to toss some veggies (or meat or whatever) in the Ninja Foodi and have them ready in a few minutes has been life-changing!
Grilled/Air Fryer Asparagus Ingredients
- Asparagus- I like to use fresh asparagus with a medium thickness (about 1/2 inch). If you use very thin asparagus, that's fine. Just keep in mind that you will need to lower to cook time a bit and watch it closely as it can burn easily. On the flip-side, thicker asparagus will take a bit longer to cook.
- Avocado Oil- Avocado or coconut oil are recommended due to their high smoke points. Olive oil is not recommended for air fryer recipes.
- Sea Salt
- Dill Weed- Be sure to use dill weed, not to be confused with dill seed (which is NOT AIP compliant).
- Garlic Powder
How to Choose the Best Asparagus
- Look for asparagus spears that have a firm, closed tips.
- Choose asparagus that is overall smooth and firm, not limp, slimy, or wilting.
- Look for asparagus with stalks that don't appear woody.
- Make sure it has a nice green color to it.
Prepare Asparagus for the Air Fryer or Grill
Rinse Well
As with any veggie prep, it's important to rinse the asparagus stalks. Then, make sure to dry them off thoroughly using paper towels, so the oil will stick when added.
How to Trim
When preparing asparagus for cooking, you want to make sure you remove the tough woody ends.
You can do this by cutting off the bottom of each spear- about 2 inches worth. I usually just bunch them together and cut.
However, you can break each piece individually if you prefer. You do this by gently bending each piece until it breaks at a natural point.
This will be about an inch or two from the end. This method takes longer than cutting the stems but some people just prefer to do it this way.
Mix the Oil and Herbs
Next, you'll mix the oil and herbs in a small dish. You can brush them onto the asparagus with a basting brush or toss the asparagus in a bowl with the oil mixture.
*If you're brushing the oil on, you can place the asparagus to the Ninja Foodi first, then brush on the oil.
How To Grill Asparagus in a Ninja Foodi
- Prepare the asparagus according to the preparation instructions above.
- Put the grill grate in the Ninja Foodi and shut the lid.
- To preheat, set it to "Grill"
- Set the temperature to "Max" or 510 degrees F.
- Set the time to 7 minutes.
- Allow it to preheat until it says "add food."
- Add the asparagus to the air fryer and shut the lid.
- Flip the asparagus halfway through cooking- watch it closely.
- Carefully remove it with tongs and serve.
How to Air Fry Asparagus
- Prepare the asparagus according to the preparation instructions above.
- Put the asparagus in the Ninja Foodi or whatever air fryer you have.
- Set it to "air fry" and 390 degrees F.
- Set the time to 10 minutes. Shut the lid.
- Allow it to preheat until it says "add food."
- Add the asparagus to the air fryer basket and shut the lid.
- Flip the asparagus halfway through cooking- watch it closely.
- Carefully remove it with tongs and serve.
Temperature for Cooking Asparagus in a Ninja Foodi
The recommended cooking temperature for asparagus in a Ninja Foodi Grill is "Max" which is 510 degrees. This seems so high, so I wasn't sure how it would go. I thought the asparagus might go up in flames or something but it didn't! It turned out great.
For the air fryer setting, go with 390 degrees F as mentioned above.
How Long To Grill or Air Fry Asparagus
For the grill, we are using a very high temperature, so the cooking time is short at only 5-7 minutes.
For the air fryer, we're going a little bit longer at 10 minutes.
Type of Oil to Use
As far as AIP-friendly oils go, avocado oil and coconut oil are the best options for air frying foods (or grilling them) as they have a high smoke point. You may be tempted to just use a little olive oil instead but try not to.
The Ninja Foodi manual advises against using olive oil for air frying because it produces more smoke at high temperatures.
Tips and Tricks
Watch it Closely
This may seem like an obvious tip but seriously, keep an eye on it. It cooks very quickly.
The cooking time is an estimate. This is because asparagus varies pretty widely in thickness and air fryers vary as well from brand to brand.
Don't Crowd the Cooking Surface
If you like crispy asparagus spears, don't overcrowd the grill or air fryer basket. If it's too crowded, the asparagus won't crisp properly.
For best results, aim for a single layer of asparagus and toss it a few times during cooking. Do more than one batch if needed.
Consider Peeling the Stalk with Thicker Asparagus
This is optional but worth noting. If the asparagus is more than 1/2 an inch thick, consider peeling it. This is recommended because larger asparagus tends to be thicker at the bottom than at the top. Peeling the bottom part allows for more even cooking.
More Ways to Add Flavor to Your Asparagus
- Add some freshly grated black pepper (*note this is a stage 1 reintro if doing AIP)
- Add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice or lime juice to it once it's done cooking
- Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese (*note- not for strict AIP/Paleo folks)
- Add bacon pieces- if you love bacon, add it in! You can't go wrong with this. I'd suggest cooking the bacon pieces separately and then adding them over top of the asparagus once it's done cooking.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or glaze
Storage
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Other FAQ's
Generally, the ends of asparagus tend to have a woody texture that is very unpleasant to chew. Younger, thinner asparagus will be a less woody but it's still a good idea to trim the ends a little bit.
The asparagus is done when it's nice and tender but not mushy. You can test the tenderness by gently stabbing it with a fork. It should still have structure to it but be soft enough to easily pierce with a fork.
The best way to avoid overcooking is to simply watch the asparagus closely and remove it from the cooking surface just slightly before you think it's done.
1/2-3/4 inch thick is ideal but thinner asparagus (aka pencil asparagus) is fine too.
What to Serve with Asparagus
This recipe goes great with the following:
Conclusion:
I hope you found this post useful. What are some other AIP air fryer recipes would you like to see on this site? Please leave a comment below!
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Ninja Foodi Asparagus Air Fryer Recipe (Paleo/AIP, Vegan)
Equipment
- air fryer or Ninja Foodi Grill
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp dill weed
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Rinse the asparagus and dry it with paper towels.
- Cut off the woody ends of the asparagus (about 2" worth) or break the ends off where they naturally break.
- Put the grill grate in the Ninja Foodi and close the lid. Set it to "grill" and set the heat to 510 degrees. Allow it to preheat.
- In the meantime, mix the oil and spices in a small dish.
- Put the asparagus in the Ninja Foodi spreading the pieces out evenly. Use a basting brush to brush the oil mixture on the asparagus (if you don't have a basting brush, toss the oil mixture and asparagus in a medium-sided bowl to coat it evenly).
- Close the lid and set the time to 7 minutes. Flip the asparagus halfway through. Watch it closely as it does cook quickly. Note: cook times will vary depending on the thickness of the asparagus.
- When the cook time is up, turn off the air fryer and remove the asparagus with tongs. Serve.
Notes
-
- Prepare the asparagus according to the preparation instructions above.
- Place the air fryer basket in the air fryer. Shut the lid.
- Set it to "air fry" and 390 degrees F.
- Set the time to 10 minutes.
- Allow it to preheat until it says "add food."
- Add the asparagus to the air fryer basket and shut the lid.
- Flip the asparagus halfway through cooking- watch it closely. Cook times will vary depending on what air fryer you have.
- Carefully remove it with tongs and serve.
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