Name: Air Fryer Broccoli
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 11 min
Ingredients: 3 cups broccoli florets (rinsed and dried); 1 tbsp oil; salt & pepper (to taste)

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Making broccoli in the air fryer is the best way! Air Fryer Broccoli is the perfect combination of crispy and tender, without getting mushy. You won't believe how easy it is to make the perfect broccoli side dish.

Cooked air fryer broccoli in a black and gold air fryer round basket

AIR FRYER BROCCOLI RECIPE

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Air Fryer Broccoli is a delicious and quick way to add some green to your next meal! Even if you're not usually a fan of broccoli, I urge you to try it in the air fryer. It's so much tastier than the typically steamed veggies.

You'll get roasted broccoli results in way less time than using the oven. Ten minutes and a little oil, salt, and pepper is all it takes to make tender, succulent air fried broccoli with browned edges and roasted flavor.

Are you looking for instructions for making Frozen Broccoli in the Air Fryer? I've got you covered!

Air Fryer Broccoli is the perfect dinnertime companion to to air fryer chicken breast or meatloaf. There really aren't very many meals that broccoli doesn't go with. It's like a universal healthy side dish.

Want to make the most perfect vegetarian meal? Try this crispy broccoli along side of Sesame Tofu and rice.

green raw broccoli in a white bowl on a white background

INGREDIENTS FOR BROCCOLI IN AIR FRYER

All you need is fresh broccoli, a bit of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Nothing too fancy is needed to make a delicious air fryer broccoli side dish.

You can add other seasonings to your broccoli in the air fryer. Sometimes a bit of garlic powder is tasty, or Italian seasoning (I put that on everything!). You can put whatever type of seasonings on broccoli that you enjoy.

Cut the broccoli into florets. Keeping the pieces all about the same size will ensure that they cook at the same rate.

step by step collage pictures show how to make air fryer broccoli

HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI IN AIR FRYER

Air Fried Broccoli is the easiest broccoli recipe!

It only takes a few simple steps to make:

Start with rinsed and cut broccoli that has been patted with paper towels to dry. Place it in a bowl pour a tablespoon of oil over the top. You want the broccoli to be coated, but not saturated with oil.
Next, season with salt and pepper. If you want to add a little extra flavor, you could add a little garlic powder or onion powder here too. Sprinkle your seasonings liberally over the top of your broccoli to ensure that the flavors are evenly distributed.
Then, use a spoon to gently toss the broccoli in the oil and spices, making sure that every piece of the broccoli is lightly coated.
Finally, add the broccoli to the basket of your air fryer and cook to your desired texture. In no time at all you'll have a healthy and savory side dish to add to your meal!

AIR FRYER FRESH BROCCOLI TIPS

Dry the Broccoli: It's important that you wash and then DRY the broccoli before adding it to the air fryer. Any water left in the florets will turn the air fryer into a steamer, and that will prevent browning.

Pro Tip: Halfway through the cook time, pull out your air fryer basket and shake it a bit to turn the broccoli and allow it to cook evenly.

Any type of oil will work: Olive oil is tasty and always next to my stove, but you can use vegetable oil, avocado oil, or your favorite light flavored oil. Don't leave the oil out. It is the key ingredient to making this broccoli delicious!

Coat it well: A light coating of oil on every surface of each broccoli floret will ensure that it cooks up perfectly, with tender stalks and crispy crowns.

Don't Overfill the Basket: You can overlap the broccoli florets in the air fryer, but you should avoid layering it too much or packing the basket full. The more room you leave around each piece of broccoli, the crispier it will get.

Watch your Food: You need to keep an eye on your broccoli as you're cooking it in the air fryer. All air fryers cook differently, so you might need less time than my recipe indicates. Check on the broccoli at the halfway point and at the end for doneness.

raw green broccoli in a round air fryer basket

WHAT CAN I PUT ON ROASTED BROCCOLI

Anything that you would season roasted broccoli with will be delicious on air fryer broccoli too. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Make parmesan broccoli: Add ⅛ to ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese to the broccoli right after it comes out of the air fryer. Yum!

Spicy Air Fryer Broccoli: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the broccoli after it's cooked.

Air Fryer Broccoli with Cheese: While the broccoli is still hot, add a handful (or more) of cheddar cheese.

Dress it: Lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, or a drizzle of your favorite vinaigrette will make your air fryer extra special.

HOW LONG TO TO COOK BROCCOLI IN THE AIR FRYER

The cook time for your air fryer broccoli depends on the texture that you want to achieve. Do you like crunchy, firm stalks, or do you prefer a softer veggie with browned crispy bits? You can do it either way in the air fryer!

