Name: Air Fryer Broccoli
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Keto / Low Carb
Ingredients: 16 oz broccoli florets (fresh or frozen); 2 tbsp avocado oil (can also use light olive oil); 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper; 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

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Air fryer broccoli is a healthy side dish your whole family will love. When you cook broccoli in an air fryer, you end up with perfect broccoli in a fraction of the time.

This easy side dish only requires a few simple ingredients, plus it’s ready in less than 10 minutes!

Whether you want to cook frozen broccoli in the air fryer, or you want to know how to make broccoli in the air fryer from fresh florets – keep reading to learn how to make the perfect air fryer roasted broccoli recipe.

Easy Air Fryer Broccoli Ingredients

This easy side only calls for broccoli, oil, and spices. Yep, that’s it!

Make sure to use broccoli florets for this air fryer broccoli recipe. If you have a bunch of broccoli with long stems, cut the stems and save them for other purposes.

When it comes to the broccoli, you can choose either fresh or frozen. We’ll chat about how to cook both options below.

For the oil, choose a light olive oil or avocado oil. While a lot of recipes call for extra virgin olive oil, I don’t recommend this since this type of oil has a lower smoke point.

The easiest way to season broccoli is with a simple mix of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. If you prefer delicious air fryer broccoli with a kick, throw in a dash of crushed red pepper flakes too.

While you may be tempted to add fresh garlic, typically powdered spices work better since you want to coat every nook and cranny of the broccoli.

How to Cook Broccoli in Air Fryer

The first time you make this easy recipe, you may ask yourself – is it OK to cook frozen broccoli in the air fryer?

Not only is the answer yes, but that may be the best way to cook broccoli air fryer florets. Cooking from frozen is a great way to cook delicious broccoli with a crispy texture. It’s just like you roasted your favorite veggie in the oven … except it’s on the dinner table in way less time.

Plus, if you’re a last minute chef like me – this quick side dish is convenient since all you have to do is pull a bag of frozen florets from the freezer and go!

How to Cook Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer

Since my favorite way to cook air fryer vegetables is from frozen, let’s start there. The steps to make a quick air fryer frozen broccoli dish are as simple as 1, 2, 3. And I’m being literal here since there are really only a few steps.

If you need to preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F, do that first. Keep in mind, the cook time will be less with a preheated oven.

Start by adding the frozen broccoli into a large bowl. Then pour the oil and spices on top and give the broccoli, oil, and spices a good mix. Do your best to add a nice coat with the oil and spices.

Next, line the air fryer basket with perforated parchment paper. Alternatively, you can spray the basket with a nonstick spray. Then add the coated broccoli in a single layer into the basket.

Leave space in between the broccoli florets so the hot air can circulate. This results in tender broccoli that’s also crispy, instead of steamed veggies.

Cook until the edges are crispy. This should take approximately 10 minutes for frozen broccoli. For best results, turn the broccoli halfway through to ensure crispy air fryer broccoli on both sides.

How to Make Broccoli in Air Fryer from Fresh Broccoli:

If you stumbled across this blog and asked, can you cook broccoli in an air fryer when it’s fresh – the answer is yes! In fact, air fryer fresh broccoli is just as easy, plus it only takes a couple of minutes.

Follow the recipe above, but be sure to keep a closer eye on your delicious side dish since raw broccoli takes less time to cook.

How long to cook broccoli in air fryer if it’s fresh? In this instance, the broccoli should take closer to 6 minutes total.

Crispy Broccoli Air Fryer Recipe Tips:

Don’t skimp with less oil: Using only a little oil may result in the recipe burning instead of browning the crisp edges.
The perfect size florets are bigger since the smaller pieces may burn before the stalks become tender.
Use similar sized florets to ensure an even, tender texture.
Work in batches if your basket fills up too quickly.
Fresh vs. Frozen: Which of the cooking methods is better? I prefer frozen for convenience. Also, frozen vegetables have more nutrients since they’re frozen at the peak of freshness.

The Roasted Broccoli Air Fryer Recipe Wrap Up:

If you need to get a healthy dinner on your table in minutes, easy air fryer recipes are the way to go. These versatile side dishes are ready with only a few minutes of cooking time.

You can cook this recipe several different ways as well. If you want to change this into an air fryer broccoli parmesan recipe, just sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.

Want a broccoli and cauliflower air fryer recipe instead? Replace half of the broccoli with cauliflower to make this an air fryer broccoli and cauliflower side dish.

Save this simple recipe to Pinterest. Please share the healthy fat love on social media too!

Keep scrolling for the recipe card and nutrition information.

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