Begin by rinsing and then trimming about 1/2″ off the bottom of the asparagus because that’s the tough part that is chewy and needs to be removed before cooking it.
Next, it’s time to season it, and there are so many options here. Personally, I like to place my asparagus in a bowl or flat-bottom dish and dunk it in aquafaba which is simply the bean juice from cooked chickpeas, but this isn’t required. I just like it because it's thicker than water and helps the spices stick better. Oftentimes, I just spritz it with lemon or lime juice instead.
Place the asparagus spears in the air fryer basket and sprinkle with your seasonings of choice. I like to use garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and nutritional yeast. But, I've included a list of many others to consider above.
Toss the spears around a bit with your hands or a spoon to make sure they are coated well.
Set the cooking temperature to 400°F and the time to 7-minutes. If the spears are particularly thick, you may need to add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time. You don't want to overcook the spears because they will lose their crisp. I love mine cooked tender but still with a crunch.
Once the timer goes off, place on a plate or platter and drizzle a little lemon juice or balsamic vinegar over the top. Occasionally, I will use a balsamic vinegar glaze.
Oven Directions
Though I prefer the air fryer cooking method, an oven can definitely be used instead. Simply set the oven for 425°F and allow the asparagus to cook for approximately 15-minutes. Thicker spears will require a little longer cooking time.
Video
Notes
Seasoning:Oftentimes, I just spritz it with lemon or lime juice and then add the dry seasonings. Other times, I place the asparagus in a bowl or flat-bottom dish and dunk it in aquafaba which is simply the bean juice from cooked chickpeas, but this isn't required. I like to do it because the bean juice has a little thicker consistency than water and seems to help the dry spices to stick better. However, your asparagus will already be still wet from rinsing it, so this step can be skipped if you don't have aquafaba already on hand.Cooking Method for Oven:Though I prefer the air fryer cooking method, an oven can definitely be used instead. Simply set the oven to 425°F and allow the asparagus to cook for approximately 15 minutes. Thicker spears will require a little longer cooking time.