Get your greens in with this tasty air fryer roasted broccoli recipe. With simple prep and around 5 minutes’ cook time, it is the perfect veggie side dish for anyone short on time.
Air frying is my favorite way to cook broccoli. It has the same sweet, nutty flavor of roasted broccoli and the yummy crispy edges, but you can make it in less time than it takes for your oven to heat up.
For some more quick and tasty air fryer roasted vegetables, try air fryer cauliflower, air fryer roasted parsnips, or air fryer roasted pumpkin.
Scroll down for the printable recipe card, or read on for all the details.
Simple ingredients
This recipe uses a whole head of regular fresh broccoli (Calabrese broccoli), cut into florets. You can also cook Romanesco broccoli or broccolini in the air fryer.
We need to use a little oil to help the broccoli to crisp up. You can dry roast it (without oil), but you will definitely get better results if you use some oil.
I use olive oil (the type for cooking, not extra virgin), but you can substitute another cooking oil with a high smoke point (e.g. vegetable oil or corn oil).
Pro Tip
If you want to reduce the oil in this recipe you can use an olive oil spray. However, choose the type that spritzes rather than an aerosol, and avoid generic ‘cooking sprays’, as both can damage the coating of your air fryer basket.
We will use garlic granules, salt, and black pepper to season the broccoli before cooking.
You can substitute the garlic granules for garlic powder (½ teaspoon) or 2-3 garlic cloves (finely chopped), or leave it out if you prefer.
Alternatively, you can mix things up by adding other seasonings to adapt the recipe to your taste preferences. Try adding a teaspoon of onion powder, smoked paprika, chili flakes, or lemon zest.
Prepare
First, you will need to preheat your air fryer to 400°F/ 200°C. This step is extra important for any recipe where the cooking time is short, like this one.
Cut the broccoli into florets, then rinse and pat dry them on paper towels. You will want to get them as dry as possible before adding the oil, so that the broccoli will crisp up nicely during cooking.
Add the broccoli to a large bowl, drizzle with oil, and add the seasoning. Toss to coat the broccoli thoroughly in the oil and seasoning.
Cooking
When you are ready to cook, place the seasoned broccoli into the air fryer basket. Try to place it in a single layer if possible and ensure the basket is not overcrowded. This helps it to cook evenly and get nice and crispy.
Air fry the broccoli for 5-8 minutes until it is tender and crispy at the edges. Note: If you have more broccoli than will fit in a single layer, shake the basket once or twice during cooking to redistribute the florets.
How long to air fry broccoli
The exact cooking times will vary depending on your air fryer and how much broccoli you are cooking. Check on the broccoli towards the end of the cooking time and adjust the cooking time if needed until it is cooked to your liking.
Serving ideas
- Sprinkle ½ tablespoon of powdered Parmesan cheese over the cooked broccoli
- Drizzle with pesto and sprinkle with flaked almonds
- Top with cheese sauce
- Sprinkle with lemon juice or serve with lemon wedges
- Make an Asian-inspired sauce from Sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and sesame oil
- Sprinkle ½ tablespoon of nutritional yeast over the cooked broccoli (a delicious vegan alternative to Parmesan cheese)
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover broccoli in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can reheat the broccoli in the air fryer. Simply pop the broccoli back in the air fryer to cook for around 3-4 minutes to reheat it and crisp it up again.
Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F / 200°C.
- Rinse broccoli then pat dry and cut into florets (approx. 2 inch sized pieces).
- Mix olive oil, onion powder, salt and pepper into a large bowl, then add the broccoli florets and toss to coat.
- Place broccoli in air fryer basket, and set to cook for 5-8 minutes until tender, and crispy at the edges, or until it is done to your liking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
