Make the most of asparagus season with this easy Air fryer asparagus recipe. This great snack or side is ready in under 20 minutes. A favorite with kids and adults, this delicious recipe will be your new spring and summer favorite!
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This easy and delicious air fryer asparagus recipe is perfect as a side for all your summer grilled recipes like tandoori grilled lamb chops, easy chicken tikka boti, and hariyali (green) chicken tikka recipe.
It also works great as a holiday side for your Pakistani beef roast, chicken steam roast, and roast leg of goat recipe.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and easy - This air fryer asparagus recipe takes barely 20 minutes to cook from start to finish. That's a win in my book!
- Kid-friendly recipe - My kids love to eat this asparagus dipped in ketchup as a snack. I cook it on repeat throughout the summer for them.
- Perfect side for summer grilling - This recipe makes an excellent side for any grilled meat, such as bihari kebab or seekh kebab.
- Vegetarian and gluten-free - This is a great recipe to have on hand if you're cooking for people with dietary restrictions. Swap out the cheese, and it becomes vegan-friendly as well. Serve it with some easy moong masoor dal and some basmati rice for a delicious Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free meal.
- Easy-to-source ingredients - I usually have most of the ingredients for this asparagus recipe in my fridge and pantry and can easily find them at my closest grocery store if needed.
Ingredient notes
- Asparagus - Always use medium-width fresh asparagus with a nice green color and fresh-looking spears at the top.
- Chickpeas - I like to use Bombay spice crunchy chickpeas by Saffron Road for this recipe. You can use any variety you prefer or make your own.
- Parmesan - I always have Kraft's grated parmesan cheese on hand, so I used it in this recipe. You can always grate some fresh parmesan cheese instead.
- Corn flour - This is an essential ingredient as it helps absorb moisture on the surface of the asparagus, ensuring a crispier coating.
- Eggs - The eggs bind to the flour and help the bread crumbs stick to the asparagus.
- Spices - Adding a few spices to the chickpea crumbs adds flavor.
- Cooking oil - Use a high smoke point oil like avocado, canola, sunflower, or grapeseed for this recipe.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with the measurements and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Use different seasonings - Try garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, or dried oregano to make this recipe less spicy.
- Swap out the cheese - Use a cheese substitute or nuts like pecans to make this recipe vegan and dairy-free.
- Serve with a different sauce - I love this asparagus with siracha ketchup best, but chili sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and even soy sauce are great condiments.
- Cook this in the oven - Follow all the instructions for breading the asparagus, and then place the asparagus on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the asparagus for 15-20 minutes. Check halfway through, turn the asparagus, and adjust the cooking time as necessary.
Step-by-step instructions
This recipe starts by sourcing good-quality asparagus. The stalks should be medium thick, firm to the touch, and not have too much white. Once you've sourced the perfect bunch of asparagus, wash and completely dry it.
To prepare it for breading, hold each end of each stalk in both hands and bend it till it snaps. Discard the bottom part and set the spears aside to use for this recipe.
Next, place the crispy chickpeas in a spice grinder and pulse 2-3 times to make coarse crumbs. Mix all the spices and cheese with these crumbs for a well-seasoned topping.
First Step - I like to set up a breading station so that I can work efficiently. Place the cornstarch, well-beaten eggs, and seasoned chickpea crumbs in 3 containers.
Second Step - Start by dipping one asparagus stalk in the cornstarch. Make sure to get a good coating on each stalk, which will help the egg adhere well.
Third Step - Next, dip the stalk in the egg, followed by the crumb topping.
Fourth Step - Place all the coated asparagus in a tray in a single layer and drizzle with the cooking oil.
Fifth Step - Place the asparagus in your basket and cook in a preheated air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-7 minutes. Check the stalks halfway through the cooking time and turn if necessary.
Sixth step - Serve the asparagus fresh and hot with some siracha ketchup or any other preferred dipping sauce.
Expert Tips
- Dry completely before adding the crumbs - Any moisture on the asparagus will result in a soggy coating.
- Make sure to use cornstarch - Cornstarch results in a crispier coating, and I highly recommend substituting it for flour.
- Preheat the air fryer - Preheating the air fryer will make the asparagus cook quicker and better.
- Cook in batches - For the asparagus to crisp up properly, it must be in a single, even layer. Cook it in batches rather than overcrowding your air fryer basket.
Recipe FAQS
This is an absolute NO! Frozen asparagus has too much moisture, and the topping won't stick to the stalks properly, resulting in soggy air-fried asparagus.
For best results, pre-heat the air fryer to 350 degrees and warm the asparagus for 2-4 minutes. If you're using an oven, pre-heat it to 400 degrees and warm the asparagus for 8-10 minutes.
Make an easy pasta with marinara sauce, like this penne pasta or this spaghetti marinara and serve with the crispy asparagus spears for a delicious vegetarian entree.
Other air fryer recipes you may like
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Air Fryer Asparagus Recipe
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Ingredients
- 15 asparagus stalks
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch (see notes)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup crunchy chickpeas (see notes)
- 1 cup parmesan cheese (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil (see notes)
Instructions
- Wash and prep the asparagus. (see notes)
- Grind the chickpeas in a spice grinder to make coarse crumbs.
- Mix all the spices and the cheese with the crumbs. (see notes)
- Set up a breading station. (see notes)
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees fahrenheit. (see notes)
- Dip each stalk in the cornstarch, followed by the beaten egg mixture and the seasoned chickpea crumb coating.
- After all the stalks are coated, drizzle the oil on them, turning them gently to get as much coverage as possible.
- Place in a single layer in your air fryer basket and cook for 8-10 minutes, checking them halfway through. (see notes)
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