This lemon pepper air fryer asparagus is the perfect low effort side dish for busy weeknights! With crispy tips and tender stalks, asparagus in the air fryer is the absolute best!
I always thought roasting asparagus was the way to go, but then I tried it in the air fryer. Let me tell you, friends: it’s like magic . I love the air fryer for Crispy Air Fryer Tofu and Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes , but I had never tried cooking asparagus in it until recently—and now I’m kicking myself for not doing it sooner.
The stalks of the asparagus are perfectly tender, while the tips get delightfully crispy. Add garlic powder and lemon pepper seasoning and you’ll want to eat these as a snack. (And hey, why not?! You could definitely do that!)
This air fryer asparagus is one of those recipes you’ll find yourself making again and again. Any time you need an easy side dish to pair with your dinner, it’s going to be your go-to!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Asparagus
- Olive oil
- Lemon pepper seasoning – If you don’t have lemon pepper seasoning on hand, you can make your own by combining lemon zest and black pepper.
- Garlic powder
- Sea salt – I use sea salt in my cooking because it has more minerals and depth of flavour than table salt.
Does Asparagus Need to Be Cut Before Cooking?
Yes, asparagus stalks have thick, tough, woody ends that need to be trimmed. You can use a knife to cut the thick parts off, but an even better method is to snap them off with your hands—the asparagus will naturally break where the tough part begins.
How to Make Air Fryer Asparagus
Before you get started, make sure you pat the asparagus dry. This will help you get those nice crispy tips!
Season the asparagus. Place the asparagus spears in the air fryer basket or a large bowl. Drizzle them with olive oil and toss to coat, then sprinkle with the lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. Use your hands to toss everything together and make sure the asparagus is evenly coated with both the oil and seasonings.
Cook. Air fry the asparagus at 400ºF for 7 minutes, or until the bottoms are tender and the tops are crisp.
Finish . If desired, squeeze lemon juice over the asparagus and toss to coat. Transfer to a plate and serve.
Tips for Success
These simple tips will help make sure you get perfect air fryer asparagus every time!
- Buy uniform sizes. It doesn’t matter if your asparagus are thin or fat or somewhere in between—just make sure all (or most) of the spears are the same size so they’re all done cooking at the same time.
- Adjust the time as needed. Thicker asparagus will take longer to cook, and those wispy little thin asparagus will take less time.
- Don’t crowd the basket. If you have a small air fryer, you may want to divide the asparagus into two batches. Air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food, so the asparagus should be in a single layer in the basket.
Variations
I love lemon pepper seasoning with asparagus, but you can use this same method of making air fryer asparagus with any number of different seasonings. Here are a few ideas:
- Make cacio e Pepe asparagus with vegan Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. (A squeeze of lemon juice is delicious on this too!)
- Season the asparagus with salt and pepper, then when the asparagus is finished cooking, toss it with lemon juice, sliced toasted almonds, and minced fresh herbs.
- Drizzle the asparagus with balsamic glaze just before serving.
- Spoon chili crisp over the top for some crunch and heat.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Asparagus
Air fryer asparagus is the perfect side dish or addition to:
- Fluffy Tofu Scramble
- Vegan Buddha Bowl
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Easy Baked Tofu
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Bowl
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftover air fryer asparagus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be eaten cold, warmed up in the microwave, or reheated in the air fryer. Try adding it to salads or using leftovers as a pizza topping!
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
When you freeze air fryer asparagus, it won’t be nearly as crispy and delicious upon thawing and reheating, so I don’t recommend it; it’s perfectly safe to freeze, just not very tasty.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces asparagus , thoroughly cleaned and pat dry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- generous sprinkle of garlic powder
- freshly cracked sea salt
Instructions
- Using a knife or your hands, cut off the woody ends of the asparagus.
- Add them to the air fryer basket or a bowl first.
- Drizzle over the olive oil and rub to combine. Sprinkle over the lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder and sea salt. Mix lightly with your hands to combine.
