Keto Asparagus - Air Fryer or Oven

I always love it when simple, elegant, and delicious collide. You are going to fall in love with this easy to make Keto Asparagus. Crisp tender asparagus is seasoned and cooked perfectly. This finishing touch is a sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of lemon juice. It comes together without a lot of fuss and works just as well as a holiday side as it does on a busy weeknight. I think you will agree that this one is a keeper!

Keto Asparagus - A Simple & Delicious Side!

I used to think that I didn't like asparagus.

I was traumatized in college by a friend who invited me over for dinner and proceeded to serve asparagus from a can. Since it wasn't a vegetable that my mother ever cooked while I was growing up, this was my first experience with it.

To say that I was unimpressed would be an understatement.

It was mushy, tasteless, and gross.

I am someone who is super-conscious of hurting other peoples feelings, especially when they've gone to the trouble of making a meal for me. So despite my feelings about the dish, I forced myself to eat it.

As a result, I swore: never again.

Then I got married. And guess why hubby's favorite vegetable is?

You guessed it. Asparagus.

I've always loved cooking for him, however, this was one dish I wouldn't budge on.

It was years into our relationship that he finally coaxed me to try a bite of his asparagus at a restaurant. (I am pretty sure that the only reason I did it was that at that point I'd already had a couple of glasses of wine.)

It was nothing like what I'd had before. It was crispy, crunchy, and above all, tasted fabulous!

Since then, I make dishes like this Keto Asparagus on a regular basis. I love that it only takes 5 minutes to cook! It is the perfect low-carb and healthy side dish for those nights when I don't have a plan!

How to Make Low Carb Asparagus

1 First, preheat. You can make this recipe in the oven or the air fryer. To make Keto Air Fryer Asparagus, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. If using an oven, preheat to 420 degrees.

2 Next, trim the ends off the bottom.

3 In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

4 Place the vegetables in a bowl and pour the olive oil mixture over it.

5 Next, arrange in a single layer in an air fryer basket or on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook in the Air fryer for 5 to 11 minutes, depending on the desired doneness. Cook in the oven for 6 to 13 minutes.

6 Transfer the cooked veggies to a serving platter. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the vegetables and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Asparagus Keto?

Yes! Asparagus, like all other green vegetables, are a fantastic addition to your ketogenic diet. One spear has just .3g of net carbs, meaning it would be hard to over-do the carbs when choosing asparagus as your side.

What Should I Serve with Asparagus?

It is a fabulous side for steak (use this marinade), and works equally well with roasted chicken. I also love it with Keto Chicken Parmesan. Cooled roasted asparagus is a great addition to a salad.

What are the Benefits of Eating Asparagus?

It is an excellent source of probiotics, which help to feed the friendly bacteria in your gut. Additionally, it is a good source of vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6. It is an alkaline food, which is especially important to include in a keto or low carb lifestyle.

How Do I Pick the Best Asparagus for this Recipe?

While both thick and thin asparagus is sweet and grassy, opt for thicker asparagus for this recipe. Thick spears will stand up to the heat better, and you won't have to worry as much about overcooking. Look for spears where the bottom is still moist, and the tops are tightly closed.

What is the Best Way to Store Asparagus?

When you get asparagus home from the grocery store, go ahead and trim the ends off. Fill a mason jar with an inch of water, and place the spears in it like you would flowers. Cover with a clear plastic bag.

Do I Need to Peel Asparagus?

It is a matter of personal preference. The thicker asparagus that I recommend you use for this recipe will have a woody base. Some people suggest that you break the bottom off at its natural breaking point. This practice, while effective, causes a LOT of waste. For the sake of my grocery budget, I like to cut off the bottom inch and then peel the bottom half as necessary.

Tools Needed to Make This Recipe:

• Air Fryer (I've had three or four air fryers now, and this is my favorite!) or Baking Sheet and Parchment Paper
• Whisk
• Bowl
• Hand Grater or Food Processor with a Grating Disk. (This makes my life SO MUCH EASIER.)

Variations for Low Carb Asparagus

• If you are dairy free, skip the Parmesan. 
• Use lime juice instead of lemon juice, at a pinch of cayenne pepper, and top with toasted pine nuts.
• Top with pancetta or bacon. Keto Asparagus with Bacon = Dinner Bliss!
• Use goat cheese instead of Parmesan cheese.
• Melted butter can be used instead of the oil . (Use unsalted - that way you can control the salt levels!)

More Keto Side Dishes

• If you like crispy, you are going to fall in love with these Keto Brussels Sprouts. So ridiculously easy!
• Prepare for dinner bliss with this Keto Roasted Cauliflower.
• Like bold flavors? You are going to go wild for this Keto Buffalo Cauliflower Wings.

Keto Asparagus Recipe

This Keto Asparagus is astoundingly easy to make and makes the perfect low carb side dish. You need this recipe on hand for busy weeknights – it takes just 10 minutes to make with less than 5 minutes of hands-on time. It is a cinch to throw together!

Print Recipe

5 from 10 votes

Keto Asparagus

This Keto Asparagus is ridiculously easy to make and such a flavor-packed side dish. Easy enough for a weeknight and elegant enough for entertaining! Just three net carbs a serving.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Side Dish, Vegetables

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Crispy

Servings: 4

Calories: 106kcal

Author: Wendy Polisi

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualified sales.

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus with ends snapped off
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt for an extra punch of flavor use truffle sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat your air fryer to 390 degrees or your oven to 420 degrees.
• Trim the ends of your asparagus off.  If you have especially thick asparagus, you may wish to trim the sides as well.
• Place the asparagus in a bowl.
• Whisk together the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
• Pour over the asparagus and toss to coat.

Air Fryer Keto Asparagus

• Spread the asparagus in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook in batches.
• Cook for 5 minutes for crisp-tender asparagus, or for 8 to 11 minutes for asparagus that is crisp and brown but still tender on the inside.

Baked Keto Asparagus

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread asparagus in a single layer.
• Cook for 6 minutes for crisp-tender asparagus, or for 10 to 13 minutes for asparagus that is crisp and brown but still tender inside.

Before Serving

• Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the asparagus and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Variations

• If you are dairy free, skip the Parmesan. 
• Use lime juice instead of lemon juice, at a pinch of cayenne pepper, and top with toasted pine nuts.
• Top with pancetta or bacon. Keto Asparagus with Bacon = Dinner Bliss!
• Use goat cheese instead of Parmesan cheese.
• Melted butter can be used instead of the oil . (Use unsalted - that way you can control the salt levels!)

Nutrition

Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 493mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 955IU | Vitamin C: 7.8mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 2.5mg

Low Carb Side Dishes to Try:

• Prepare for dinnertime bliss with this delicious Fried Cabbage and Bacon from Kasey Trenum. I am pretty sure I could make a meal off this one!
• This Low Carb Mexican Slaw from Kalyns Kitchen is one I could eat again and again! This delicious low carb side has just a handful of ingredients and is flavor packed.