There are so many delicious ways to cook broccoli — grilled broccoli, roasted broccoli, sauteed broccoli — but this air fryer broccoli recipe is by far the fastest, without sacrificing taste! It takes just a couple minutes of prep and cooks in around 5 minutes. Plus, roasting broccoli in the air fryer is the perfect trifecta of delicious, easy, and healthy. It’s also a great way to ease into making air fryer recipes if you’re new to this appliance.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for cooking broccoli in the air fryer, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Broccoli – Buy a bunch and cut the florets yourself (see how I do it quickly in my broccoli cheese soup YouTube video), or you can buy pre-cut broccoli florets, just make sure that you trim them to a uniform size so they cook evenly. For the best air fryer broccoli, I recommend using fresh broccoli, but technically frozen florets would work as well by adding a couple of minutes to the cook time.Olive Oil – Or avocado oil. Lemon Juice – Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor or bottled for convenience. I love a little lemon flavor in my broccoli, but you can also omit this and use only the olive oil if you’re not a fan.Spices – Garlic powder, sea salt & black pepper. Feel free to mix up the seasonings, too! Other good additions include onion powder, paprika, lemon pepper seasoning (skip the lemon juice in this case), red pepper flakes, or even a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.
How To Cook Broccoli In An Air Fryer
This section shows how to make air fryer roasted broccoli, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Preheat. Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.Season. In a large bowl, drizzle broccoli with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper and toss to coat evenly.Air fry. Arrange broccoli in the air fryer basket, in a single layer. Air fry for about 5 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the broccoli is tender and the edges are browned.
TIP: Do not crowd the air fryer basket. Work in batches if the florets don’t all fit in a single layer. It’s okay for the broccoli to be touching, but for even cooking and optimal browning, you don’t want pieces on top of each other.
How Long To Cook Broccoli In The Air Fryer?
Broccoli in an air fryer will take about 5 minutes to cook at 380 degrees F. The time can very by a couple of minutes depending on the size of the florets. You can check on them at 4 minutes and every minute or two after that, until they are done to your liking.
How To Cook Frozen Broccoli In The Air Fryer?
Frozen broccoli can be cooked in the air fryer the same way as fresh broccoli; it will just take a few extra minutes. Do not thaw the broccoli–you can season and cook from frozen.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers: Store the cooked veggie leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.Reheat: Reheat broccoli in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes, or in a 350 degree F oven for 5-10 minutes.Freeze: Freeze any leftovers from this air fryer broccoli recipe in an airtight container for 2-3 months.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Broccoli
Perfect Sirloin SteakBaked Lemon CodSpatchcock ChickenPan Seared Pork ChopsGarlic Butter Chicken
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
If you like this broccoli air fryer recipe, try some of these other air fryer recipes:
Air Fryer Brussels SproutsAir Fryer Chicken Legs or Air Fryer Chicken ThighsWhole Chicken In The Air FryerAir Fryer AsparagusCrispy Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
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