Eating more veggies is easy with this delicious, quick, and simple air fryer broccolini recipe. Ready in under 15 minutes, air fryer broccolini is tender and packed with flavor. With garlic and parmesan to top it all off, you’ll love this vegetable side dish.
Broccolini is like an upscale version of broccoli. It has a more subtle, earthy taste—making it an elegant addition to your dinner table. Once you know how to cook broccolini in air fryer, it might even become one of your favorite vegetables.
I love turning this air fryer broccolini recipe into a complete meal by combining it with angel hair pasta and grilled chicken. It’s not only super easy, it’s also a tasty combination of nutritious ingredients.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Broccolini
- Better than broccoli! Broccolini isn’t just the most elegant green cruciferous vegetable—it’s also the most delicious. You’ll love how crispy and flavorful it gets in the air fryer.
- Amazing garlic-parmesan flavor! The combination of garlic and parmesan is a match made in heaven. With fresh garlic and parmesan flakes topping off this recipe, this vegetable dish is full of flavor.
- Quick and easy! Air fryer broccolini is done in less than 15 minutes. Cooking up simple and nutritious side dishes in the air fryer is almost effortless!
If you love this air fryer broccolini recipe, make sure you check out our full collection of Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes. If you like spicy foods, you’ll love Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower. Another one of our favorites is Air Fryer Frozen Okra with remoulade or spicy aioli sauce.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Thoroughly dry the broccolini. If your broccolini pieces are still damp when you cook them in the air fryer, they’ll come out mushy rather than crispy.
- Add pepperoncini for extra flavor. With just a teaspoon of pepperoncini, this dish gets an extra dose of flavor.
- Don’t overcook this vegetable. Broccolini becomes tough and chewy when overcooked. Make sure to open your air fryer and check periodically while cooking.
How to Store Air Fryer Broccolini
You can store any leftover vegetables in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat them in the air fryer, just cook them at 400°F for 2-3 minutes.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Broccolini
Broccolini is one of those dishes that goes great with almost anything. I love adding air fryer broccolini to angel hair spaghetti and topping it with grilled chicken and parmesan cheese. The flavor combination is fantastic, and it turns this simple recipe into a complete meal.
You can also use broccolini as a side dish. It pairs splendidly with meat dishes such as Air Fryer Steak Bites and fish dishes like Air Fryer Salmon. You can also top your broccolini with a delicious sauce like this garlic parmesan sauce.
More Delicious Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
- Air Fryer Eggplant: Eggplant is a versatile side dish that pairs well with almost any main course. This recipe has a fantastic smoky garlic and herb flavor that your family will love.
- Air Fryer Acorn Squash: You’ll be surprised at how quickly and perfectly acorn squash cooks in the air fryer! This fall vegetable makes a great side dish.
- Air Fryer Frozen Okra: This classic southern side dish is quick and easy. It’s done in under 15 minutes and ready to be served with remoulade or spicy aioli.
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Air Fryer Broccolini
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound broccolini
- 2 tbsp garlic chopped
- 2 tbsp parmesan grated
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/3 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Wash the broccolini and trim about a half-inch off the bottom of the stems.
- In a bowl, add salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix until evenly distributed.
- Place the broccolini in the air fryer basket. Sprinkle chopped garlic on top. Air fry at 400°F for 5-6 minutes.
- Sprinkle parmesan crumbs and parmesan flakes over the broccolini and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Notes
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- This recipe can be made in an air fryer unit with a basket or an air fryer oven. If you are using an air fryer oven, use the middle rack and choose the “Air Fry” function.
- Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Make sure to check your food as it’s cooking to learn your air fryer better and avoid over- or undercooking.
- Serve the broccoli tenders as soon as they are cooked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Broccolini is one of the best vegetables to cook in the air fryer. It comes out crispy and flavorful, and it’s done in less than ten minutes.
You can find broccolini in the produce section at most grocery stores. It’s usually available year-round, but you might have more luck finding it at farmers’ markets from October to April, when broccolini is in season.
Broccolini is a type of broccoli that has long, thin stems and slightly larger broccoli florets. It’s also called tender stem broccoli or baby broccoli. It tastes similar to broccoli, but with a more subtle and earthy flavor (some people say it tastes a little like asparagus).