Here are some recommendations:

For broccoli that is crisp on the outside, tender on the inside: Cook for 10 minutes at 300 degrees F.

For broccoli that is more firm: Reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes.

For broccoli that has a roasted finish: Add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time. (This is my favorite way to make air fryer broccoli -the browned pieces are so, so good!

a hand pouring broccoli florets from a white bowl into the basket of an air fryer

WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER BROCCOLI

I really think that a side of broccoli goes well with almost anything! Try some of these air fryer main dish recipes.

A classic dinner dinner of Air Fryer Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and this broccoli is perfect for the weekend.

Or make a kid-friendly weeknight meal and serve Air Fryer Hamburgers and French Fries with a side of broccoli.

Want to try something different? Try Broccoli Quiche Cups. You can convert this recipe to an air fryer recipe using our calculator!

IS AIR FRYING BROCCOLI HEALTHY?

This broccoli air fryer recipe is very nutritious!

We already know that eating broccoli is good for us. Probably we've been told that since we were kids! Making your broccoli in the air fryer allows it to retain most of its nutrients, and makes the sometimes mushy veggie much more appealing than other cooking methods.

One of the great things about air fryers is that you only need a small amount of oil to cook just about anything in them!

Therefore, you'll use a fraction of the fat that you might use when preparing broccoli another way. This air fryer broccoli recipe gives results similar to roasting in the oven, but you will use less oil to accomplish the roasting in the air fryer.

Additionally, air frying broccoli helps to retain more nutrients than would be retained if you were boiling or steaming broccoli.

When you boil veggies, up to 25% of the vitamins can be lost in the water!

Since broccoli is a great source of Vitamins A & C and Calcium, you'll want to ensure that you're getting as much of those good nutrients as possible.

Air frying your broccoli allows the broccoli to retain most of those vitamins, so you'll know that you're getting as much of that healthy green goodness as you possibly can get!

CAN I AIR FRYER BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER?

Sometimes I have both broccoli and cauliflower that i want to serve with dinner. I put both of them in the air fryer together and cook using this method. As long as the broccoli florets and the cauliflower florets are the same size, they should cook at the same rate.

CAN I AIR FRY BROCCOLINI?

You can cook broccolini in the air fryer using this method too! If the broccolini is is particularly thin, you may need to reduce the time by a couple of minutes.

CAN I MAKE AIR FRYER BROCCOLI AHEAD OF TIME?

You sure can, and this recipe is great for prepping healthy lunches for the week too. Your air fried broccoli won't be as crispy and fresh leftover, but it's better than some of the alternatives!

You can always prep broccoli florets ahead of time, and then cook them when you're ready to eat. I like to break down my produce when I bring it home from the store so that most of my prep for the week is already done.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT BROCCOLI

For best results, store your air fried broccoli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It reheats best in the air fryer, but you can use the microwave instead, or enjoy it cold on a salad or in a grain bowl.

DO I PREHEAT THE AIR FRYER WHEN MAKING BROCCOLI?

I don't find it necessary to preheat the air fryer for this recipe, but you should check your manufacturers instructions to see what they recommend. The air fryer gets up to temperature very quickly, so unlike an oven, you don't need to pre-heat it.

fresh broccoli florets in the basket of an air fryer

MORE AIR FRYER VEGGIE SIDE DISH RECIPES

We have so many air fryer recipes to choose from! We have quite a few recipes for vegetables in the air fryer too.

If you are having trouble figuring out which one to try next, we suggest: Air Fryer Sweet Potato, Crispy Asparagus in the Air Fryer and Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts

a pile of broccoli in the basket of an air fryer

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If you have tried this Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe, we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below and tell us how you seasoned your Air Fryer Broccoli! You should also check out these roasted broccoli steaks.

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5 from 12 votes

Air Fryer Broccoli

Looking for a great way to add some pizzazz to broccoli? Try air frying it! Air Fryer Broccoli is the perfect combination of crispy and tender, and you won't believe how easy it is to make!

Prep Time1

Cook Time10

Total Time11

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: air fried broccoli, air fryer broccoli, air fryer roasted broccoli, broccoli, broccoli florets, broccoli in air fryer, broccoli recipe, broccoli recipes

Servings:

Calories: 54kcal

Cindy - Air Fryer Eats

Equipment

Air fryer

Ingredients

3 cups broccoli florets rinsed and dried
1 tbsp oil
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Add broccoli florets and oil to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and gently toss or stir to completely coat the broccoli.
Place broccoli into the air fryer basket.
Turn the air fryer to 300°F/150°C and cook for 10 minutes. Shake the broccoli in the air fryer basket after 5 minutes.
Enjoy hot.