- Air fryer at 400F for 7 minutes.
- Squeeze lemon all over, toss to combine, then transfer to a plate to enjoy!
Notes
Air Fryer Asparagus
Ingredients
- 16 ounces asparagus thoroughly cleaned and pat dry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- generous sprinkle of garlic powder
- freshly cracked sea salt
Instructions
- Using a knife or your hands, cut off the woody ends of the asparagus.
- Add them to the air fryer basket or a bowl first.
- Drizzle over the olive oil and rub to combine. Sprinkle over the lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder and sea salt. Mix lightly with your hands to combine.
- Air fryer at 400F for 7 minutes.
- Squeeze lemon all over, toss to combine, then transfer to a plate to enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Air Fryer Asparagus https://jessicainthekitchen.com/air-fryer-asparagus/ September 7, 2022
Naan pizza is the perfect individually-portioned pizza option, and my version is completely plant-based! This vegan naan pizza is perfect for loading up with all your favourite pizza toppings.
Chewy, delicious naan is an amazing base for a pizza, but the traditional version is usually made with ghee, so it’s not vegan. (Womp womp.) But once I had my vegan naan (and vegan garlic naan !) recipes down pat, I knew my next mission was to use them to make personal-sized pizzas.
This vegan naan pizza recipe starts with my homemade naan, which swaps the dairy for vegan milk, yogurt or coconut cream, and coconut oil. Then, we go to town on the toppings. Spoon on some pizza sauce, layer on your favourite meltable plant-based mozzarella, then pile on the faux meats, veggies, and perhaps even some pineapple if you’re so inclined.
What’s fabulous about this recipe is that you can make these pizzas and freeze them for easy lunches and dinners, and it’s also simple to double the recipe so you can prep an even bigger batch to keep on hand. There’s no better way to get your vegan naan pizza fix!
Is Naan and Pizza Dough the Same?
They’re very similar, but they’re not the same. Naan has some added fat in it—in a traditional naan recipe, it’s from the dairy, but in my recipe, it’s from plant-based sources. Pizza dough is made only with flour, yeast , salt, water, and possibly some additional seasonings.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
For the vegan naan:
- All-purpose flour – You’ll need some for the naan and some for kneading.
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Active instant yeast
- Garlic powder
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Warm vegan milk – Any kind you like or have on hand, as long as it’s unflavoured.
- Greek vegan yogurt or thick coconut cream from a can of coconut milk
- Coconut oil or olive oil
- Vegan Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, or cilantro – These are optional.
For the naan pizzas:
- Pizza sauce – Use store-bought or homemade pizza sauce. Marinara sauce works, too.
- Vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
- Chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, vegan pepperoni – Or any other toppings you want to use!
How to Make Vegan Naan Pizza
If you’d like, you can make the naan a day or two in advance, and then you’ll have it ready to go when it’s time to assemble your pizzas.
Make the naan:
Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Add the wet ingredients. Form a well in the centre of the flour. Pour the vegan milk and vegan yogurt into the well, then mix with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, then flour your hands and fold the dough together. Knead for about 3 minutes, using your hands and knuckles.
Let the dough rise. Lightly oil the ball of dough and place it back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 30 minutes on the counter in a warm place, until it’s about doubled in size.
Form the naan. Divide the dough into 6 balls and roll them into circles. Press each circle with your palm, then roll them into a slightly oblong shape with a floured rolling pin , until they’re about 6 to 8 inches in length.
Prepare. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat and brush both sides of the naan with oil. Add any seasonings, if you’re using them.
Cook the naan. Add a teaspoon of oil to the hot skillet and place a piece of naan into the pan. Cook until bubbles begin to form, about 30 to 60 seconds. Flip and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, or until there are dark spots.
Finish. Transfer the cooked naan to a wire cooling rack, then repeat with the remaining dough.
To make the vegan naan pizzas:
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Assemble. Spread the sauce onto the naan, leaving a border on the edges. Scatter the vegan cheese over the sauce, followed by the toppings.
