Air Fryer Broccoli

Name: Air Fryer Broccoli
Prep time: 4 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 head broccoli (cut into even florets (about 1 pound)); 1 tablespoon avocado oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; lemon (for serving)

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Air Fryer Broccoli roasts up in just 6 minutes with a tender texture and crispy edges. It’s a quick, easy and healthy side dish for busy weeknights!

If you haven’t noticed yet, we love broccoli as a side dish and prepare it in so many delicious ways!

Overhead of air fried broccoli in a bowl.

This Instant Pot broccoli with lemon butter sauce is just so tasty, and roasted frozen broccoli takes convenience to a whole new level!

We also love roasted fresh broccoli! And while roasting doesn’t usually take that long, sometimes you just don’t want to turn on the oven for a single side dish.

Enter the air fryer! No oven required, and the broccoli takes just 6 minutes to roast up! The recipe can even be adjusted to use frozen broccoli. How’s that for convenience?!

Check out the air fryer broccoli story!

Why this recipe works

It’s one of the tastiest ways to prepare fresh broccoli. The texture is firm yet tender, with subtle crispy edges. You’ll probably just want to eat it straight out of the air fryer basket!
So quick and easy! Yes, I’ve mentioned that it takes just 6 minutes to cook in the air fryer. Add a few extra minutes to chop and season the broccoli and you have a side dish on the table in just 10 minutes!
It’s a versatile side dish that goes with just about anything. Plus, broccoli is available year round. For this recipe, you can use a head of broccoli, pre-packaged florets or even frozen broccoli. So, there’s no reason why you can’t try this recipe tonight!

What is an Air Fryer?

The Air Fryer is a healthier alternative to frying foods. It's basically a small, powerful convection oven that sits on your countertop.

It circulates hot air around the food you're cooking, which is what gives it that crisp texture that mimics fried food (without all the grease).

Read more about the health benefits of using an air fryer.

I personally use this Ninja MAX XL Air Fryer because it hold 5.5 quarts, which is more than most. It has worked great so far and we just love how easy it is to use!

Other air fryer recipes

Ingredients

You only need 6 ingredients for this recipe!

You’ll need 1 head of broccoli, cut into even florets (about 1 pound). For convenience, you can also use pre-cut broccoli florets.

Make sure your broccoli has a deep green color and doesn’t have any brown or yellow spots on it.

To help it get tender and a little crispy, you’ll coat the broccoli in 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. You can also use olive oil if you prefer.

For the seasoning, we’re keeping it simple with ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.

For the best flavor, make sure the broccoli is well coated with seasoning. To do this, you’ll want to toss it around in a bowl and make sure the seasoning gets in all the crevices!

For serving, I like to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You can also add a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese if you like.

Step by step instructions

Toss the broccoli with avocado oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl.

Place 1 tablespoon of water in the bottom of the air fryer (this helps to keep it from smoking).

Place the broccoli in the air fryer basket and cook at 400F degrees for 6 minutes.

I find that 6 minutes cooks the broccoli perfectly, but if you prefer softer vegetables, add 1-2 minutes to the cook time.

Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and serve immediately.

Expert tips

For even cooking, make sure you chop the broccoli into smaller pieces that are roughly the same size. If you keep the florets big, the edges will brown too much before the middle of the florets get tender.
It’s hard to evenly coat broccoli in oil, so you can try using an oil sprayer to get better coverage.
If you prefer softer broccoli, just add 1-2 minutes to the cook time. Air fryer broccoli will still have more of a firm texture, like oven roasted. For softer broccoli, you can always try this sous vide broccoli recipe.
Broccoli also burns quickly in the air fryer, especially around the edges. So keep an eye on it if you add extra air frying time.
If your air fryer model requires preheating, you should do so before adding the broccoli florets.
Air fryers can vary so you may need to adjust the temperature and air frying time slightly depending on the brand and model of your air fryer.
You don’t need to worry about the broccoli being in a single layer, but for even cooking it’s best not to overfill your air fryer.
Don’t forget to add water to the bottom of the air fryer. This will help prevent any smoking.

Overhead close up of air fryer roasted broccoli.

Common questions

Can you air fry frozen broccoli?

Yes, but you’ll want to wait to season the broccoli. Add the frozen broccoli florets to the air fryer basket and air fry for 5 minutes at 400F degrees. Remove, let cool slightly and toss with oil and seasonings. Place back in the basket and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes.

How do you keep broccoli from burning in the air fryer?

Broccoli cooks quickly in the air fryer and can easily burn if you don’t keep an eye on it. To help prevent over-browning or burning, make sure your broccoli is cut into roughly the same size pieces. You’ll also want to make sure the florets are on the small side so they cook all the way through before the edges of the broccoli brown too much.

Adding a little water to the bottom of your air fryer (below the basket) is also a great way to help prevent the air fryer from smoking and the broccoli from burning.

Can you change up the seasoning for the broccoli?

Of course! While this recipe keeps it simple with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, you can totally change it up. For a little heat, you can toss the broccoli with some Cajun seasoning or crushed red pepper flakes. Adding a sprinkle of parmesan cheese before serving tastes amazing. Or for a tangy flavor, serve it with crumbled feta on top.

Side view of air fryer broccoli in a bowl on a cloth.

Storage, reheating and freezing

Leftover air fried broccoli can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on a sheet pan in the oven, but I prefer to reheat it in the air fryer at 400F degrees for 2-3 minutes.

To freeze air fried broccoli, let it fully cool in the fridge. Then, transfer it to a freezer safe container or bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer.

Make it a meal

Air fryer broccoli is a delicious and versatile side dish. Here are a few recipes we love to serve it with:

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!