Get dinner on the table fast with these delicious air fryer roasted veggies! They are easy to prepare and take just minutes to cook, making them the perfect side for mid-week dinners. Bonus: you can use just about any vegetables you have to hand!
I love this recipe for air fryer roast vegetables, it has become a staple side dish at my place. It transforms everyday veggies into a mouthwatering treat that even my kids will devour, with none of the hassle of roasting them in the oven. Plus, the quick cleanup means I get to enjoy my meal without worrying about a pile of dishes.
For some other tasty air fryer vegetable recipes, check out air fryer sweet potato wedges, air fryer corn on the cob, air fryer green beans.
What veggies to air fry?
You can cook just about any vegetables in the air fryer. And for this recipe you can use any mix of veggies that you like. Choose the right mix of root vegetables, starchy vegetables, or low-carb vegetables for you and your family.
The cooking times for softer, more tender vegetables (like broccoli) will be shorter than for firm vegetables (like potatoes).
This means you will need to air fry the firm vegetables first for 5 minutes before adding the softer vegetables.
Firm vegetables:
- potato
- squash
- sweet potato
- carrot
- pumpkin
- parsnips
- beets
- (includes most root vegetables and squash)
Tender vegetables:
- onion
- zucchini
- bell pepper
- cauliflower
- broccoli florets
- asparagus
- mushrooms
- Brussels sprouts (halved)
- green beans
What else do you need?
Oil
The recipe below uses light olive oil. However, you can also use other cooking oils with a high smoke point like vegetable oil, corn oil, or avocado oil.
Pro Tip
Choose a cooking oil with a high smoke point to reduce the chance of your air fryer smoking. Vegetable oil or avocado oil are good choices.
Seasoning
Roasted veggies are great just seasoned with salt and pepper, to let the flavor of the vegetables shine. However, you can add extras seasonings for extra flavor. I like to use garlic powder, but just about any seasoning you can imagine will work. Try:
- Cajun seasoning
- Mexican spice
- Rosemary and thyme
- Garlic powder and/or onion powder
- Chermoula
- Italian seasoning
- Cinnamon and nutmeg
- Garlic cloves (gently squash them and place directly in the air fryer basket with the vegetables)
Use around two teaspoons of seasoning mix per pound / 500g of veggies.
How to roast vegetables in the air fryer
1
Peel and chop.
To prepare the veggies, give them a wash and peel (if preferred), and pat dry. Cut into 1-inch/ 2cm chunks. You can do vegetable fries, cubes, fries, wedges, or any shape you prefer as long as they are around 1-inch/ 2cm thick.
2
Season vegetables.
Mix the oil, salt, and seasoning in a large bowl, add the vegetables, and toss to coat them well with the seasoning.
If you will be cooking tender vegetables and firm vegetables, season them separately.
Tip
You can use an oil spray to reduce the amount of oil used in this recipe, or skip the oil for a dry roasted version (though they won’t be quite as crispy).
3
Air fry firm vegetables.
Preheat the air fryer, then place the firm vegetables in the air fryer basket.
Roast vegetables in the air fryer for 5 minutes, then remove and shake the basket to redistribute them.
3
Air fry roast vegetables.
Next, add the tender vegetables to the basket, and roast the vegetables in the air fryer together for 10-15 minutes.
Shake the basket every 5 minutes or so to redistribute the vegetables and ensure they cook evenly. The vegetables will take around 10-15 minutes to cook in the air fryer, but you can monitor the cooking progress each time you shake the basket, and cook until the vegetables are tender and crispy at the edges.
Serving ideas
- Top with herb butter while they’re still piping hot.
- Drizzle with truffle oil or chili oil for a burst of flavor.
- Dress with balsamic vinegar.
- Sprinkle ½ tablespoon of Parmesan cheese over the top while they are hot.
- Toss with crumbled feta or goats cheese.
- Squeeze on some citrus, lemon, or lime juice to add a light, refreshing flavor.
Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients
Firm vegetables
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 medium potato
- 1 cup chopped butternut squash yellow squash, or pumpkin
- 1 medium carrot
Soft vegetables
- ½ head broccoli
- 1 medium red onion
Seasoning
- 3 tablespoons light olive oil or another high-smoke point cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash. Cut into 1-2 inch chunks and place in a bowl of cold water to soak for 5 minutes. [Note 1]
- Wash and peel the remaining vegetables and cut into 1-2 inch chunks.
- Preheat air fryer to 360°F / 180°C.
- Drain the soaked vegetables, and pat all the vegetables dry.
- Mix olive oil, salt, and seasoning in a large bowl. Add the firm vegetables [Note 2] and toss to coat with the seasoning.
- Place firm vegetables in air fryer basket and air fry for 5 minutes.
- While the firm vegetables are air frying, add the soft vegetables to the oil/seasoning mix and toss to coat [Note 2].
- After five minutes, gently shake the air fryer basket to redistribute the veggies, then add the soft vegetables on top.
- Air fry for 10-15 minutes shaking the basket every 5 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown.
Notes
- Include any other starchy vegetables you are cooking in this step.
- If you are cooking a mix of firm and soft vegetables (eg broccoli, zucchini) then place the firm vegetables in the air fryer first and cook for 5 minutes before adding the soft vegetables. See post for list of firm and soft vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
Also want to air fry sides?
I often air fry veggies to go with a main meal I have also cooked in the air fryer. Here’s my process:
- Prepare and air fry the vegetables for around ten minutes before you cook the main dish.
- Remove the veggies from the air fryer and cover while you cook the main dish.
- Finally, return the veg to the air fryer to roast for an additional ten minutes, or until cooked.
This process works best for main dishes that need to rest after cooking. Try Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Steak, Air Fryer Pork Chops, Air Fryer Beef Tenderloin, or Air Fryer Salmon.
FAQs & Tips
Most vegetables can be cooked in an air fryer, but any vegetables that you might usually roast or grill are perfect for air frying.
Yes, you can. Air frying is actually a great way to cook frozen veggies. If you want to cook air fryer frozen vegetables instead of fresh in this recipe, increase the cooking times by a few minutes (due to the extra surface moisture on frozen vegetables).
The ‘Air fry’ setting is recommended for this recipe.
With some brands there is no difference between the settings other than the starting temperature (which you can adjust), but with some air fryers, the ‘roast’ setting operates the fan at a lower level which will require different cooking times.
