Ninja Foodi air fryer frozen asparagus works great. We have shared cooking when it is fresh but now we are about to share how to cook frozen asparagus in air fryer so they defrost, get tender with a little crispy on the outside too. A healthy vegetable side dish that even kids love.
If you haven’t tried air fryer frozen asparagus yet it may be your new go to easy air fryer recipe! Yes I am forgetful too and need all the information about cooking frozen vegetables in a Ninja foodi or other brand. You may be the same, no worries we have help. 😉 (affiliate links present)
Frozen Asparagus in Air Fryer
Either you’re here because you’re in a pinch and need a side real quick, or all you can find at the store is frozen. We live in a smaller town and have realized that fresh produce isn’t always available year round. When it was last summer I shared how to make air fryer asparagus from fresh.
We set out to figure out how to cook frozen asparagus and surprisingly it was amazing. It is one of my very favorite veggies so I will buy a few bunches if they look good. That means the stems aren’t super thick, thin and somewhat firm is ideal. If you have a Ninja foodi you can follow these same directions using the air crisp function.
If you love extra crispy food and quick recipes, here are some resources to start with:
- My Favorite models are this Cosori or for a dual machine, the Foodi.
- You can find more Ninja Foodi recipes here as well; bookmark them both!
- It is best practice to put food into a hot basket. this is how to preheat air fryer first.
- Here’s a printable free air fryer cooking time chart here for your fridge.
Let’s talk about your choices here for a minute. A while back it was hard to find, not anymore. You can find them whole like you see here or occasionally you’ll find asparagus tips too. I mean that top is the best part anyway so those are pretty killer, but will take less time than stated below.
No. It is meant to go straight out of the bag and into the boiling water, on a sheet pan to be baked, in an Instant Pot or air fryer which is our go to method. If you thaw it first the texture will be softer and mushier, not good.
It is, but realize the texture is different than fresh. No matter how you cook it the stems will be softer and not as firm as if it were fresh asparagus bunches. If you air fry asparagus you can help it become a bit crispy and not as rubbery.
How to Cook Frozen Asparagus in Ninja Foodi
It doesn’t matter what brand you have at home. I have an AirWave, Cosori and Ninja air fryer and they all work the same. The biggest difference in cook time is how large your pieces are. That would include how thick the stalks are and if you’re air frying whole pieces are parts and pieces. For the Foodi you will need to use the lid that is attached for this air crisp function.
Can You Air Fry From Frozen?
Yes, that is what we will share with you here. We have shared how to cook frozen vegetables in air fryer before and will continue to add to that list, such as this one.
If yours aren’t whole and are just the tops I would decrease the cook time to about 4 minutes and then check from there. Another change would be how crispy you like them. If I only have the tops I like them crispier than whole. They become a bit like a snack of sorts, like our air fryer chickpeas. Good for you, just pop them in your mouth yum.
Ingredients
- Bag of frozen asparagus – ours was 8 oz., you could add more but don’t overlap them in the basket
- A bit of olive oil is needed to lightly coat the outsides
- Salt and black pepper or seasonings of choice (garlic powder and/or salt is good too)
- You could sprinkle on a bit of shredded parmesan cheese during the last minute or two also.
You can easily print recipe card at the bottom of this page if you like or just come back and jump to recipe anytime you need the info. So I wouldn’t say this is faster than cooking asparagus in the oven but it won’t heat up your house and doesn’t take as long to preheat your machine either.
How Long to Air Fry Frozen Asparagus
- Preheat air fryer to 390 for 5 minutes.
- Pour contents into a bowl and drizzle with a few tbsp olive oil, toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Put into air fryer basket and lay in a single layer.
- Close and cook for 6-8 minutes (depending on thickness of your pieces).
- Flipping asparagus halfway thru the total time is best to brown lightly on all sides.
- Check for doneness at 6 minutes.
Roasted asparagus is a gluten free and easy side dish that you can make year round now that you have tips on hand like these. I will be honest, fresh is better. The texture is different no matter how you cook it from frozen out of the bag. There is just no way around that, but this is a close second and the best method out of any other out there.
Want to know what you serve with this? I mean we have TONS of air fryer dinner recipes out there but marinated air fryer chicken breast is one of the best.
How to save leftovers
This doesn’t save well and is best if served right away out of the basket. Only make what you think you will eat in that sitting because leftovers will be too soft to reheat and enjoy again. Other air fryer vegetables like zucchini and squash work the next day but this is a no go as far as I’m concerned (but I’m all about texture so there’s that).
Air Fryer Frozen Asparagus
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 8 oz asparagus, frozen
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 390 for 5 minutes. Pour frozen asparagus into a bowl and drizzle with a few tbsp olive oil, toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Pour into air fryer basket and lay in a single layer. Close and air fry for 6-8 minutes (depending on thickness of your pcs.). Shake basket after 3 minutes. Check for doneness at 6 minutes. If on the thicker side cook additional 1-2 minutes until tender with a little crisp on the outside.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
