Veggies don't have to be boring! This Crispy Air Fryer Vegetables Recipe (from Frozen) is so delicious and perfectly spiced, that you'll end up wanting more! Just toss frozen vegetables in the air fryer, and presto, delicious air fryer veggies in no time. Check out the recipe below!
Veggies, when done right are super tasty, but are time consuming in the oven. That's why I love air fryer frozen vegetables, especially when crisp. They're quick, easy, and just as delicious.
The air fryer is a magician's device and is perfect for a quick and easy meals. I've tried everything from frozen asparagus and broccoli to zucchini, and guess what? They all turn out great! I've even made air fryer carrots. So, if you're like me and want your veggies fast, give the air fryer a try!
Table of contents
Why you’ll love these air fryer vegetables
- It's Quick and Convenient: Air frying frozen veggies is super fast, cutting down cooking time drastically. No more waiting forever for your veggies to cook! Perfect for those busy days when you want a healthy meal in a snap.
- Healthy Cooking Method: Air frying does not use much oil or butter, making these veggies much healthier, yet still retaining that taste. You still get that yummy crispy texture without all the extra fat. It's a win-win for your taste buds and your health!
- Evenly Cooked: As the hot air in an air fryer swirls around, your frozen vegetables in the air fryer are evenly cooked on all sides. You get crispy, delicious veggies every time. It's like veggie magic!
- Preserves Nutrients: Because air frying is so quick, it helps keep more of the good stuff in your veggies. Longer cooking methods can zap out nutrients, but not with the air fryer. You'll get more of the vitamins and minerals packed into every bite.
- Versatility: You can toss pretty much any frozen vegetables in air fryer and it’ll come out great. It is perfect for mixed vegetables or standalone side dishes like Broccoli, zucchini. You name it, the air fryer can handle it.
- Consistent Results: Air fryers give you the same great results every time with no flip or turning over the vegetables. You can set the time and they are always cooked to perfection. It makes cooking stress-free and fun!
Ingredients
Frozen Vegetables: This is the star of our show here, without them, we would have no recipe! You can experiment with lots of different vegetables here. I've found that the best types of vegetables that work great in the air fryer are cauliflower, broccoli florets, squash, green beans, peppers and carrots.
Choose evenly sized cut frozen vegetables so that when you toss them into the air fryer, they cook evenly across the board. Just know that some smaller pieces (especially broccoli florets) tend to get more crispier than the other vegetables.
Olive Oil or Ghee: While you can use olive oil as a vegan alternative, i've found that melted butter or ghee can give a nice buttery taste and packs an extra crunch.
Salt & Pepper: Use for seasoning. For each serving of vegetables (1 cup approximately), i use ¼ teaspoon of salt. I use the same amount of pepper, but you can adjust as needed.
Lemon: You can use freshly cut lemon (½ lemon) to add a citrus flavor which i've found brings out an extra kick in these crispy vegetables.
Spices: What is great about this recipe is that you can level up or down in spice intensity to bring out the flavor you desire. I've used ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon of 5 spice powder (found in many asian grocery stores). The 5 spice powder includes a nice mix of cassia, fennel, coriander, clove, star anise and celery.
Equipment
I used the Gourmia Air Fryer Oven for this recipe which has a lot of great preset options
Instructions
Mix the frozen vegetables with ghee, butter or olive oil (1-2 tbsp) so that the veggies are coated well. Add in the salt, pepper and the spice powders so that they mix well before tossing them into the air fryer. You can also squeeze a little bit of lemon so the lemon flavor is infused into the vegetables while cooking.
If you have the option, you can pre-heat the air fryer to 390 degrees. Once it's ready, toss the vegetables evenly across the air fryer so there is no overlap. Fry for 7-8 mins until the veggies are crispy.
Squeeze additional lemon for taste.
Best ways to serve air fryer veggies
These veggies are the perfect side to go with your main dish or with rice. Check out our easy flavorful rice dishes that go perfectly with these veggies:
Additional Tips
- Best vegetables to use in air fryer: A good mix veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, peppers, squash and asparagus work really well in air fryer. Avoid leafy greens such as spinach or kale particularly because they are so light and can blow around in the air fryer.
- Spread the vegetables evenly: Don't crowd the basket. Spreading the vegetables across the basket helps cook them evenly. If you are making a large meal, batch the vegetables in 2 or 3 cycles. For each subsequent cycle, decrease the time by 1 minute.
- Size of cut vegetables: Sometimes, with frozen vegetables, you get a mix of small and big pieces. That is okay as long as you know that the small pieces might turn out extra crispy. If you want the same level of crispiness, try using the same sized florets and pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, thawing is not needed. You can directly toss in the seasoned frozen vegetables in the fryer and still get them nice and crispy in 8 minutes!
Yes, you can place the vegetables on the foil. Use larger cut vegetables such as cauliflower to hold down the foil while in the air fryer.
You can use olive oil, butter or ghee to mix in the vegetables before tossing them in the fryer.
Recipe Card
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer I used the Gourmia Air Fryer for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cups Frozen Vegetables
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper white pepper works best
- ¼ teaspoon garlic
- ¼ teaspoon 5 spice powder use any spice powder available to you
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees. Set up your ingredients
- Mix the frozen vegetables with ghee, butter or olive oil so that the veggies are coated well. Add in the salt, pepper and the spice powders so that they mix well before tossing them into the air fryer. You can also squeeze a little bit of lemon so the lemon flavor is infused into the vegetables while cooking
- Spread evenly across the basket
- Fry for 7-8 minutes. If you need to increase the level of crispiness, add in additional minute
- Garnish with additional lemon juice if needed
Notes
- Avoid leafy greens such as spinach or kale particularly because they are so light and can blow around in the air fryer.
- Don't crowd the basket. Spreading the vegetables across the basket helps cook them evenly.
- If you want similar level of crispiness, try using the same sized florets and pieces of frozen vegetables.
Sara
Crunchy colorful veggies