This air fried broccoli is the easiest broccoli recipe you’ll ever make! It takes just a couple minutes of prep and 15 minutes in the air fryer. Boom—healthy vegan side dish served! Read on to see how to make it, what to serve it with, and some fun facts about broccoli.
Are you a broccoli lover or hater? It seems like there’s no middle ground, dividing those who enjoy the green florets and those who would rather eat dirt. Let’s take the fight out of dinner and make it effortless to love your veggies. Even kids will love gobble them up with this simple preparation!
This easy air fryer broccoli is my go-to solution when I don’t know what to make for dinner. The florets come out of the gloriously golden brown, crisp, and tender all the way though. It’s hard to resist eating them all straight out of the basket, but they’re also a fantastic addition to all sorts of meals, other recipes, and a delicious side dish on their own. If you’d like to add a bit of extra protein and make it into more of a meal than a side, how about adding some tasty tempeh chunks made in the air fryer too? So good!
Anything goes with this versatile vegetable, but if you need some more inspiration, here are a few excellent ideas for making the most of your work:
Broccoli – When buying fresh, look for crowns with tight and compact florets that are bright green. Anything soft or yellowed is past its prime.
Toasted sesame oil – Made from cold pressed, lightly roasted sesame seeds, this oil has a very strong, distinctively nutty flavor that really shines here. A little bit goes a long way.
Garlic powder – Easier to use than whole garlic, you’ll get much more even distribution of flavor by using this finely ground, dehydrated garlic powder.
Red pepper flakes – For just a gentle kick of heat without a serious burn, a tiny pinch of crushed red pepper flakes does wonders. If you’d rather play it safe, you can always use regular ground black pepper instead, too.
Wash and thoroughly dry your veggies. Give the broccoli a good rinse under room temperature water to get rid of any residual dirt, and make sure to dry it off before with a clean kitchen towel before proceeding. A little residual moisture is fine, but if it’s still wet when it goes in the air fryer, it won’t get brown and crisp.
Don’t be afraid of salt. Bland broccoli is the worst, so salt generously before cooking, and then more to taste, after it’s done.
Cut your florets to the same size. Similar-sized pieces will cook at a similar rate, preventing smaller ones from burning before larger ones become tender.
Don’t crowd the basket. If the florets are too close together, they will steam rather than brown and crisp. Make sure to spread your florets in an even layer with a little space in between.
Don’t toss the stalk. Chop it and roast it right along with the florets or save it to make soup. It’s still full of flavor and nutrition!
No problem! Just bake in a conventional oven at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, leftovers will last for up to 5 days.
Absolutely! You may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer basket, or use two separate racks if you have an oven-type model, rotating them halfway through.
The results will be a bit softer overall, but in a pinch, frozen broccoli can work. No need to thaw before using.
You can easily substitute cauliflower, broccolini, romesco, or broccoli raab.
While you won’t get that same nutty flavor, you can use any other oil you prefer, such as olive oil, avocado oil, or rice bran oil, just for starters.
We all know that broccoli is an everyday superfood, but what exactly makes it so good for us? There’s a long list of vitamins and nutrients to be found in every serving:
Hope you enjoy this recipe for how to make air fried broccoli! Food photography by JJ Steele. Please note that this article may contain affiliate links which supports our work at World of Vegan.
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looks so good! air fryer food fun
This cooked perfectly in my air fryer. Thank you for the recipe!
Broccoli comes out amazing in the air fryer! I wish I had this recipe a long time ago. Makes me love broccoli even more now 😀
love that this is in the air fryer! so easy and delicious!
Love an easy way to make broccoli!