Air Fryer Broccoli Fresh Or Frozen

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This easy Air Fryer broccoli recipe is a great side dish you can put together in minutes.

The broccoli florets are coated in a simple seasoning mix and then air fried to perfection, resulting in a delicious, subtle tasting side that you can pair with almost anything.

Best of all, you can use either fresh or frozen broccoli for the recipe- which makes it a total winner!

What I Love About this Recipe

One of the best things about this Air Fryer recipe is the fact that it comes together super quick.

I almost always end up making this easy side dish whenever I’m in a time crunch or just don’t want to put a lot of effort into cooking.

Another plus is the fact that I don’t really need to have fresh broccoli all the time- I can just make do with frozen broccoli florets too!

Air Fryer Broccoli Cooking Time

• Prep Time: 2 Minutes
• Cook Time: 16 Mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients For Roasted Air Fryer Broccoli

You’ll need just 4 simple ingredients to make this Air Fryer broccoli recipe.

• 3 fresh broccoli crowns
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

How To Cook Roasted Air Fryer Broccoli

Once you have your ingredients ready, here’s what you’ll need to do to make the Air Fryer broccoli.

Step 1: Make Broccoli Florets

Snip the broccoli crowns down to bite size pieces using kitchen scissors or a knife. Place them in a large bowl.

Step 2: Season with Salt and Pepper

Drizzle the broccoli with the oil and cover with the salt and pepper. Toss the broccoli around in the bowl to get a nice evenly coating. Meanwhile, preheat the Air Fryer.

Step 3: Cook Broccoli in an Air Fryer

Place broccoli in the air fryer basket evenly. Cook at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Toss the basket halfway and cook for another 8 minutes.

Step 4: Serve Hot

Let the Air Fryer broccoli cool a bit and serve!

How to Cook Frozen Broccoli in the Air Fryer

While cooking with fresh broccoli florets is super easy, you might be confused about air frying frozen broccoli.

Turns out, Air Fryer frozen broccoli is actually much easier to put together. All you need to do is start off with frozen broccoli florets, and toss them in the seasonings right away.

Don’t allow the frozen broccoli florets to thaw- just cook them for longer in the Air Fryer unit.

Tips to Make the Air Fryer Broccoli

Making this roasted broccoli in the Air Fryer is super easy, but you might want to have these little tips and tricks handy to make it even easier.

• I have used a simple mix of olive oil, salt and pepper to season the broccoli florets. You can also take it a step further and add a bit of garlic powder or any of your favorite seasoning to enhance the flavors of the side dish.
• Italian seasoning, onion powder and cayenne pepper are some good choices.
• If you don’t have olive oil, you can use avocado oil or any other neutral flavored cooking oil of your choice. Just remember to use an oil that has a high smoke point.
• Red pepper flakes can also be an excellent addition to the Air Fryer broccoli. They can add a nice kick of heat to the broccoli florets.
• Sometimes, I also like to top the broccoli florets with a little squeeze of lemon juice right before I serve it. If you love lemony flavors, you can also add a dash of lemon zest and some more lemon juice into the seasoning mix along with the olive oil and salt.
• To make a cheesy version of this broccoli, you can also sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese towards the end, and cook the broccoli in the air fryer again for a minute until the cheese melts.
• Remember to grease your Air Fryer basket well before you add the frozen broccoli florets and make the air fried frozen broccoli.
• The cooking time for this recipe may differ slightly based on the size of the broccoli florets, and the kind of Air Fryer you are using. I would recommend using either Cosori Air Fryer or Ninja Air Fryer for best results.

What Other Frozen Vegetables Can I Use?

Apart from frozen broccoli, you can replicate this exact recipe and use any other frozen veggie of your choice.

I like to use frozen vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, baby corn, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are all good options.

I like to season these frozen vegetables with some garlic powder and a bit of salt and pepper before I Air Fry them.

How Do I Store the Air Fryer Broccoli?

If you have some leftover air fried frozen broccoli, you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for 2-3 days.

Then, you can either reheat the broccoli in the Air Fryer or in the microwave depending on your personal preference.

Remember that air frying will get you nice, crispy broccoli, whereas microwaving will give you more tender broccoli.

How Do I Serve the Air Fried Broccoli?

Your Air Fryer frozen broccoli and almost any air fried frozen vegetables can be served as a healthy side dish with your grilled meats and proteins.

These veggies can also be enjoyed as a snack when paired with a dip of your choice. Ranch, ketchup and mustard are some good options.

Remember to serve immediately.

More Air Fryer Recipes

If you loved using your Air Fryer for this recipe, and are inspired to try some more such recipes, here are a few handpicked Air Fryer recipes you might want to check out.

• Best Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
• Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
• Easy Air Fryer French Toast Recipe With Blueberries
• Air Fryer Chimichangas
• Tasty Summer Broccoli Salad Recipe