Air Fryer Broccoli (Easy and Crispy Recipe)

Easy air fryer broccoli is the kid-friendly side the whole family will devour!

Crispy, tender, and perfectly charred, you’ll swear it’s roasted straight from the oven. A simple seasoning and light drizzle of oil is all it needs.

It’s quick, nutritious, and universal. Pair it with any dish that needs a pop of green!

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Broccoli 

Air fryer broccoli is the simple dinner side dish you’ll fall in love with. Here are a few reasons it will be a staple in your weekly routine:

• It’s crispy and delicious. Air frying creates tender florets with irresistible crispy edges. With the three-ingredient seasoning, it’s absolutely delicious!

• It’s easy to make. Simply chop, toss, and air fry! In 10 minutes, you get perfectly cooked broccoli. It’s easy, convenient, and fuss-free.

• It’s healthy. Air frying requires little oil. So you get tasty, nutrient-dense broccoli with fewer calories. 

Ingredients 

If you have a head of broccoli, you can make this easy air fryer recipe! All you need are a few pantry staples to make it crispy and flavorful.

Here’s the list:

• Broccoli – Use fresh, firm broccoli and cut into bite-sized florets. 

• Olive Oil – Just a light coating so the broccoli gets crispy.

• Seasoning – Garlic powder, salt, and pepper are all you need for seasoning. It enhances the wonderful flavor of the broccoli without overdoing it.

How to Make Air Fryer Broccoli

Think roasted broccoli is easy? Just wait until you try air frying! It’s quick and only takes about 20 minutes. 

Here are the general steps to follow:

1. Preheat the air fryer. Set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Toss. Toss the broccoli florets with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

3. Air fry. Arrange the broccoli in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

4. Serve. Serve immediately.

Recipe Variations

With these tasty variations, air fryer broccoli never gets boring! There are so many possibilities for sprucing up this recipe. 

Here are a handful of my favorite variations:

• Lemon Garlic Broccoli – Toss the broccoli with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic. 

• Cheesy Broccoli – Just add Parmesan, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or another melty cheese. You can also serve this with a nacho cheese sauce. Yum!

• Asian Broccoli – Toss the broccoli with your favorite umami Asian sauce. Teriyaki, ponzu, hoisin, take your pick. 

• Balsamic Broccoli – Drizzle some balsamic vinegar or glaze on top when it’s done.

• Spicy Broccoli – Add a pinch of red pepper chili flakes or cayenne pepper.

Tips and Tricks

With so few ingredients, air fryer broccoli is a breeze, and so is the cleanup! 

And yet, achieving the ideal texture may involve some tweaking. Each air fryer cooks differently, after all. 

So use these nifty tips and tricks for the best broccoli:

• Resist the urge to use frozen. Frozen broccoli has more moisture than fresh broccoli. So I don’t recommend using it for this recipe. The edges won’t crisp up as nicely.

• Don’t crowd the florets! You don’t want to overcrowd the broccoli. Allow space so the florets cook properly and crisp nicely. Work in batches if necessary.

• Keep things nice and uniform. To guarantee even cooking, cut equal-sized florets. Making them the same size ensures all the broccoli is ready at the same time.

• Give it a splash of water. Are your florets too firm? Add water to the air fryer before cooking. As the broccoli cooks, the water evaporates, so it turns out nice and tender.

• Do a seasoning switch-up. The blend in this recipe is my go-to. But you can easily tailor it to your liking. Try paprika, rosemary, or dill. You can also use a mix like ranch or a barbecue rub. 

How to Store 

Air fryer broccoli is the crispiest right when you make it. That said, leftovers are great for snacks, sides, grain bowls, healthy wraps, and more. 

I recommend storing them in the refrigerator. You can freeze air fryer broccoli, but it will turn mushy.

Here’s how to store and reheat air fryer broccoli:

To Store: Transfer the leftover broccoli to an air-tight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To Freeze: Place the broccoli in a freezer-friendly container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes until warm. 

Serving Suggestions  

Air fryer broccoli is an extremely versatile recipe. so there are plenty of tasting pairings.

Here’s what I like serving it with:

• Pasta – Buttered noodles, Fettuccine Alfredo, Marry Me Chicken, and Louisiana chicken pasta are just the start! I serve this with more pasta dishes than I can list. 

• Chicken – Oven baked and air fryer chicken breast with broccoli are staples in my household. You can also try lemon chicken, Shake and Bake chicken, and more.

• Rice – Stick of butter rice, Texas Roadhouse rice, or plain white rice are some ideas.
  
• Seafood – Air fryer salmon with broccoli is my favorite. Shrimp scampi, Cajun shrimp, and air fryer frozen shrimp are also tasty.