Name: Air Fryer Asparagus Parmesan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 14 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch asparagus; 1.5 Tablespoons butter; 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour; 1 cup milk; 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon; 1/2 teaspoon Texas Pete (or other hot sauce); 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese; salt & pepper (to taste)

This Air Fryer Asparagus Parmesan is so fast and easy, and yet makes such an elegant dish, perfect for holidays or occasions. Be sure not to overcook the asparagus (a common mistake) as it can become soggy. 3-4 minutes is really all it takes to make, bright, crisp asparagus. The creamy parmesan Dijon sauce is so easy to prepare and keeps very well, feel free to make it in advance and prepare the asparagus closer to meal time.

Ingredients in Air Fryer Asparagus Parmesan

Fresh Asparagus- This recipe will not work well with frozen asparagus, you really need a nice, fresh bunch, ideal in Springtime in most areas. You will rinse the asparagus and cut off the wooden ends. Many recipes will tell you to break the asparagus at a natural point; however, this will often break off more of the good asparagus than is necessary. Simply chop off the last two inches or so in an even line and you should be all set.

Butter-use your favorite type. For this, and most dishes on my site, I use olive oil based butter.

All Purpose Flour

Milk-again here you can use whatever is your favorite. I used Almond milk to make this recipe as that is my family’s current favorite. Dairy milk, soy, oat, whatever you prefer would all work just fine to make this recipe.

Chicken Bouillon– I used better than bouillon in the chicken flavor. If you prefer to keep the dish vegetarian, you can easily substitute vegetable bouillon in this dish without worry.

Texas Pete– if you follow this site for long, you will surely see that Texas Pete is by far my favorite hot sauce. I will suggest it just about every time hot sauce is called for in a dish. That said, if you have a different favorite hot sauce, that would also work just fine here, Tabasco, Tapito, etc.

Grated Parmesan Cheese– This is the kind that comes crumbled in a shelf-stable green can, not the freshly shredded kind.

Salt and Pepper to taste

How to make Air Fryer Asparagus Parmesan

Trim and prepare the asparagus. You need not break them at the “bend” as so many asparagus recipes suggest, just cut off the bottom two inches or so of the stems.

Next prepare the sauce. Begin by melting the butter. Then stir in the flour slowly until you can no longer see it. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, except for the grated parmesan cheese and continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce begins to thicken. Finally, remove from the burner and stir through the grated parmesan cheese. Set aside to thicken a bit.

Air fry the asparagus for 3-4 minutes, no typo, you want to cook the asparagus very briefly so that it remains tender-crisp and does not get soggy like so many asparagus recipes do.

How to store leftover air fryer asparagus parmesan:

To store leftover cooked asparagus, follow these steps:

Let the asparagus cool to room temperature before storing.
Place the cooked asparagus in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag.
Seal the container or bag tightly, removing as much air as possible.
Label the container or bag with the date and store it in the refrigerator.

Cooked asparagus can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It’s best to consume the leftovers within this time frame to ensure freshness and safety.

When reheating leftover cooked asparagus, you can either microwave it or reheat it in the oven. To microwave, place the asparagus on a microwave-safe plate, cover it with a damp paper towel, and heat for 30-60 seconds. To reheat in the oven, place the asparagus on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes, or until heated through.

Ways to use extra parmesan cream sauce

Pasta: Toss the sauce with cooked pasta for a quick and easy meal.
Grilled Chicken: Use the sauce as a topping for grilled chicken breasts or thighs.
Vegetables: Drizzle the sauce over roasted or steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus.
Baked Potatoes: Top a baked potato with the sauce and some chopped chives or scallions.
Sandwiches: Use the sauce as a spread for sandwiches or wraps, along with some grilled chicken, sliced tomatoes, and lettuce.
Pizza: Spread the sauce on a pizza crust, add some mozzarella cheese, and your favorite toppings for a delicious homemade pizza.
Dipping Sauce: Use the sauce as a dipping sauce for breadsticks, crackers, or vegetables.
Meatballs: Add the sauce to meatballs, either homemade or store-bought, for a creamy and flavorful dish.

Other Easy & Elegant Sides You May Enjoy:

Avocado Crab Cakes are simply to make and easily served with a simply spicy mango sauce. They could easily be made smaller for appetizer bites or left main-dish side to pair up for a delightful Spring-time meal.

Air Fryer Focaccia is a lovely homemade bread, also perfected in the air fryer, that makes a delightful addition to any warm weather Brunch, Lunch or light Dinner. The fresh tomato topping of the original recipe would pair perfectly with this air fryer asparagus parmesan; however, there are so many other options depending on how you wish to serve the bread: olives, sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, really the choice is yours!

This Creamed Spinach In the Instant Pot has holiday written all over it. But, it really needn’t be that way. This fancy-ish dish is so simple to make that it could really be every bit of a regular weeknight dish. Easy, fresh and so simple, yet, also “gourmet” enough to convince your guests you spent a lot of time working on it…win win!

Deviled Crab Croquettes– all the flavors of your favorite deviled eggs with a splash of lemon juice and a serving of crab. Here it is in these easy crab croquettes. These would be so amazing served alongside the air fryer asparagus parmesan!

Greek-style Lemon Potatoes in the Air Fryer are another easy to make side dish that would be great along with this asparagus. These would also be a good side dish choice as part of a larger Spring meal such as Easter or Passover. You will love these!