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Did you know you can make perfect roasted broccoli in your Air Fryer? It’s amazing! You’ll love the deep, caramelized flavor of my crispy air fryer roasted broccoli, lightly seasoned with fresh garlic, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. It’s one of the best side dishes to serve with my oven grilled steak.
The Best Way to Make Crispy Broccoli
For many of us, broccoli has always been synonymous with steamed broccoli, and probably overcooked broccoli! I’ll be honest: Of all the overcooked veggies, overcooked broccoli is the worst! When broccoli is boiled or steamed for too long, it loses its bright green color and natural sweetness, becoming bitter and mushy.
But broccoli that’s cooked correctly is totally different! Fresh and vibrant green, perfectly done broccoli has a crisp-tender texture and lightly sweet flavor similar to English peas. And, if you haven’t tried roasting broccoli in the air fryer… oh my goodness. You’re totally in for a treat! Roasted broccoli can turn even the most determined veggie hater into a veggie lover!
The process of roasting helps bring out depth and sweetness in veggies, even caramelizing them slightly on the edges. Imagine your favorite crispy sautéed onions, but as broccoli! With this recipe, you don’t have to heat up the oven to make this magic happen. It’s easier than ever in an air fryer!
What You’ll Need
You can throw together this simple air fryer broccoli recipe anytime! All you need is fresh broccoli and a few basics like salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
- Broccoli: Just the florets, about four cups’ worth. You can also use frozen broccoli, but thaw and pat dry well before air frying to avoid sogginess.
- Olive Oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons. If you prefer a richer flavor, you can swap it for avocado oil or even melted butter.
- Salt & Pepper: About ¼ teaspoon of each, but feel free to adjust to taste.
- Garlic Powder: A bit of garlic powder makes this dish sing! You can also use minced fresh garlic, but it can burn in the air fryer.
- Lemon Juice: A splash of fresh lemon juice brightens the whole dish. Bottled lemon juice works just as well.
- Parmesan: I use a few tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
How to Roast Broccoli in the Air Fryer
I know a lot of my recipes are easy, but friends, seriously, this one is so easy. I love air fryers because they do (mostly) all the work!
- Prep Air Fryer & Season Broccoli: Preheat your Air Fryer to 375°F. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli florets, oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper; toss to combine.
- Air-Fry Broccoli: Transfer the seasoned broccoli florets to the air fryer basket. Do not crowd the basket! If your basket can’t comfortably hold the broccoli in a single layer, cook the broccoli in batches. Cook for 4 minutes. Shake the basket and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, or until fork tender.
- Top with Lemon & Parm: Pull out the broccoli and place it in a dish. Toss it gently with the lemon juice, and then sprinkle it with the parmesan cheese.
- Enjoy! Air-fried broccoli is best served warm.
Recipe Tips
- No Aerosol: Aerosol sprays and Air Fryers are a no-go. Always use regular oils or sprays without aerosol, because aerosol can damage the Air Fryer.
- Prevent Smoking: To prevent the oil from smoking, add a tablespoon or two of water to the air fryer pan.
- Try Frozen Broccoli: Some cooks report great results using frozen broccoli florets in the Air Fryer, so if you have some on hand, give it a shot! They may not turn out as crispy, but they’ll still be tasty. Make sure to fully cook them as they may need a bit more time than fresh broccoli.
Serving Suggestions
Crispy air fryer broccoli is a versatile side dish, and it’s delicious paired with just about everything, from bourbon steak to a good, creamy shrimp fettuccine pasta.
This delicious chicken paprikash is a traditional recipe that I’m sure you’re going to love. Freshly roasted broccoli sets it off to perfection! The deep flavor of the roasted broccoli works well with rich, yet light pork roast! I also love this recipe for my tasty, tender and juicy pork loin roast.
How to Store and Reheat Air Fryer Broccoli
- Refrigerate. To store your leftovers, just pop them into an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
- To reheat roasted broccoli, bake it at 350˚F until heated through, or air-fry it again for a few minutes. Be careful not to burn the broccoli!
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Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the Air Fryer to 375˚F.
- Season the broccoli. In a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli florets, oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; toss to combine.
- Cook. Transfer the broccoli to the air fryer basket and arrange it in a single layer. Do not crowd the basket; if it’s not large enough to fit all the broccoli at once, cook it in batches. Cook for 4 minutes; shake the basket and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, or until fork tender.
- Finish and serve. Pull out the air-fried broccoli and transfer them to a serving plate. Add lemon juice and gently toss to combine. Top with parmesan cheese, and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- NET CARBS: 5 g
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
I have a emril air fryer so what type of basket should I use the fry basket or bake pan oh it’s the 360 version air fryer
Hi!
I would use the baking tray.
This recipe didn’t disappoint the family. Such an easy and very delicious way to eat broccoli! I can’t wait to try this again!
I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Love how easy it is! Quickly became a favorite side dish at my house!
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Thank YOU! 🙂
This Roasted Broccoli looks fantastic! Wish I have it right now!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Oh my gosh this looks so tasty! I cannot wait to try it!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Tried this recipe and it turned out amazing! The best way to cook broccoli is this, it came out crispy and tasty which is what I wanted. Thank you for sharing another hit.
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This came out super crispy!
Even my kiddos gobbled it up.
I’m happy everyone enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I love making broccoli in my air fryer, but this recipe made it EVEN better! That touch of lemon and garlic is everything!
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