This Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe makes the most crispy air fryer broccoli florets in less than 15 minutes! The best healthy vegetarian side dish for your dinner table every time of the year.
Everybody loves air fryer recipes, like my for how easy and quick they are to make! Air frying vegetables, like Air Fryer Cauliflower, Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges, or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes is much healthier and faster than roasting broccoli.
I love my oven, but roasted broccoli takes twice the time and uses so much more oi and parchment paper to achieve the same result that I do prefer the air-fried broccoli version. No more tons of oil added to make crispy vegetables and under 10 minutes to cook a batch that serves the whole family of four.
So let me show you how to make these quick broccolis in the air fryer.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need to make this air fryer broccoli recipe are:
- Head of fresh broccoli – cut into small 1-inch florets.
- Olive oil or avocado oil – any oil with a high smoke point is preferred to air-fried food because it doesn’t create smoke or odor, and it’s healthier.
- Paprika, Cumin, Pepper – for flavor.
- Onion Powder – or fresh crushed onion.
- Garlic Powder – or fresh crushed garlic.
How To Cook Broccoli In An Air Fryer
There is nothing easier than an air-fried broccoli recipe. Let’s see what you need to make this easy side dish and all the simple tips to make these broccolis perfect every time.
- You must cut the broccoli head into florets of the same size to ensure an even cooking time. If some florets are smaller than others, they burn quickly and become very dry. So I recommend holding the broccoli head with its stem up in front of you. Then, using a sharp knife, release the florets from the crown, cutting at the base of each floret.
- Finally, cut larger florets into 1-inch size florets, and discard big long broccoli stems if needed.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all the coating ingredients evenly.
- Place the broccoli florets in a large mixing bowl or dish. Drizzle the oil mixture over the florets, and massage the broccoli pieces with your hands to evenly coat them with the flavored olive oil.
- Place the prepared broccoli pieces in the air fryer basket. I am using an XXL basket, and it easily fits 2 broccoli heads over 2 layers. If your basket is smaller, you may want to proceed in two batches.
- Air fry the broccoli florets at 400°F (200°C) for 7-8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. If the broccolis are crunchy and cooked earlier, stop the air fryer and serve immediately.
- Some people like their broccoli a bit more dry and crispy, so you can extend the air frying time by 1-2 minutes to achieve that texture.
Serving
Air fried broccoli goes very well as a side to any vegan meal or added to a vegan curry. You can also serve them topped with some extra spices for flavor like:
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Nutritional yeast for a dairy-free cheesy flavor, toss the broccoli with nutritional yeast.
- Drizzle lemon juice
But, you can also serve them plain with sauce on the side to dip them in like:
- Cucumber dip
- Almond ricotta
- Hummus
- Guacamole
- Tomato sauce
- Pizza sauce
Storage
You can store air-fried broccoli in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Or, you can freeze them in bags and thaw them in the fridge the day before eating. To rewarm the broccoli, place it in the air fryer at 250°F (120°C) and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until hot and crispy. You can also rewarm them in the microwave, but they lose their crispy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not really. Skipping the oil makes the broccoli very dry, and they won’t cook as well. You can use healthier oils like avocado oil or olive oil to bring healthy fat to your dish.
Yes, but the method is the air frying time is slightly longer, about 8-10 minutes.
No, you don’t need to preheat the air fryer for this recipe. Place the broccoli in the air fryer and cook for 8-10 minutes, shaking halfway.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Below I listed some more air fryer recipes for you to try and tips to air fry food safely using parchment paper or foil in the air-fryer basket.
Did You Like This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or head to our Facebook page for tips, our Instagram page for inspiration, our Pinterest for saving recipes, and Flipboard to get all the new ones!
Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 heads Broccoli - equivalent to 12 oz of florets, trimmed, cut in small pieces
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
Instructions
- Hold your broccoli head stem up on the chopping board and, using a sharp knife, cut out the florets from the crown.
- Cut each floret into 1-inch pieces. To do so, cut the stem off the florets close to the base to release small broccoli pieces – see my picture above for visual tips on cutting broccoli into florets.
- Place the small pieces of broccoli florets in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk olive oil and spices, pour over the broccoli florets.
- Toss with a spoon to evenly coat the florets with the olive oil mixture.
- Place the broccoli florets in the air fryer basket and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes shaking the basket halfway.
- Serve immediately with a pinch of freshly grated parmesan and black pepper.
WOW…This sounds AWESOME…Now I have to put Broccoli on the shopping list!!! Thank You..HUGS
I am glad you love it ! enjoy