These air fryer asparagus fries are served with a homemade lemon dijon aioli. We coat them in a parmesan and panko crust and air fry them to perfection. They're crisp, tasty, lower-carb than normal fries, and super fast and easy.
I love french fries, but I've accepted the fact that I can't eat fried potatoes with every meal, so I've started trying other things as "fries." Enter: the air fryer and these asparagus fries. They're parmesan- and panko-breaded pieces of asparagus air fried to crispy perfection. They're super easy and delicious, and the lemon dijon aioli makes them feel super special.
These are the perfect spring or summer appetizer or side. Looking for others? Try our air fryer BBQ brussels sprouts, air fryer coconut shrimp, or classic wedge salad.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
For the asparagus fries:
- Asparagus
- Parmesan cheese- You want finely grated parmesan cheese, but not the crappy unrefrigerated stuff in the cylindrical canisters. Buy good-quality grated parmesan cheese, or buy a whole wedge and grate it yourself.
- Panko breadcrumbs- You can substitute crushed potato chips for a gluten-free option.
- Eggs
- Spices- Ground cayenne and salt. If you really don't like spicy food, omit the ground cayenne.
For the lemon dijon aioli:
- Mayonnaise- Substitute greek yogurt or sour cream if you don't like mayonnaise.
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
- Minced garlic
- Spices- salt and black pepper
See recipe card for amounts.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs, ground cayenne, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Add the eggs to a separate bowl and whisk until the yolks and whites are combined.
Step 2: Dip each piece of asparagus in the egg, then in the panko and cheese mixture. To avoid two dirty hands, I suggest using one hand for the egg dipping and one hand for the panko mixture. That way the panko doesn't stick to the egg on your hand.
Step 3: Add the asparagus fries to your air fryer in one layer. You may have to cook the fries in more than one batch if you have a small air fryer. Air fry for 5 minutes at 350°F.
Step 4: While the asparagus fries are cooking, make the lemon dijon aioli. Add the mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and garlic to a bowl and stir to combine.
Step 5: Serve the fries and aioli together as a side dish or appetizer and enjoy!
Top Tips
- Very finely grated parmesan cheese works best for this recipe because it mixes well with the panko and keeps everything light. Buy good-quality grated parmesan cheese, or buy a whole wedge and grate it yourself. If you don't have an adequate cheese grater, you can put it into a food processor.
- To avoid two dirty hands, I suggest using one hand for the egg dipping and one hand for the panko mixture. That way the panko doesn't stick to the egg on your hand.
- If you don't want to make the lemon dijon aioli, ranch pairs really well with these asparagus fries. I don't, however, recommend ketchup. Not a good combo.
- Cook the asparagus fries in one layer in the air fryer. Don't try to stack them or crowd them all together, or they won't get crispy. You might have to cook them in two batches, but it'll be worth it.
Frequently asked questions
You can! Use whatever you like! They'd be super tasty with ranch or blue cheese dressing too.
Yes! Just substitute the panko for gluten free panko, crumbled gluten free crackers, potato chip crumbs, or crumbled pork rinds.
We recommend that you put the asparagus in the air fryer in one layer. If you overlap the asparagus, it won't cook evenly or crisp appropriately. If you can't fit all of the asparagus in your air fryer in one layer, you'll have to cook it in batches.
Store the fries and the aioli in separate air-tight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, pop them back in the air frier for a minute or two.
Air Fryer Asparagus Fries Recipe
These air fryer asparagus fries are served with a homemade lemon dijon aioli. We coat them in a parmesan and panko crust and air fry them to perfection. They're crisp, tasty, lower-carb than normal fries, and super fast and easy.
4
servings25
minutes10
minutes185
kcal25
minutesPrevent your screen from going dark!
Ingredients
- For the asparagus:
6-7 ounces asparagus spears, cut in half lengthwise
2 ounces parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
- For the lemon dijon aioli:
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
- Mix the parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs, ground cayenne, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Add the eggs to a separate bowl and whisk until the yolks and whites are combined.
- Dip each piece of asparagus in the egg, then in the panko and cheese mixture.
- Add the asparagus fries to your air fryer in one layer. You may have to cook them in more than one batch if you have a small air fryer. Air fry for 5 minutes at 350°F.
- While the asparagus fries are cooking, make the lemon dijon aioli. Add the aioli ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.
- Serve the fries and aioli together as a side dish or appetizer and enjoy!
Notes
- To avoid two dirty hands, I suggest using one hand for the egg dipping and one hand for the panko mixture. That way the panko doesn't stick to the egg on your hand.
Sharie says
This was so yummy! The asparagus doesn’t take long to cook and I love the crunchies on the outside.. And the Aioli was amazing! Before the asparagus had finished in the air fryer, I tried some on asparagus I had cooked on the grill. So good!! Then my husband put some on his salmon and loved it! The Aioli was simple to make and really versatile. I’m going to be adding it to a lot more dishes!