Bake. Place the assembled pizzas onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the toppings are warm.
Tips for Success
Here are a few hints and tips for making perfect vegan naan pizzas.
- Working with the dough. The naan dough will be sticky at first, but you can add up to 2 tablespoons of additional flour if necessary. If it’s winter or you live in a dry climate, you may not need to do this; if your kitchen is more humid, you might have to add both tablespoons of extra flour.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet if you have one. This will keep the naan pizzas from sliding off the pan when you put it in and take it out of the oven!
- Choose a cheese that melts. Most shredded vegan mozzarella is formulated for melting, but keep in mind that some varieties of vegan cheese that come in wedges are meant more for snacking and aren’t as melty when heated.
Vegan Naan Pizza Ideas
There’s no reason to stick to this recipe as written! The world is your oyster when it comes to these vegan naan pizzas. Here are some ideas:
- Layer on barbecue sauce , pineapple, thinly sliced red onions, and chickpeas, like my Vegan Spicy BBQ Chickpea Pizza .
- Make a caprese pizza with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and a balsamic reduction .
- Give naan pizza a summery twist with pesto , fresh peaches, corn, and vegan Parmesan , inspired by my Grilled Peach, Basil and Vegan “Goat” Cheese Pizza .
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
If you have leftover naan pizza, wrap them and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating them in a 425ºF oven, but a microwave will work in a pinch.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Yes! Wrap your vegan naan pizzas with plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag or airtight container. While you can do this either before or after baking them, I recommend doing it before baking (after you’ve added the toppings) for best results. Then, simply bake according to the recipe instructions, tacking on a few extra minutes to account for the fact that the pizzas started out frozen.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , 240g, + an extra up to 2 tablespoons for kneading and flouring
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup warm vegan milk , you can warm it in the microwave
- 1/2 cup Greek vegan yogurt , or thick coconut cream from a can of coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil , or olive oil for brushing
Optional toppings
- vegan Parmesan cheese
- extra garlic
- parsley , or cilantro
Pizza Ingredients (to be split over the 6 pieces)
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds
- 3-4 tablespoons per naan of additional toppings such as chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, vegan pepperoni
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, yeast, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk the ingredients together.
- Create a well in the centre of the flour. Slowly add the vegan milk and vegan yogurt to the dry ingredients, and then mix together with a spatula until just incorporated. The dough should look shaggy.
- Flour a clean surface, and then pour/add the dough onto the surface. Flour your hands and fold the dough together. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes with your hands and knuckles. The dough will be sticky at first, but you add up to 2 tablespoons while flouring and kneading to make it easier to manage.
- Lightly grease the ball of dough with some oil and place back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it sit for 30 minutes on the counter in a warm area. The dough should rise and double in size.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal balls and roll each into a circle. On your floured surface, press each circle down with your palm, then roll into a slightly oblong shape using a floured rolling pin. It should measure about 6-8 inches. I like to do this one at a time.
- Over medium-high heat, heat a cast-iron skillet (preferably) or a regular large skillet. Brush both sides of the naan with a bit of the oil and here you can add even more seasonings on the outside of the naan.
- Add a teaspoon each per naan of coconut oil into the hot skillet, and add the naan. Fry up for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until you see bubbles starting to form. They will puff up a little bit, but the indicator is the slightly darkened spots.
- Turn the naan over and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute on the other side, looking again for the slightly darkened spots.
- Remove from heat, then place on a wire rack to let the naan cool. Continue with the other naan pieces of bread until finished.
Naan Pizza Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- On each naan, spread the tomato sauce over the pizza. You don’t want to go all the way to the edges. Top with the cheese, and your desired toppings. They can overlap the edges of the crust if you’d like, or you can leave it bare for a solid crust edge.
- Add naan to a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the toppings are thoroughly heated through.
- Remove, allow to cool, slice and serve!
