Air Fryer Broccoli

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Air fryer broccoli is the best way to get crispy-tender broccoli in under 10 minutes. Just toss the florets with a simple seasoning and then pop them into the air fryer. You’ll have a perfectly cooked vegetable side dish in minutes!

Air fryer broccoli on a plate
Photo: Gayle McLeod

This air fryer broccoli recipe is yet another dish to add to my endless list of air fryer vegetables. Previously, I’ve always defaulted to roasting vegetables, like my roasted broccoli. But this air fryer version achieves the same results (crispy yet tender florets) in less time. So yes, I’d say I’m slightly obsessed with my air fryer, and you should be too.

Ingredients for air fryer broccoli

Air Fryer Broccoli Ingredients

Like most roasted or air fryer vegetables, a simple seasoning and olive oil are all you need for an extra tasty flavor. I’m using my go-to combination of garlic, salt, and black pepper. But unlike my air fryer asparagus that uses freshly minced garlic, I’m using garlic powder for this recipe as it coats and sticks to the florets a bit better.

If you want to take this broccoli a step further — add a sprinkle of thyme, grated parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to top it off!

If using frozen broccoli, the key here is to not thaw them before air frying. Thawed frozen broccoli will result in super soft florets that won’t crisp up easily in the air fryer. Just keep in mind that they may need an additional few minutes to cook all the way through!

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

How To Make Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli

Toss together. In a large mixing bowl, toss the broccoli florets with a drizzle of olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Tossing broccoli in seasoning before air frying

Add to the air fryer. Transfer the broccoli to the basket of an air fryer and arrange them in a flat single layer. Make sure you don’t crowd the basket. You want the air to flow around the florets.

Broccoli in air fryer

Air fry the broccoli. Set the temperature to 390°F (200°C) and cook for 7 to 9 minutes. Halfway through, shake the basket to make sure all sides get cooked evenly. 

Air fryer broccoli in basket

A Few Questions Answered

How to steam broccoli in the air fryer?

If you’d like the broccoli softer and more steamed rather than crispy, add 1 tablespoon of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket before cooking.

How do you keep the broccoli from getting mushy in the air fryer?

If you crowd your air fryer basket with broccoli, it’s more likely to steam versus air fry. So if all of your florets don’t fit into a single layer (with some space in between), cook two batches instead.

What is the ideal cook time for air fryer broccoli?

For me, I get perfectly cooked broccoli around the 8-minute mark. But when you’re shaking the basket halfway through, check to see how done your broccoli is. You can then determine how much time you should continue cooking.

Storage Tips

Any leftover broccoli will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days if stored in an airtight container. To reheat — pop them back in the air fryer or microwave for 30 seconds or so until warmed through.

And if you need some ideas on how to use cooked broccoli for meal prep, check out my budget meal prep for mix-and-match meal ideas!

A plate of air fryer broccoli

More Air Fryer Recipes

Now that you’ve discovered this air fryer recipe, I hope you love air-frying broccoli as much as I do! If you make it, let me know how this dish turned out in the comment box below.

A white plate of air fryer broccoli

Air Fryer Broccoli (So Easy!)

5 from 7 votes
Prep: 3 minutes
Cook: 9 minutes
Total: 12 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

Air fryer broccoli is the best way to get crisp-tender broccoli and a delicious vegetable side dish in under 10 minutes!

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Toss together. In a large mixing bowl, toss the broccoli florets, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
    Mixing seasoning with air fryer broccoli
  • Air fry the broccoli. Transfer the broccoli to the basket of an air fryer. Set the temperature to 390°F (200°C) and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Pro tip: If you'd like the broccoli softer and more steamed rather than crispy, add 1 tablespoon of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket before cooking.
    Air fryer broccoli in air fryer basket

Lisa’s Tips

Nutrition

Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 948IU | Vitamin C: 136mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Air Fryer Broccoli, Broccoli Recipe
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

5 from 7 votes

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18 Comments

  1. Perfect every time! I like to add a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese at the last minute of cook time…yum!5 stars

    1. Hi Gina – The temperature and time should generally work for most air fryers! But, I would always double-check and test.

  2. Broccoli is one of my favorite veggies so I was so happy to try a different version. It was easy, tasty and with a perfect crisp. I am going for the cauliflower next!5 stars

  3. So glad you’re making more air fryer recipes Lisa! Made this for meal prep this week and it was perfect. Hope to see more air fryer vegetables soon :)5 stars

    1. So happy you’re loving my air fryer recipes, Emily! And yes, more air fryer recipes are coming soon. Stay tuned!

  4. Dear Lisa.I discovered your website about 3 weeks ago and haven’t looked anywhere else since! Lisa, you have nailed every recipe so well. I’m keto and thoroughly enjoying your suggestions. Thank you so much.
    Neill
    Australia5 stars