Crispy, crunchy, loved by the entire family and easy to throw together. This asparagus fries recipe makes the perfect side or stand alone snack!
This post was originally published on January 22, 2018.
I love getting creative with ways to add more veggies into our diet. And let’s be real, they can get boring fast. We also love us a good texture. So these crispy crunchy asparagus fries seemed like the perfect solution!
Asparagus Fries
While we all love us a good french fry, me especially, sometimes we need to change it up and find a way to combine our love for crispy things with a good dose of nutrition.
Veggie fries are not a new concept, we have had them out at restaurants plenty, but I do not fry things in oil at home so I wanted to find a way to get the crisp without the mess of hot oil.
How do you get asparagus fries crispy without frying them?
I am a sucker for crispy things, but my belly also doesn’t love too much oil. So I have experimented a lot with different ways to get a crispy outer coating without the globs of oil.
As you can see in my crispy buffalo sliders and my crispy orange cauliflower, a crispy coating is definitely possible when you are trying to add some nutritious benefits. It’s all in the ingredients. Here are my go to crispy coating ingredients I like to try:
- breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)
- cornmeal
- almond flour
- hemp seeds
I have used a combo of all of these at some point in my recipe creation and they all do great! To get the coating to stick, I have done anything from making a batter from the almond flour to using a touch of oil and maple syrup like I do here!
Tips for choosing asparagus
When looking for asparagus, you want as fresh as possible so that the texture will be just right. Fresh asparagus us bright green and firm. If it is limp or feels rubbery, it is old.
How do you cut asparagus?
The first thing you want to do before you use asparagus, is get off the woody bottom part. You can do this by simply cutting off the bottom white parts (about 2-3 inches), or you can let it naturally break off.
To do this, hold the asparagus spear at the ends with your hands, bend and snap it to break it off. It will naturally break off above the woody bottom.
How to make asparagus fries
Prepping these asparagus fries is pretty basic. Once they are prepped, all you need to do is wait for the oven to do the rest of the work!
- Mix the prepped asparagus with the wet ingredients (you can add spices here too, instead of with the coating, if you want).
- Coat with the dry topping.
- Bake and serve with dip of choice!
Tips for changing up the flavor
This recipe has a smoky undertone which pairs well with the hint of maple. But it’s easy to switch that up! Here are some other flavors and spice ideas if you want to try something new:
- Ranch: parsley, garlic powder, minced onion, onion powder, dill, black pepper, ground mustard
- Italian: fennel seed, basil, oregano, thyme, lemon pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
- Mexican: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, oregano
- Greek: oregano, dill, garlic powder
- Lemon: lemon pepper
- Spicy: hot sauce (add with the maple), chipotle powder, garlic powder, lemon pepper
- Asian: soy sauce or teriyaki (add with the maple), garlic powder, ground ginger
- Indian: curry powder, turmeric, garlic powder
What to serve with asparagus fries
These asparagus fries are great with so many things! Here are some main dishes that we eat them with:
- Easy Lentil Veggie Burger Recipe
- Vegan Cheesesteak Sandwich
- Easy Black Bean Burgers
- BBQ Tempeh Sandwich
- Vegan Gyros
- Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Sliders
- BBQ Black Bean Burger
- Buffalo Chickpea Burger
Dips for asparagus fries
I also love dipping them in some of our favorite sauces. Here are a few to try:
- Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Cajun Vegan Remoulade Sauce
- Healthy Vegan BBQ Sauce
- Vegan Spicy Cilantro Cream Sauce
- Vegan Lemon Herb Sauce
- Creamy Sriracha Sauce
- Tangy Vegan Creamy Dill Sauce
Oven Baked Asparagus Fries Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus , stalks trimmed and cut in half if you want shorter fries
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- a drizzle of your favorite cooking oil , optional
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 10 tablespoons almond flour
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs , gluten-free if needed
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F/ 200°C
- Put asparagus in a flat pan (you can use a bowl but they may not lay flat) and mix with maple syrup, oil if using and smoked paprika. Mix to fully coat.
- Place almond flour, breadcrumbs, cornmeal, salt and pepper in another bowl or pan and mix to combine.
- One by one, put asparagus in the dry ingredient mix and toss to coat well. You can also add the dry coating in a plastic bag, place all the asparagus inside and shake to coat. This method is quicker but may not coat them as well.
- Place the coated asparagus on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dip.
Notes
- When baking watch for burning as they can go from browning to burned fast. You want them crispy so start checking around 25 minutes as ovens vary.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Liz says
I made these last night. The flavor is great! Mine didn’t get crispy, though… I’m not sure if it’s because I used panko breadcrumbs? Oh, well… that didn’t stop me from eating almost 2 bunches of asparagus! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
veggiesdontbite says
Glad you liked them Liz! Panko is lighter than traditional breadcrumbs so for this recipe, it definitely could have affected that outer crisp.
Sue says
Enjoyed this tonight. Thanks Sophia.
veggiesdontbite says
I am so happy you liked them Sue!!
Paola says
A great alternative for the fries, I’m trying to get my boyfriend on the veggies side too =)
veggiesdontbite says
Yes! They are! I say try them on him!
Emily Kemp says
Yum, these are the perfect alternative to regular fries!
Gaz says
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe. Something with such yummy individual ingredients must turn out amazing. A couple of questions, though:
1. When you say “cut the asparagus”, are you cutting the stalks in half so that some will have crowns and others stalk, or are you cutting them down the middle so that there are two half asparaguses, crown and stalk on each?
2. Can I omit the maple syrup?
Thanks, looking forward to trying them.
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Gaz!! Thanks so much. When I say cut in half I mean cut each stalk in half width wise, so you have two shorter stalks. You don’t have to but it makes them easier to bread and bake. And you can omit the maple syrup but it will change the flavor a bit. Also you will need to find another way to help the coating stick to the asparagus. You can do oil, if you use oil, or if not you can try milk? It won’t stick super well but it’s better than nothing. Also if you want to try a different breading try using the breading idea from this recipe:https://www.veggiesdontbite.com/baked-cornmeal-and-pepita-crusted-onion-rings/
sweetdashofsass says
I actually just made some asparagus fries this past week with panko crumbs and parmesan. Roasted in oven — so delish!
veggiesdontbite says
We love ours, and so do the kids!
Lauren says
Would almond meal be my dried leftovers from making almond milk?
veggiesdontbite says
I believe so! I haven’t made it but I know people that do with the leftovers. Just make sure it’s completely dry.
we_should_be_folding_laundry says
I think your blog is great so I nominated you for The Lovely Blog Award: http://weshouldbefoldinglaundry.com/2014/03/24/5665/
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words and for following the blog!
mowr7594 says
Reblogged this on Pass Me the Gluten Free and commented:
These look absolutely amazing! Thanks Veggies Don’t Bite, I’ll definitely be making these tonight. I love asparagus, it is such a versatile vegetable. I had never thought of trying it like this though!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy them!