At first, I resisted getting an Air Fryer – I mean , do I REALLY need another countertop appliance?! But then the FOMO set in, and just when I was about to break down and buy one, Hamilton Beach sent me their new Air Fryer – it was fate that this powerful healthy cooking machine would be mine. And, one of the first recipes I whipped up was low carb Asparagus Fries with Basil Lemon Dipping Sauce, it’s an amazingly fast to cook and ridiculously flavorful snack and side dish that just makes life better. 

Plus, I’ve used ingredients in this asparagus air fryer recipe that keep it compliant with Paleo, Keto and Whole30 diets – so enjoy these veggie fries dipped in creamy sauce with impunity! Read on to get all the asparagus air fryer recipe details (as well as an oven-baked option as well):

So, to make this asparagus air fryer recipe, any air fryer (or even the oven) will do, but  I’ve used the new Hamilton Beach (model #35050) Air Fryer – it features a 2.5 Liters capacity basket, super-fast cooking (8 minutes for this asparagus fries recipe), no pre-heating necessary and easy to clean with a non-stick basket. Plus, while I don’t admonish consuming heart-healthy fats in a balanced diet, using the air frying cooking method cuts out a lot of the unhealthy varieties of fats and lets you eat more of the once thought “naughty” foods you might love.  Winning on so many levels! 

Actually, “winning,” brings me to the fact that I’m hosting a giveaway for the Hamilton Beach Air Fryer on my Instagram RIGHT NOW through March 28, 2019 – just pop on over to @thefitfork on Instagram to enter. OR, you can’t wait – nab an air fryer for yourself on Amazon – if you use promo code 10AIRFRYERS in the “Gift Cards & Promotional Codes” section of checkout you can save 10% (exp 3/31/19).

So back to the compliant for Paleo, Whole30 and Keto Asparagus Fries in Air Fryer recipe. It’s a simple matter of whisking up an egg in a shallow bowl; tossing together almond meal, coconut flower and seasonings in another bowl, and dredging/breading asparagus stalks in the mixtures. Once you layer the prepared asparagus fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket, it’s just a matter of setting the timer for 8 minutes at 400F degrees! You can get a similar effect for these low-carb asparagus fries the oven by using a mesh crisper tray. 

While the paleo asparagus fries are air frying, whip up the dipping sauce (technically, it’s called an aioli) by dumping all the ingredients in a blender and giving it a whirl.

Air Fryer Asparagus Fries are best enjoyed as soon as they are cooked – crispy and crunchy on the outside and tender veggie goodness on the inside. The capacity of some air-fryers is small, especially if you’re trying to do a single layer as directed – you may need to break up this asparagus air fryer recipe into two or three batches (but the cooking time is fast)! 

Whether you are looking for keto air fryer recipes, paleo air fryer recipes, low carb air fryer recipes, these “breaded” asparagus fries are a bona fide winner as an appetizer or with your eal – you’ll even be able to get the kids to eat them (you may have to sub out ketchup for the basil lemon aioli though).

BTW, here’s the air fryer I used, don’t forget you can use code 10AIRFRYERS to save 10% through 3/31/19:

Each serving of Air Fryer Asparagus Fries with Basil Lemon Dipping Sauce has 221 calories, 19 grams of fat, 4.2 net grams carbohydrate and almost 5 grams protein (this includes 8 spears and 2 tablespoons of sauce). If you’re just going for the Air Fryer Asparagus Fries alone, they are 59 calories, 3.9 grams fat, 1.8 net gram carbs, and almost 4 grams protein for 8 spears.

Have you tried an Air Fryer yet? If so, what did you make . . . . I’d love some tasty ideas! Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer

5 from 12 votes

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Air Fryer Asparagus Fries with Basil Lemon Aioli

A fun addition to your paleo, keto, or whole30 dinner or snack -- also kid friendly!

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Keyword: air fryer, asparagus, keto, paleo, whole30

Ingredients

• 32 stalks asparagus trimmed to about 6” or to fit your air fryer
• ½ cup almond meal
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons water
• Avocado oil or olive oil pump spray

For lemon basil aioli dipping suace

• 3 tablespoons fresh basil about one large handful of leaves
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup avocado oil

Instructions

1. Wash and dry asparagus and trim to fit your air fryer tray.
2. Mix together almond meal, coconut flour, garlic salt and pepper in shallow dish.
3. Whisk egg with water in another dish.
4. One spear at a time, dip asparagus into egg wash and then dredge in almond flour mixture.
5. Place spears in single layer on tray of air fryer. Note: may need to do more than one batch depending on air fryer capacity)
6. Lightly mist top of “breaded” asparagus spears with avocado oil spray.
7. Insert tray into air fryer and program machine for 8 minutes at 400 F degrees (time could vary slightly based on wattage of machine or size of asparagus).
8. Meanwhile, make dipping sauce by adding basil, garlic, yolks, lemon juice, and salt in small blender. Pulse to combine.
9. Turn blender on and slowly pour in avocado oil and blend until emulsified, approximately a minute. Turn processor off, scrap sides, blend again until all combined and smooth.
10. To serve, drizzle 8 spears with 2 tablespoons of sauce.

Recipe Notes

1 serving = 8 spears w/ 2tbsp. aioli

1 serving = 8 spears with NO aioli