Ah, broccoli. You love them, you hate them. But in case you did not know, broccolis are a real powerhouse when it comes to nutrients including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium.
So if you are one of the people (like me) who loves incorporating broccoli into their diet and meal, then I have here a quick way how you can cook your broccoli in less than 10 minutes!
In this broccoli recipe, you will need your air fryer and watch how it will turn your broccoli into crispy, delicious goodness!
How to make this air fryer broccoli recipe
You can easily make air fryer broccoli with very few ingredients, a few tools, and a few minutes of cooking time! And yes, this recipe will make your broccoli crispy and flavorful without the need to deep fry it or drown them in oil! This is the perfect healthy side dish you need.
The ingredients:
- 12 oz of fresh broccoli florets, cut or torn into roughly even, very-small pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Optional garnishes: fresh lemon slices, freshly grated parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes
- Your preferred seasonings
Instructions
Slice your broccoli florets into equal pieces so that they will be cooked at the same time and crisp evenly.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients including the broccoli florets. Toss the broccoli and mixture well so that every floret is fully coated.
Pour 1 tablespoon of water into the bottom of the air fryer pan to prevent the ingredients from smoking.
Transfer the broccoli mixture to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding and cook in batches if necessary.
Set the air fryer to 400 degrees F and cook for 6 minutes. Immediately remove the basket once the timer goes off.
You can then sprinkle your grated parmesan cheese or fresh lemon juice.
Serve immediately.
Tips for the best air fryer broccoli
This recipe is pretty straightforward and easy to follow but if you need some more tips on how to make your air fryer broccoli extra crispy and ensure that everything is cooked well, then I have here some tips for the best air fryer broccoli.
- You can use frozen broccoli florets if needed but note that it will not be as crispy and will become mushy if you do not cook it at a high temperature. Set the timer of your air fryer to 5 minutes and check it consistently after 1 to 2 minutes. If the broccoli is not yet cooked or does not have crispy edges yet, give it more time until it cooks properly.
- To save yourself preparation time, use broccoli florets that are already cut into even-sized, small pieces. This will make your delicious broccoli soft and tender with nice crispy, roasted edges.
- Feel free to try out various seasonings such as cumin, red chili flakes, Italian seasonings, lemon juice, and more!
- Powdered seasonings (garlic powder, onion powder) are preferred in this recipe because powdered seasonings can fully coat your roasted broccoli florets perfectly.
- Serve your broccoli right after you take it out of the air fryer. If you let it sit too long, it will lose its crispiness and will become a bit soggy.
What to serve with air fryer roasted broccoli
These roasted broccolis can be eaten by themselves but if you want to add more flavors to it, you can serve the roasted broccoli as a side dish for a more filling meal!
Here are some ideas on what to serve with air fryer roasted broccoli:
- Healthy salad or buddha bowl
- Healthy greens appetizer platter including air fryer kale chips and air fryer brussels sprouts
- Pasta such as alfredo pasta
- Air fryer french fries
- Air fryer green bean fries
- And more!
How to store your air-fried broccoli
If you have some leftover broccoli, place the florets in an airtight container in the fridge. You can store them and keep them fresh for up to a week.
I do not recommend freezing the air-fried broccoli because it does not reheat well and instead of it being crispy, it will turn soft and mushy – which is not the texture we are going for. Who wants soggy broccoli anyway?
To reheat, just add the broccoli florets back to the air fryer for a couple of minutes to make it crispy again. Shake the basket halfway.
You can also reheat the broccoli in a microwave.
Why cook broccoli in the air fryer?
I do not know about you but I like efficiency when cooking. If there is a way for me to make meals that will require fewer cooking utensils, less cleanup, and less cooking time, then I am here for it!
Lucky for you (and me) because that is what an air fryer is for! Cooking food in an air fryer is undoubtedly quicker than any other cooking method such as deep frying or cooking in the oven.
Aside from that, an air fryer helps retain your ingredients’ health benefits and nutrients because it does not require a lot of oil for it to cook food. This is perfect as well for those who are on a low-carb diet!
Quick and Easy Air Fryer Broccoli
This air fryer broccoli recipe is one of my favorite air fryer recipes because of how quick and easy it is to make! Not to mention that you will get a lot of healthy nutrients from it. And the best part? It takes less than 10 minutes to make!
Ingredients
- 12 oz of fresh broccoli florets, cut or torn into roughly even, very-small pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Optional garnishes: fresh lemon slices, freshly grated parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes
- Your preferred seasonings
Instructions
- Slice your broccoli florets into equal pieces so that they will be cooked at the same time and crisp evenly.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients including the broccoli florets. Toss the broccoli and mixture well so that every floret is fully coated.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of water into the bottom of the air fryer pan to prevent the ingredients from smoking.
- Transfer the broccoli mixture to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding and cook in batches if necessary.
- Set the air fryer to 400 degrees F and cook for 6 minutes. Immediately remove the basket once the timer goes off.
- You can then sprinkle your grated parmesan cheese or fresh lemon juice.
- Serve immediately.
I’m Anastasia and I’m a full-time blogger, online entrepreneur, and Pinterest marketing strategist. I help digital entrepreneurs and bloggers drive targeted traffic from Pinterest either through my online courses or through Pinterest consultancy.