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.
recipe overview
Roasted broccoli takes way less time in the air fryer than in the oven. Ten minutes and a little oil, salt, and pepper is all it takes. Plus, it’ll have browned edges and the perfect roasted flavor.
Air Fryer Broccoli is the perfect dinnertime companion to to air fryer chicken breast or meatloaf. There aren’t many meals that broccoli doesn’t go with. Think of it as the universal healthy side dish.
Are you looking for instructions for making Frozen Broccoli in the Air Fryer? I’ve got you covered!
what you’ll need
All you need is fresh broccoli, a bit of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Cut the broccoli into florets. Keeping the pieces all about the same size will ensure that they cook at the same rate.
You can add other seasonings if you want to mix it up. 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.
How to make it
- 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.
- 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.
- Use a spoon to gently toss the broccoli in the oil and spices, making sure that every piece of the broccoli is lightly coated.
- 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!
How long to cook it
- For broccoli that is crisp on the outside and 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 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!
recipe tips and tricks
- 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 cooking 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.
ideas to mix it up
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 1/8 to 1/4 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.
serving tips
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 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!
Storage and reheating
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.
is air frying broccoli healthy?
Yep! 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!
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!
FAQs
Yes. 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.
You can cook broccolini in the air fryer using this method too! If the broccolini is particularly thin, you may need to reduce the time by a couple of minutes.
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!
Air Fryer Broccoli
Equipment
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.
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.
Nutrition
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.
Such a quick and easy way to enjoy such a healthy vegetable!
Couldn’t agree more Sapana! We love making air fryer broccoli!
This has got to be my favorite way to make broccoli! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
You are so welcome, glad you love air fryer broccoli too!
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.
Yes, Laura, you are right, this is SO much easier than the oven! So glad you tried and loved our air fryer broccoli!
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!
Thank you Beth, so glad you loved it! We love the air fryer broccoli too and agree, crispy outside and tender inside!
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.
You have to give this air fryer broccoli a try Kelly! You’ll love it!
I love this and I am definitely going to have to try making it this weekend.
Thanks Ashley! I hope that you enjoy our air fryer broccoli!
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!
Thanks for being a part of our facebook group!! Eating vegetables can be tough I agree! So glad you liked it!
We loved this air fryer broccoli. Better than oven roasted.
I totally agree, even better than oven roasted, so glad you liked it Sarah!
We love air fried broccoli. We’ve been making it since you posted the recipe. Yumm!
So glad you are a broccoli lover too!
I love how easy this cooks up!
Hi Carrie, we love it too. Super easy!
This is my new favorite way to make this! I love the char!!
Hello there April, I love the char too!
So easy my kids loved it too!
So glad you liked it, thank you for coming back and leaving a review and comment!
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!