Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan is so quick and tasty it just might become your favorite new asparagus recipe! And with this method the asparagus cooks to slightly-crisp perfection in minutes.

PIN the Air Fryer Asparagus recipe to make it later!

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For this week’s Friday Favorites pick I am reminding you about this Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan that’s certainly a recipe that shows off how great the Air Fryer can be for cooking certain foods. And this asparagus recipe seriously couldn’t be easier or tastier!

The asparagus cooks in just 7 minutes while you zest and juice a lemon and coarsely grate some Parmesan cheese. Then when the asparagus is done toss it with the lemon zest and juice, arrange on a plate, and sprinkle with Parmesan. 

And I love asparagus with lemon and Parmesan, and this was so, so delicious! It’s finally fresh asparagus season so if you’re a fan of asparagus and like the Air Fryer I hope you’ll consider trying this recipe!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  • fresh asparagus
  • Olive Oil (affiliate link)
  • salt and fresh ground pepper
  • zest of one lemon
  • juice of one lemon
  • coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese

What Air Fryer Did I Use for Air Fryer Asparagus?

I was excited when I discovered the Cuisinart Convection Air Fryer Toaster Oven (affiliate link), which is the one I used for this recipe. This air fryer has a larger basket, which lets me fit a whole pound of asparagus, and I find this model very easy to use. I also like the convenience of having an air fryer that stays out on the counter. If you have a smaller air fryer model you might not be able to fit as much asparagus.

How can you cook this asparagus if you don’t have an Air Fryer?

I’m not trying to convince you to buy an air fryer; you can follow the cooking instructions for Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan and cook the asparagus on the grill if you don’t have an Air Fryer!

Want more low-carb Air Fryer Recipes?

You can use Air Fryer Recipes to see the all the Air Fryer recipes on this site. My site also has a great collection of 100 Keto Air Fryer Recipes with ideas from Kalyn’s Kitchen and blogs around the web.

Want more ideas for cooking asparagus?

Check out Low-Carb and Keto Asparagus Recipes to see lots of tasty ideas using my favorite spring vegetable! There’s also a great collection of Sheet Pan Meals with Asparagus!

Process photos collage for air fryer asparagus

How to make Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Cut up the asparagus into diagonal 2 inch pieces.
  2. Toss asparagus with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and arrange in Air Fryer basket.
  3. Preheat Air Fryer if needed, then cook asparagus for 7 minutes at 400F/200C. (If you like your asparagus slightly crisp I might start to check after 5 minutes.)
  4. While asparagus cooks get the lemon zest, lemon juice, and freshly grated Parmesan ready.
  5. Zest the lemon, then squeeze the juice. Measure out desired amount of freshly-grated Parmesan.
  6. When asparagus is slightly browned and done to your liking, put back into the same bowl and toss with the lemon zest and lemon juice.
  7. Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan.
  8. Serve hot and enjoy!

Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan shown on serving plate

Make it a low-carb Meal:

This lemon-parmesan asparagus would be amazing with Baked Mayo-Parmesan Fish, Grilled Lamb Chops, Salmon Roasted in Olive Oil, Chicken Kabobs with Asian Marinade, or Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto and Cheese!

More Low-Carb Asparagus to Love:

Easy Low-Carb Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan found on KalynsKitchen.com
Yield: 4 servings

Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes

Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan is so easy and tasty, you'll make this over and over!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 T olive oil
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  • zest of one lemon (see notes)
  • juice of one lemon (see notes.)
  • 1/4 cup coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Most asparagus doesn't need to be washed, but wash and dry with paper towels if needed.
  2. Break one piece of asparagus to see where the woody part starts, trim all asparagus to that length and then cut the asparagus into diagonal 2 inch pieces.
  3. Toss asparagus with one tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, and arrange in Air Fryer basket.
  4. Preheat Air Fryer to 400F/200C if needed, then cook asparagus for 7 minutes. If you like your asparagus on the crisp side, I would start to check after about 5 minutes.
  5. While asparagus cooks get the lemon zest, lemon juice, and freshly grated Parmesan ready. Zest the lemon, then squeeze the juice. Measure out desired amount of freshly-grated Parmesan.
  6. When asparagus is slightly browned and done to your liking, put back into the same bowl and toss with the lemon zest and lemon juice.
  7. Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan.
  8. Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Be sure to zest the lemon first, and then squeeze the juice. If your lemon is extra juicy, you can freeze the extra lemon juice for another recipe. I used a Cuisinart Convection Air Fryer Toaster Oven (affiliate link) for this recipe.

This recipe created by Kalyn and Kara, and we really enjoyed eating it!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 275mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Square image of Air Fryer Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan on serving platter on green-shite napkin.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Asparagus with Lemon and Parmesan is a great dish for low-carb and Keto diet plans, and it’s also great for any phase of the original South Beach Diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Air Fryer Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted as Grilled Asparagus in 2007. In 2019 the recipe was updated to show how to cook the asparagus in the Air Fryer, with a link to the grilled asparagus recipe. It was last updated with more information in 2024.

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