Fried Asparagus

Make your french fry cravings a little greener with this fried asparagus recipe. The beloved spring vegetable crisps up with a beer batter coating and a quick sizzle in the deep fryer.

Mastering the art of frying can take some trial and error, but this quick and easy asparagus recipe is the perfect opportunity to practice. It tastes great as a crunchy appetizer for dinner parties or barbecues. Or, serve it as a snack that sneaks in some veggies for the kiddos.

Fried Asparagus Ingredients

• Fresh asparagus: We recommend using asparagus with thicker stalks. They’ll hold up better than thin ones during the frying process.
• All-purpose flour: There are several types of flour, but all-purpose flour works best for this fried asparagus recipe. It creates a crispy beer batter that isn’t too delicate or chewy.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps the batter become extra-crispy.
• Baking powder and baking soda: When heated, these leavening agents react with acid and create air bubbles, making the batter light and crispy.
• Garlic salt: A thrifty alternative to purchased garlic salt is to mix up your own. Simply combine 1 teaspoon of garlic powder with 3 teaspoons of fine-grained salt, like table salt. (Psst: This ratio also works for making onion salt.)
• Pepper: Black pepper provides a subtle spice and helps accentuate the other flavors.
• Beer: A cold, fizzy beer makes the batter light and flavorful. You can also use nonalcoholic beer.
• Egg whites: Egg whites help the batter stick to the asparagus.
• Oil: You can use any of the best oils for frying, like canola or vegetable oil.
• Ranch salad dressing: This dip tastes tangy, fresh and cooling when paired with fried food. Use up any leftovers in your favorite recipes with ranch dressing.

Directions

Step 1: Make the batter

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, garlic salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the beer and egg whites. Stir the beer mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Dip the asparagus into the batter.

Step 2: Fry the asparagus

In a deep cast-iron or electric skillet, heat 1-1/2 inches of oil to 375°F. Fry the asparagus in batches until golden brown, two to three minutes on each side. Drain the asparagus on paper towels. Serve it immediately with ranch dressing.

Editor’s Tip: Make sure not to crowd the pan while frying.

Jonathan Melendez for Taste Recipes

Fried Asparagus Variations

• Add heat: If you like spice, mix some cayenne pepper into the batter. You don’t have to use a lot, as even a pinch can be powerful.
• Change the dipping sauce: Instead of the ranch, serve the crispy fried asparagus with ketchup, barbecue sauce or copycat Chick-fil-A sauce.
• Get cheesy: Add Parmesan to the batter mixture for a cheesy, nutty taste.
• Swap in another vegetable: You can use any seasonal fresh produce for this recipe. In spring, that means asparagus, peas, artichokes and fennel. In summer, eggplant, arugula, summer squash and tomatoes shine. Fall’s finest? Butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and carrots, to name a few.

How to Store Fried Asparagus

How do you reheat fried asparagus?

Fried Asparagus Tips

Jonathan Melendez for Taste Recipes

How do you trim asparagus?

To ensure you don’t get any woody asparagus pieces, bend the asparagus to get a sense of where it wants to break. Then, snap the ends off. If you’re preparing a bunch of asparagus at once, you can cut all the asparagus pieces where the first one bent.

Can you make this fried asparagus recipe with canned or frozen asparagus?

We don’t recommend frying canned or frozen asparagus. Frozen asparagus will become too soggy, and canned asparagus will not be crispy enough.