These gluten-free air fryer asparagus fries are air fried until they’re perfectly crispy and crunchy. Dip them into your favorite sauce like ketchup, BBQ sauce, aioli or even mustard! Air fryer asparagus fries are the perfect healthy alternative to French fries. Eating asparagus fries are a great way to sneak an extra serving of veggies into your day.
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Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
- What You’ll Need to Make Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
- How to Make Gluten-Free Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
- Can I Use My Oven Instead of An Air Fryer to Make Asparagus Fries?
- Best Store Bought Dipping Sauces for Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
- How to Pick Asparagus at the Supermarket
- How to Trim Asparagus?
- What are the Best Gluten-Free Panko Bread Crumbs?
- What is the Best Air Fryer For Asparagus
- Common Air Fryer Questions and Answers
- What’s the Best Spot on the Counter to Use an Air Fryer?
- My Recipe for Regular Air Fryer Asparagus
- More Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
These air fryer asparagus fries are sure to become one of your favorite air fryer staples. Air fryer asparagus fries are:
- Gluten Free
- Easy to Make
- Paleo Friendly
- Vegetarian
- Soy Free
- Nut Free
What You’ll Need to Make Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
- Asparagus
- Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
- Gluten-Free Panko Bread Crumbs
- Parmesan Cheese shredded
- Lemon Zest
- Cilantro
- Chili Flakes
For full ingredient amounts, check the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
How to Make Gluten-Free Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
Learn how to make the crispiest gluten free asparagus fries in these simple to follow steps and how to photos.
Step 1: Trim the Asparagus
- Trim the woody stems from the ends of the asparagus spears.
Step 2: Prepare the Bread Crumbs to Dredge the Asparagus Fries
- Next, prepare the breading by using three large plates. On one plate place the whisked eggs, on the second add the gluten free flour. In a small bowl combine the gluten free panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, cilantro and chili flakes. Transfer the mixture onto the third plate.
Step 3: Bread the Asparagus Fries and Bake them in the Air Fryer
- Bread the asparagus by dipping it into the flour first, then the egg and finally the panko bread crumb mixture third.
- Place the asparagus in the air fryer basket in one layer. Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs turns golden in color.
Can I Use My Oven Instead of An Air Fryer to Make Asparagus Fries?
Yes! If you don’t have an air fryer you can still make this air fryer asparagus fry recipe! To make gluten free asparagus fries in the oven follow the following steps:
- Place a wrack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet. I like to use a nonstick baking sheet, but if you don’t have one make sure to grease the baking sheet with olive oil or butter. You can use a non stick cooking spray as well.
- Allow the asparagus to cook for 10 minutes. Flip the asparagus spears over and let them cook for another 10 minutes.
Best Store Bought Dipping Sauces for Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
Let’s be honest, asparagus fries are only as good as the sauce you dip them into. When I was recipe testing this recipe I thought the fries were really good alone, but once I dipped them in ketchup I literally couldn’t stop eating them.
There were almost no fries left for me to photograph! Here are a few ideas of which sauces you can dip the air fryer asparagus fries into. Of course you can try a homemade recipe (see the section below) but there’s nothing wrong with these store-bought dipping sauces.
Types of Sauces
- Organic Ketchup: Make sure to buy ketchup with no added sugar or high frutose corn syrup.
- Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce: Primal kitchen makes a variety of BBQ sauces. The smokey sweet flavor of BBQ sauce is irresistible when combined with crispy asparagus fries.
- Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce: Also a great choice!
- Aioli: If you can find an organic aioli the results will knock your socks off.
- Mustard: I’ve been loving miso mustard by Great Eastern Sun.
Best Dipping Sauces to Buy (Healthy and Tasty)
- Miso Mustard Sauce by Great Eastern Sun
- Primal Kitchen
How to Pick Asparagus at the Supermarket
If this is the first time you’re cooking asparagus read my top tips to make sure you select the best asparagus possible. So many people wander around the produce department of Target, Walmart, K-Mart, Costco, etc and look lost because they don’t know how to pick quality produce. Don’t be one of those people!
- Color: Fresh asparagus should be bright green at the top and slowly fade to white at the stalk. If you’re looking at purple asparagus you also want to look for a bright purple color and slight shine. For white asparagus look for pure white stiff stalks.
- Texture: The stalks should be stiff and stand up straight. If they are mushy and limp (lean over to one side) they aren’t fresh.
- Flower Heads: The flower heads at the top of the asparagus should be tight. If they’re loose or look like they are blooming the asparagus is old.
- Size: Asparagus ranges from pencil thin stalks to shoots that can be thicker than your thumb. All sizes taste great. To make cooking uniform, buy asparagus with the same thickness. The thicker the asparagus the longer it will take to cook.
How to Trim Asparagus?
The easiest way to trim asparagus is the simply snap it using your hands. If you hold the flower tip in one hand and the stalk in the other and bend it until it breaks. The asparagus will always break at the end of the stalk.
That way you don’t slice it and accidentally leave the woody section on. If you don’t trim your asparagus then people will not be able to chew and swallow the whole plant.
What are the Best Gluten-Free Panko Bread Crumbs?
The best store bought gluten-free Panko Bread Crumbs are Ian’s Breadcrumbs. Ian’s Panko bread crumbs are so crispy and delicious they don’t even taste gluten free. Ian’s has a bunch of different types of bread crumbs but the two types of Panko bread crumbs are plain and Italian flavored.
