Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer
Looking for an easy and quick vegetable side dish? All you need to do is to toss this frozen broccoli in the air fryer to get perfectly seasoned broccoli that is crispy and flavorful in just minutes!
The air fryer is perfect for turning veggies into crispy delicious sides that want you having more! I've made broccoli a number of ways including cooking fresh broccoli in air fryer, roasting broccoli with garlic in oven, and even cooking frozen broccoli on the stove top, but this air fryer frozen broccoli method is the easiest of them all making this my new favorite easy side dish!
Frozen broccoli is budget friendly compared to fresh broccoli, and there is zero prep required! Frozen broccoli is already washed, chopped and blanched - which means it's partially cooked which takes all the time out of prep work!
A win-win in my book!
Table of contents
Why Air Fry Frozen Broccoli?
The air fryer method requires very little oil and helps preserve most of the nutrients in the broccoli, which makes this the easiest side dish that is both delicious and nutritious!
Unlike cooking the broccoli on the stove or roasting it in the oven, the air fryer method makes these broccoli florets have a crispy and a crunchy texture around the edges. The inside of the broccoli is still tender that you can bite into easily.
The perfect way to eat broccoli if you ask me.
Main Ingredients
- Frozen Broccoli Florets: Most of the frozen broccoli florets you see in the grocery aisle are pre blanched so they are ready to go.
- Seasoning Mix: Pre-mixed salted seasoning works great with frozen veggies. I use this shallot and herb seasoning mix that has a mix of shallots, garlic, bell pepper, lemon powder and salt.
- Oil: I use avocado oil for its nutrition and high smoke point. You can also use olive oil as a substitute.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese (Optional): Perfect for topping off air fried broccoli. To make this vegan, use this 4 ingredient vegan parmesan cheese.
Recommended Kitchen Equipment
I used the ninja air fryer 8 in 1 and these came out absolutely delicious.
You also need a good mixing bowl to mix in the frozen broccoli with the seasoning before spreading it out in the air fryer.
How to Air Fry Frozen Broccoli
Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F while you prepare the broccoli.
Step 2: Mix together your frozen broccoli florets with the oil and seasoning. Mix well so that the seasoning is evenly coated across the florets.
Step 3: Spread out the broccoli out on the air fryer tray or basket in a single layer. If making a large quantity, cook in batches. Air fry for 8-10 minutes until the broccoli is crispy on the edges.
Shake the basket or tray half way through so that the florets are cooked evenly across on all sides.
Serve the air fried broccoli with your main dish or enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce like this easy avocado lime ranch dip.
Top Tips for Success
Tip 1: Preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before adding in the broccoli.
Tip 2: Using evenly sized florets will give you evenly crisp and cooked broccoli. I also like to mix in some smaller florets to get a few crispier than others.
Tip 3: Shake the basket half way thorough so that broccoli is cooked across all sides.
Tip 4: Use a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil which work best with air fryers.
Other Ways to Season Your Frozen Broccoli
What I love about Broccoli is the many ways you can season it. Here are some of my favorite ways to season broccoli:
- Make it light and crisp with lemon, pepper and salt
- Mix it in with some cheese (or vegan cheese if you prefer!)
- Make it spicy by adding in red pepper flakes, Sichuan pepper or even some chili oil.
What is your favorite way to season veggies? Let me know if the comment section below!
Other Vegetable Air Fryer Recipes
Can't get enough of air fryer recipes? Try these other veggies that turn out absolutely delicious in the air fryer.
Conclusion
How did you make this recipe? Let me know in the comment section below! If you have any broccoli left over, be sure to check out my soup collection like this vegan broccoli soup or this broccoli cheese soup that is perfect for cozy dinners.
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Recipe Card
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Broccoli Frozen Florets
- 2 teaspoon seasoning seasoning mix includes shallots, garlic, bell pepper, lemon powder and salt
- 2 teaspoon Avocado Oil Olive Oil can be used as a substitute for Avocado Oil
- 1 tablespoon Grated Parmesan Optional
- 1 teaspoon Chili Flakes Optional
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F while you prepare the broccoli.
- Mix together your frozen broccoli florets with the oil and seasoning. Mix well so that the seasoning is evenly coated across the florets.
- Spread out the broccoli out on the air fryer tray or basket in a single layer. If making a large quantity, cook in batches. Air fry for 8-10 minutes until the broccoli is crispy on the edges. Shake the basket or tray half way through so that the florets are cooked evenly across on all sides.
- Serve the air fried broccoli with your main dish or enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Tips for Success
Tip 1: Preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before adding in the broccoli. Tip 2: Using evenly sized florets will give you evenly crisp and cooked broccoli. Tip 3: Shake the basket half way thorough so that broccoli is cooked across all sides. Tip 4: Use a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil which work best with air fryers.Nutrition
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I love air fryer broccoli! As a side dish or even a snack! I don't like olive oil, so I use vegetable oil. For seasoning, my absolute favorite is ranch seasoning. Delicious. I have a question though. Everytime I open frozen veggies they are stuck together and covered in ice. Is it okay to rinse off the ice crystals and then pat it dry before coating? I liked to cook Brussels sprouts the same way, but have the same icy problem.
Yes, absolutely! Rinse in hot water and pat them dry. You can also use avocado oil too if you are not a fan of olive oil.