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Notes

If you like more of a roasted type of broccoli, you can cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
If you prefer a more tender broccoli, you can cook for 1-2 minutes less.
Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the "Air Fry" function.
Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes airfying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/under cooking.

Have oven recipes that you’d like to convert to an air fryer recipe? Use our Air Fryer Calculator to help you estimate cooking times and temps! Calculator here: https://airfryereats.com/air-fryer-conversion-air-fryer-calculator/

Nutrition

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Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.

Are you looking for MORE air fryer recipes? Let us make that EASY for you! With this ebook bundle, you get oodles and oodles of air fryer recipes at your finger tips! You can even PRINT the recipes! Grab a copy of these air fryer e-cookbooks today! Email us at [email protected] for more information!

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Comments

Sapana

January 21, 2020 at 3:16 pm

Such a quick and easy way to enjoy such a healthy vegetable!

- Cindy
  
  January 27, 2020 at 3:47 pm
  
  Couldn't agree more Sapana! We love making air fryer broccoli!
  
Jessica Formicola

January 21, 2020 at 3:46 pm

This has got to be my favorite way to make broccoli! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

- Cindy
  
  January 27, 2020 at 3:47 pm
  
  You are so welcome, glad you love air fryer broccoli too!
  
Laura

January 21, 2020 at 4:02 pm

I usually make broccoli in the oven because I like how the sweetness comes out. I've now tried it in the air fryer and it's great! So much better than turning on the oven and waiting for it to pre-heat.

- Cindy
  
  January 21, 2020 at 9:21 pm
  
  Yes, Laura, you are right, this is SO much easier than the oven! So glad you tried and loved our air fryer broccoli!
  
Beth

January 21, 2020 at 4:19 pm

I have been having so much learning how to cook in my air fryer! We just loved this broccoli! It turns out crispy, yet tender on the inside! This is my new way to cook broccoli! Thanks!

- Cindy
  
  January 21, 2020 at 9:20 pm
  
  Thank you Beth, so glad you loved it! We love the air fryer broccoli too and agree, crispy outside and tender inside!
  
Kelly Anthony

January 21, 2020 at 4:38 pm

I'm always looking for new ways to cook vegetables and I haven't tried broccoli in the air fryer yet but it looks perfectly cooked.

- Cindy
  
  January 28, 2020 at 5:58 pm
  
  You have to give this air fryer broccoli a try Kelly! You'll love it!
  
Ashley

February 21, 2020 at 12:07 pm

I love this and I am definitely going to have to try making it this weekend.

- Cindy
  
  February 21, 2020 at 3:39 pm
  
  Thanks Ashley! I hope that you enjoy our air fryer broccoli!
  
Sarah

July 06, 2020 at 6:36 pm

I saw this point in your air fryer recipes facebook group and I knew I needed to try it. I am trying to eat more vegetables, but man its tough sometimes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how broccoli turned out in the air fryer. I can't believe I actually like it!

- Cindy
  
  July 06, 2020 at 6:48 pm
  
  Thanks for being a part of our facebook group!! Eating vegetables can be tough I agree! So glad you liked it!
  
Sarah

September 14, 2020 at 2:46 pm

We loved this air fryer broccoli. Better than oven roasted.

- Cindy
  
  September 14, 2020 at 8:29 pm
  
  I totally agree, even better than oven roasted, so glad you liked it Sarah!
  
Senora

September 15, 2020 at 4:43 pm

We love air fried broccoli. We’ve been making it since you posted the recipe. Yumm!

- Cindy
  
  September 17, 2020 at 1:12 am
  
  So glad you are a broccoli lover too!
  
Carrie

September 21, 2020 at 2:27 pm

I love how easy this cooks up!

- Cindy
  
  September 23, 2020 at 7:10 pm
  
  Hi Carrie, we love it too. Super easy!
  
April

September 24, 2020 at 3:16 pm

This is my new favorite way to make this! I love the char!!

- Cindy
  
  September 30, 2020 at 7:17 pm
  
  Hello there April, I love the char too!
  
Gary

November 05, 2020 at 4:39 pm

So easy my kids loved it too!

- Cindy
  
  November 05, 2020 at 6:05 pm
  
  So glad you liked it, thank you for coming back and leaving a review and comment!
  
Karen Sharples

February 21, 2022 at 6:19 pm

I've lost track of how much overcooked broccoli I've thrown out in the past! I love the bite you get with this recipe, but also love how tender the broccoli is - I didn't expect the balance to work so well, but it is perfect!
Thank you for showing me that my air fryer isn't just for cooking frozen chips and reheating pizza!

Air Fryer Broccoli

AIR FRYER BROCCOLI RECIPE