This Air Fryer Broccoli is a 10-minute recipe that makes very crispy broccoli with a hint of char. Keep it simple with oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder, or create it with any seasoning you like. This recipe is quick, versatile, and delicious!
Easy Air Fryer Broccoli
If you’re not sure what side dishes to serve with lunch or dinner, this Air Fryer Broccoli is your answer. Not only is this recipe quick and easy, it’s simple, versatile and fully customizable. Keep it light with garlic powder, salt and pepper, or feel free to mix with any seasoning you like.
This recipe makes cooking and eating vegetables so easy! I grew up loving charred broccoli from a local restaurant in NYC and now I can do it in the air fryer! What a victory.
required ingredients
This Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe contains just 5 easy ingredients!
- broccoli: You will need about 4 cups of broccoli florets. Think medium heads or bags in the store!
- Oil: I like to use olive or avocado oil.
- seasoning: We garnish our broccoli with a simple mixture of garlic powder, salt and pepper.
seasoning changes
While garlic powder, salt, and pepper keep this air fryer broccoli super versatile, you can get totally creative with seasonings and flavors.
Season with chili flakes or red pepper flakes, toss with taco seasoning, and serve with it Chicken Tacosdrizzled with coconut aminos (soy sauce substitute) and a little sesame oil and serve Asian Salmonmake it cheesy with a little fresh parmesan cheese…the sky is the limit!

How to Cook Broccoli in the Air Fryer
Cooking broccoli in the air fryer really couldn’t be easier!
- season: In a mixing bowl, whisk together broccoli, oil, and seasonings until fully coated.
- Air fryer: Transfer the mixture to the preheated air fryer and cook until crisp and tender.
Do you need to add water?
no! While some people add a little water to the air fryer to prevent burning, I haven’t found a need for it. I fry without water and it comes out perfectly every time!
Can you put frozen broccoli in the air fryer?
completely! While frozen broccoli isn’t as crisp and tender as fresh broccoli, it’s still delicious. Here’s how to air fry frozen broccoli:
- To thaw broccoli: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF and add the frozen broccoli as is. Cook for 5 minutes to thaw.
- season: Transfer thawed broccoli to a mixing bowl and add oil and seasonings.
- Air fryer: Air fry as directed!
Air Fryer Broccoli Pro Tips
- Use evenly sized florets. Cut your broccoli florets so they are relatively similar in size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Preheat the air fryer. Start by preheating the air fryer to 400ºF so the broccoli is perfectly crispy on the outside but soft and tender in the middle. Not preheating the air fryer will affect the texture.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. While you can make as many broccoli as you want, be careful not to overcrowd the air fryer basket. Air should be able to circulate around the florets so they cook evenly. Work in batches if needed!
- If you do use more broccoli in one batch, You may need to adjust the cooking time to make sure the broccoli is cooked through.
What type of air fryer to use
We’ve tried a lot of air fryers over the years.we already have and use it BasketThis Instant Pot Air Fryer Accessories and this toaster air fryer! They all work great! This is a personal preference of your choice. Do you want/need a new toaster? Do you have room for a separate new device? Consider all of these things when shopping and decide which ones work for you. This is not a small appliance, so make sure you have enough space!
The thing to note about air fryers is that some of them can be quite small. If you have a small capacity, you may need to make the chicken breasts in batches. While I’m guessing if you’ve been using this air fryer for a while, you’ve learned it.
Cook in batches, and if you have a small capacity air fryer, make sure there is enough air circulation around the wings so they will be crispy. If you do need to do it in batches, you can finally put all the wings back in the basket and cook for a minute to warm them all up!

let’s make a meal
This Air Fryer Broccoli is a versatile side dish that goes with just about anything main course you like it!
i like to serve Air fryer salmon or the perfect air fryer chicken breast and a bunch ricewith a bowl next to it pasta all vodkaor even as a healthy snack on its own!
How to store
Air-fried broccoli is best eaten right away, but leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, heat in an air fryer at 350ºF until heated and re-crisp.
More Air Fryer Recipes
More Broccoli Recipes
Air Fryer Broccoli
This Air Fryer Broccoli is a 10-minute recipe for the perfect crispy and tender broccoli. Keep it simple with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, or create it with any seasoning you like. This recipe is quick, versatile, and delicious!
- Preparation time: 00:02
- Cooking time: 00:08
- total time: 00:10
- yield: 2 1X
- category: side dish
- method: Air fryer
- 10 oz Broccoli florets (approx. 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons Oil of choice (I use olive or avocado oil)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Cut the broccoli into fairly even florets.
- Drizzle olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir well.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Add the broccoli to the air fryer basket and cook for 4 minutes.
- Open the air fryer door, toss the broccoli with tongs, and cook for the remaining 4 minutes until you like how tender it is. You can add another minute or two if needed.
- Serve immediately!
notes
- Cooking time may vary slightly depending on your air fryer, so keep an eye on it!
Key words: air fryer broccoli, how to cook broccoli in the air fryer



