Roasted Air Fryer Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese

Name: Roasted Air Fryer Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 7 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 bundle of asparagus; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese; lemon juice squeeze from 1/2 lemon

By Annie Lampella, Pharm.D.

Published April 12, 2020 • Updated November 22, 2025

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Reader Rating

4.7 Stars (12 Reviews) 2 Comments

Air Fryer Easy Kid Friendly

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Learn how to cook asparagus using an air fryer. It's easy, fast and delicious! Making air fryer asparagus is the simplest way to enjoy this popular vegetable. Top with Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon for a sophisticated twist.

asapargus fried in the airfryer on a plate

close up of roasted asparagus with parmesan cheese

10 Mins

Nutrition Facts

Servings

119

Calories

9.2g

Fat

4.9g

Protein

3.8g

Net Carb

6.2g

Total Carbs

Disclaimer: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.

Roasted Air Fryer Asparagus With Parmesan Cheese Ingredients

1 bundle of asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
lemon juice squeeze from 1/2 lemon

Roasted Air Fryer Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese Directions

STEP

1

Trim asparagus

Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. Wash, trim and dry asparagus spears.
STEP

2

Season for flavor

Place asparagus spears in a ziploc bag or dish. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix or shake to coat all over.
STEP

3

Top with cheese

Add the asparagus spears to the inside basket of your air fryer. Top with Parmesan cheese.
STEP

4

Air fry

Air fry for 6 to 7 minutes at 400 degrees.
STEP

5

Top with lemon

Remove from air fryer basket. Place on a serving dish and squeeze lemon juice all over asparagus. Serve immediately.

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Low Carb Air Fryer Asparagus Recipe

crispy asparagus spears covered in parmesan cheese

Have you ever tried cooking asparagus in the air fryer? It’s delicious! I love cooking with my air fryer because it takes less time and is a healthier alternative to using my oven. Not only does it cook your food quickly, but it also gives you that crispy texture that we all love, like these crispy keto chicken strips made in the air fryer or air fryer chicken legs. When roasted in an air fryer, asparagus may be the easiest and quickest healthy snack that you can enjoy. It takes only 15 minutes to fry this delicious vegetable in an air fryer and serve as a side dish to your dinner or holiday meal. Cooking it also needs no fancy ingredients, just 5 of them which are easily found in your home kitchen.

Fresh Asparagus
Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil
Lemon

Whether you are looking to add a new food to your keto diet or a green veggie to your kid’s meal, air fried asparagus will make the perfect choice.

Air Fryer vs Oven vs Stove Top

One benefit of cooking with an air fryer is that it requires less oil to properly roast and fry a vegetable in order to get crispy edges. Compared to the oven or stop top, the air fryer uses only a fraction of oil while delivering taste and producing a crispy, perfectly fried and roasted asparagus spear. Air frying involves cooking food by circulating hot air around it. The process uses little oil and cooks quickly because of how fast the hot air circulates around the food. You are left with perfect air fried aspargus! The air fryer doesn’t take as long to preheat or roast your vegetables compared to an oven. Clean up is easier too since many air fryer baskets are dishwasher safe. Using an air fryer in the Summer is the perfect solution to having roasted vegetables without heating your house by turning on your oven.

Preheat the Air Fryer for Quick, Crunchy Cooking

Since the air fryer is designed to use less or no oil, it is best to preheat it before using. But this keto recipe still turns out fabulous if you forget to preheat your air fryer. Preheating will enable the asparagus or any vegetable you roast to be crispier and crunchier. And the crisp will also last longer than usual.

To preheat the air fryer to make crisp asparagus, turn your air fryer to the appropriate temperature, in this case 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Your manual should tell you how long to preheat an air fryer. If it doesn’t, then set your air fryer to cook on it’s own for 3-5 minutes.

How to Pick Ripe Asparagus

To be able to cook healthy and tasty parmesan crusted asparagus, you need to be sure that it is ripe. So, how to pick ripe asparagus? Contrary to popular notion, size isn’t an indicator of either quality or flavor. Asparagus that is thick is just more mature than the thin one. If you like tender texture, go for the thinner stalk. But for robust flavor and slightly meaty texture, pick the thicker one. The best way to pick the best-quality asparagus is by looking for vivid green spears that have firm stems and tightly closed tips. Squeeze the bunch lightly to see if it squeaks. If it does, it is ripe and ready to cook. If possible, go for the grocer who keeps the asparagus stored upright in cold and fresh water.

Tips on How To Trim Asparagus

For optimized flavor, you need to snap off the woody root ends of asparagus before cooking. Simply take the end of asparagus between your thumb and your forefinger then quickly bend it until it breaks. Because the end is less moisture and flexible, it breaks precisely where the woody part ends. So, you don’t have to be calculating about breaking too much or too little. But in case you want to be extra careful about not cutting off the juicy greens, grab the chef’s knife and the cutting board. Line up all the spears equally in a row and slice off their woody ends at once. This is the simplest way to cut asparagus.

Is Asparagus Keto?

Asparagus is one of the green family members, rich folic acid with loads of fiber, and Vitamin A, C and K. In fact, the carb count of asparagus per 100 grams is half of broccoli and green beans. Six asparagus spears have 2 grams of net carbs in them. That’s a lot of vegetable for a small amount of carbs. Thus, Parmesan-sprinkled air-fried asparagus makes an excellent keto side dish recipe. Since it takes less than 10 minutes, it is also an easy vegetable that you can cook any time.

More Air Fryer Recipes

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Keto Recipes to Serve with Air Fryer Asparagus

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Roasted Air Fryer Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese: FAQS

Can I use other vegetables in the air fryer instead of asparagus?

Absolutely! You can air fry other vegetables like green beans, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts. Just adjust the cooking time based on the vegetable's thickness.

What can I substitute for Parmesan cheese?

If you don't have Parmesan cheese, you can use nutritional yeast for a vegan alternative or try pecorino cheese for a similar flavor profile.

How do I store leftover air fryer asparagus?

Store any leftover asparagus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes to regain some crispiness.

Can I make this recipe without olive oil?

Yes! You can use a different oil like avocado oil or even a cooking spray. If you're looking to reduce calories, you can omit the oil, but it may result in less crispiness.

Is this recipe suitable for a low-carb diet?

Yes, roasted asparagus is low in carbohydrates and fits well into low-carb diets, making it a great side dish option.

Nutritional information & Macros

Amount Per Serving
Calories	119
Fat	9.2g
Protein	4.9g
Total Carbs	6.2g
Net Carbs	3.8g

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About Annie Lampella, Pharm.D.

Annie Lampella is a Doctor of Pharmacy, mom, and the recipe creator behind KetoFocus. With a B.S. in Genetics from UC Davis and a Pharm.D., she has over 11 years of experience developing family-friendly keto recipes based on the science of human metabolism. She is the author of the Protein Packed cookbook, published by Victory Belt Publishing.

Learn more about Annie →

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