For this recipe I like using the plain flavor but if you are in a rush and don’t have chopped cilantro on hand you can skip the seasoning all together and use Italian flavored Ian’s Panko bread crumbs.
- Ian’s Breadcrumbs, Panko, Gluten Free, Italian Style
- Ian’s Breadcrumbs, Panko, Gluten Free, Plain
What is the Best Air Fryer For Asparagus
There are so many air fryers on the market and if you don’t already have one picking the right one can be dizzying. There are so many options out there that it will make your head spin! I’ve done some digging around and here are the top two air fryers I found for making air fryer asparagus .
Philips Airfryer, Avance Turbo Star, Digital, Black, HD9641/96
PROS
- Small
- Cooks Well
- Easy To Clean
- Portable
- Easy to Use Without Burning Yourself
CONS
- Expensive
The Philips Airfryer Avance Turbo Star was by far the best option out there for a number of reasons. This air fryer is on the more expensive side at $247. As far as aesthetics go, I like this air fryer because it looks nice and its a smaller size and yet still holds 1 pound of food. I also like the drawer handle for removing the food. This allows you to pull out the food without burning your hands.
A nice touch is also that the air fryer starts counting down the time during the last minute of cooking. This was helpful for me since I tend to put things in the oven and then forget about them.
The cooking results for the cauliflower were great. They were nice and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
The air fryer is easy to clean because the bottom is non stick. So it’s easy to wipe the excess grease from the food off. It’s nice to enjoy fried food without the mess.
GoWISE Air Fryer
GoWISE USA 3.7-Quart 7-in-1 Air Fryer
The GoWISE USA 3.7 Quart 7-in-1 Air Fryer was the best affordable option I could find at 69 dollars.
The digital settings on this air fryer were a bit harder for me to use. I had to ask my husband for help. But once I got it going it cooked the food nicely. Like the Phillips air fryer it was short enough to fit under the cabinet. I appreciate this because I hate cluttered countertops. So I was able to store this air fryer under in a cabinet under the counter. If you have shorter shelves you can turn it size ways to store it.
Common Air Fryer Questions and Answers
If you’ve just taken your air fryer out of the box, chances are you have some questions. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions I get in regards to how to use an air fryer. If you have any other questions feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this blog post and I’ll respond.
Do I Need to Preheat the Air Fryer?
I always recommend preheating your air fryer before placing the food in it. If you don’t preheat then the food will not cook as fast. Not only will it take longer to cook but your food won’t come out as crispy. Lower and longer cooking times lead to softer air fryer food.
How Much Can I Put In An Air Fryer?
How much you can put in an air fryer depends on the size of your air fryer. The bigger the air fryer is the more food you can put in it.
You should arrange food in a single layer on the bottom of the air fryer for best results. It may be tempting to stuff as much as you can into an air fryer basket but you’ll be disappointed with the soggy results!
Can I Use Aerosol Spray like Pam or Olive Oil Spray in an Air Fryer?
No, you should never use non-stick spray or any kind of aerosol spray like pam in an air fryer for a few reasons. First of all the chemical agents in aerosol spray cans can chip away at the special nonstick coating in your air fryer basket.
If you want to mist oil on your food in an air fryer basket it’s best to buy an olive oil mister that allows you to put your own olive oil in it. If you use 100% olive oil in a reusable mister you won’t ruin your air fryer basket and the food will be healthier.
I recommend staying away from aerosol sprays for your health anyway.
What’s the Best Spot on the Counter to Use an Air Fryer?
Make sure to pull the air fryer away from the wall or from under any cabinetry when you use it. That way any smoke or splatter will not get onto the wall or cabinets. Heat from the air fryer could melt plastic so also keep it away from other plastic food storage bags or appliances when in use. Don’t forget to unplug the air fryer when you aren’t cooking!
My Recipe for Regular Air Fryer Asparagus
If you want to make air fryer asparagus but don’t want to make fries you’ll love this air fryer asparagus recipe. It’s easy to make, crispy and lemony!
More Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
If you’re excited about your air fryer here are few more popular air fryer recipes from Eating Works.
Air Fryer Salmon with Dijon Mustard Sauce
This air fryer salmon with dijon mustard is so simple to make and yet eating it will make you feel like you’re dining at a five star restaurant.
Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks
These keto air fryer cauliflower steaks are easy to make and so satisfying. They’re thick Cauliflower Steaks roasted to perfection in the air fryer with smokey sweet spices make for the perfect vegan and gluten free meal. With only 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to prep these insanely easy cauliflower steaks are sure to become a kitchen staple.
Keto Cauliflower Wings
These six ingredient Keto Cauliflower Wings pack a ton of flavor! They’re crispy on the outside with a fiery kick. If you are on a vegan and gluten free diet these wings are perfect for you! Wings are the ultimate finger food making them perfect for casual get togethers. Dunk them into your favorite BBQ sauce and you’ll think you’re eating real buffalo chicken wings.
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Measuring Spoon
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch Asparagus stems removed
- 1 Cup Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Gluten-Free Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
- 2 Cilantro chopped
- 1/2 tsp Chili Flakes
Instructions
- Trim the woody stems from the ends of the asparagus spears.
- Next, prepare the breading by using three large plates. On one plate place the whisked eggs, on the second add the gluten free flour. In a small bowl combine the gluten free panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, cilantro and chili flakes. Transfer the mixture onto the third plate.
- Bread the asparagus by dipping it into the flour first, then the egg and finally the panko bread crumb mixture third.
- Place the asparagus in the air fryer basket in one layer. Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs turns golden in color.
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