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Air Fryer Broccoli is an easy side dish that perfectly cooks the broccoli – it’s like roasted broccoli but easier without turning on the oven! Seasoned with pantry spices, it has the best crisp-tender texture after it’s cooked. Your family will LOVE this!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
We make broccoli at least once a week – I absolutely love it. In the past, roasting it in the oven has been a favorite way to make it, but now I use my air fryer! Cooking broccoli in your air fryer takes away all the guesswork so you get perfectly cooked broccoli florets every time. I love roasted vegetables, but sometimes I don’t want to turn on the oven, or I’m using the oven for something else – so, hello, air fryer!
I think air fryer broccoli tastes even better than oven-roasted broccoli. You can use a lot less oil and the broccoli cooks evenly and it’s done in a fraction of the time of roasting: less than 15 minutes!
Ingredients Needed
- Broccoli: Use fresh heads of broccoli or buy florets. You can also use frozen broccoli.
- Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil: You only need ½ teaspoon!
- Spices: Garlic powder, Black pepper, Onion powder, and Salt
Variations & Substitutions
Garlic: If you want to use fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder, wait to add it to the air fryer until the last three minutes of cooking time.
Spices: Mix it up by using your favorites. I also sometimes add some red pepper flakes, or sometimes smoked paprika.
How to Air Fry Broccoli
- Place the florets in a bowl and toss them with the oil and seasonings.
- Put the seasoned florets in the air fryer basket.
- Cook them at 400 degrees F for three minutes. Shake the basket and then cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the broccoli is tender and crisp around the edges.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- You can also skip using oil and just spray the raw broccoli with nonstick cooking spray.
- To keep broccoli from burning in the air-fryer, add a tablespoon of water to the bottom of the air fryer to help the broccoli cook through before it’s burned or over done.
- Cut fresh broccoli florets into equal-sized pieces, so they cook evenly.
- Top cooked broccoli with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups broccoli florets (fresh or still frozen)
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Wash and trim broccoli.
- Toss with oil, then toss with garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and salt.
- Spray air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Add a tablespoon of water to the bottom and place broccoli into the air fryer.
- Cook at 400°F for 6 minutes. Shake the container after 3 minutes to make sure it’s cooking evenly. All machines cook differently so yours may cook faster.
- Remove from the air fryer. Toss and serve, adding additional salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Optional: when the broccoli is done, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan or drizzle with lemon juice.
- Trim broccoli to equal sizes to have them cook evenly.
- Broccoli tastes great when it is cooked until bright green or even a little browned
on the edges. - Use an oil that can be cooked at high heat.
- The water helps the broccoli cook without smoking or overheating.
- Use your favorite seasonings. Try chili powder, cumin, curry powder, parsley or anything you like. If you use fresh garlic, don’t add it until the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
