Crispy Asparagus Fries (Air Fryer Recipe)

These quick and easy Air Fryer Asparagus Fries are a healthy snack that everyone will love. Pair it with your favorite dipping sauce for a fun appetizer finger food!

Air Fryer Asparagus Fries

I love french fries! I can’t tell you how much in words, you can just see it on my face when I have a large plate of them in front of me.

But sometimes I am not in the mood to deep fry even though I crave the flavor. That’s why I am so happy to have an air fryer.

I will take a basket of these crispy fries over any other food most days and that’s a good thing because they are not only delicious but a healthier snack option!

My family loves them and I know you will too.

Having a party? Make a few batches and keep them warm in the oven! Serve with Fry Sauce🙂

Looking for more fun vegetable recipes? Check out these Smothered Green Beans, Baked Sweet Potato Fries, and these Longhorn Brussels Sprouts!

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Ingredients Needed

Asparagus – Be sure to pick fresh, raw, firm spears that are all roughly the same size. Trim as below.

Flour – I use all purpose flour in this recipe but you can use whole wheat or your favorite gluten free flour.

Panko – Sometimes the panko can be very thick so if the pieces seem to large to stick to the thin spears, feel free to crush it a little.

Breadcrumbs – I like to use plain bread crumbs so I can control the seasoning but feel free to use seasoned ones.

Egg – This recipe uses 1 large egg, beaten very well. I like to add 1-2 teaspoons of water to help with the beating process. If you start to run low during the dredging process, feel free to add a little more water.

For more insider tips & tricks, and a candid behind the scenes look follow me on social media! Check use out on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (yes, people still use Twitter, LOL!)

How to Make Asparagus Fries

First: Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Prep the asparagus spears by trimming off the woody ends.

Second: Lay out two shallow dishes. Beat the eggs in a shallow dish. In the other, add the panko and bread crumbs. Mix to combine.

Third: Dip the asparagus spears in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the crumb mixture. Make sure to coat the whole spear.

Fourth: Place the breaded spears in the air fryer basket, in a single layer, and air fry for 8 minutes, turning half way through, until nice and crispy. Gently remove from the air fryer basket and continue air frying the remaining spears.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For more insider tips & tricks, and a candid behind the scenes look follow me on social media! Check use out on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter (yes, people still use Twitter, LOL!)

How to Trim Asparagus

When you buy fresh asparagus the bottoms of the spears need to be trimmed. But where do you trim them to make sure you get all the “woody” taste and fibrous texture off?

Here’s the best way to trim asparagus for asparagus fries!

First: Take one spear and hold it in two hands. Make sure the hand that is holding the top or tip is about an inch down as not to bruise the tender ends.

Second: With light pressure, bend the spear until it snaps. If the spears are long, I like to put a little more pressure on the bottom end as you want it to snap as close to that end as possible.

Third: Discard the bottom piece that snaps off. Like the snapped spear up against all the remaining spears on a cutting board.

Fourth: Trim the remaining spears to the length of the snapped spear. You are good to go. If the spears are still very long after trimming, feel free to cut these in half to make smaller fries.

You can discard the snapped ends or I like to save them to make vegetable stock!

What do I dip Asparagus Fries in?

My favorite dipping sauces for these asparagus fries are

• Chick fil a sauce
• Bang bang sauce
• Tzatziki sauce
• Ranch dipping sauce

Can I bake them?

Absolutely! Prepare the asparagus fries as directed but bake in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes. Turn them over on the pan and bake an additional 5-7 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

These baked asparagus fries are just as tasty as deep fried or air fried. Just like this recipe for how to make loaded potato skins. You can air fry or bake them.

What type of air fryer should I use?

Each one has it’s own pros and cons so use your favorite one. I have one that has a small basket I pull out when I want to heat a few things but also a countertop one that I can air fry larger items.

Can I use frozen or canned asparagus?

Frozen asparagus is not recommended for this recipe. Once frozen, the asparagus breaks down and makes the spears soggy and will not crisp up well.

Same with canned asparagus spears. They will be too soft.

Can I use a different flour or bread crumb?

You can substitute almond flour, coconut flour, or use a bread crumb that aligns with your dietary restrictions.

Are these gluten free?

If you use the ingredients listed, the flour, breadcrumbs, and panko are not gluten free. Feel free to use your favorite gluten free alternatives.

Tapas Tips & Tricks

• be sure to trim the bottom of the spears
• make sure the spear is fully coated in egg before adding the breadcrumbs
• shake in some garlic powder in the breadcrumbs
• add a little parmesan cheese to the bread crumb mixture to a nutty flavor.

What is Freaky Friday? It’s a recipe exchange put on by Michaela over at An Affair from the Heart. There are about a dozen people each time that get assigned a fellow foodie website to make a recipe from to share with our readers.

It’s a win-win because we get to make a tried and true recipe from a friend and share it with our readers and you get to hear about another great food website you might not have found!

This time around I got Sheila from Life, Love, and Good Food.

Sheila is from Tennessee, where I went to college, and is all about getting people back into the kitchen. You might think that being in the kitchen is stressful but Sheila makes it fun.

Not only does she have 2 published cookbooks, but she learned her skills the right way, from her Mamaw B!

In choosing a recipe to make from her extensive list, I was torn between the cherry tomato salsa that I like, the roasted okra that my husband wanted, and the chick fil a chicken nuggets that my son can’t stop eating!

I finally decided on these asparagus fries because it’s the one vegetable my son will eat right now LOL.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

Healthier than french fries, these crispy air fryer asparagus fries will be your new favorite snack!

Take a look at all of our 2021 Freaky Friday Fall Edition Recipes:

1. An Affair from the Heart – Pumpkin Pie Bars with Shortbread Crust
2. Aunt Bee’s Recipes – 30 Minute Skillet Lasagna
3. The Carefree Kitchen – Brazilian Cheese Bread
4. Devour Dinner – Instant Pot Applesauce
5. Fresh April Flours – Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
6. The Fresh Cooky – Air Fryer Ravioli
7. Hostess at Heart – Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Cookie Recipe
8. House of Nash Eats – Pumpkin Bundt Cake
9. Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog – Halloween Monster Cookie Recipe
10. Lemoine Family Kitchen – Creamy Vegetable Gnocchi Soup
11. Life Currents – Loaded Potato Skins
12. Life, Love & Good Food – Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
13. The Speckled Palate – Tortellini Butternut Squash Pasta with Pancetta and Spinach
14. Sue Bee Homemaker – Overnight Sourdough Bread

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