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Any vegetable in the air fryer is the greatest thing since sliced bread! It’s one of my favorite ways to cook green veggies, and broccoli 🥦 is no exception. Air fryer broccoli is crisp and tender–the perfect texture that’s not soggy or limp. If you love this recipe, you must try my air fryer broccolini, asparagus, and green beans!
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe
The air fryer makes getting a green vegetable on the dinner table so fast and easy! It’s a game changer, especially in a busy house like mine. I rely on this powerful appliance weekly since it perfectly cooks veggies in half the time that the oven takes.
🥦 Broccoli Ingredients
- Broccoli: Break up the head of broccoli with your hands into your bite-size florets or cut it with a sharp knife.
- Avocado Oil to spray on the broccoli to improve the taste and texture
- Seasoning: Onion and garlic powder, everything bagel seasoning
- Water: Adding a little water to the air fryer basket steams the broccoli so it doesn’t dry out and prevents it from smoking.
- Lemon Juice to finish off the broccoli with a burst of bright citrus
👩🍳 How to Make Air Fryer Broccoli
- Season Broccoli: Put the water at the bottom of the air fryer and then add the broccoli. Spray it with oil and sprinkle with all three seasonings.
- How Long to Cook Broccoli in Air Fryer: Air fry broccoli for six minutes at 400℉. Squeeze with fresh lemon juice before serving.
📹 Watch me make this easy air fryer broccoli recipe here.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t have an air fryer, roast broccoli on a sheet pan in the oven at 400℉ for 20 to 25 minutes.
- If you’re looking to buy a new air fryer, I currently have and love the Wonder Oven air fryer from Our Place.
🗒 Variations
- 🧀 Cheese: Top the hot broccoli with grated parmesan or manchego.
- 🌶️ Heat Level: Sprinkle broccoli with cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.
- 🌿 Other Seasonings: Switch up the flavors by adding dried herbs or paprika.
- 🍋 More Lemon: Zest the veggies with lemon zest before serving.
🗒 Substitutions
- Vegetables: Swap broccoli with cauliflower.
- Oil: Substitute olive oil.
- Everything Bagel is a blend of salt, pepper, poppy and sesame seeds, and dried onion and garlic. If you don’t have it but do have the individual components, make your own. You can also use another seasoning salt, or just salt and pepper.
- Acid: Replace lemon juice with vinegar, like apple cider or balsamic.
🍽️ Best served with
Broccoli is fantastic with so many dishes. Here are some of my favorites:
- 🍝 Pasta dishes like this high-protein pasta with cottage cheese, sheet pan lasagna, or baked pasta
- 🍗 Any protein, like chicken, steak, or salmon with a side of mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or rice
- 🥣 Grain bowls with rice or quinoa, chicken or shrimp, other veggies, and dressing
👝 How to Store Broccoli
Store leftover broccoli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four days. Microwave or air fry the vegetables until warm.
🤔 Common Questions
The water is the real trick for the best air fryer broccoli. It helps the broccoli steam while it cooks, preventing it from burning before it gets tender.
Yes, this healthy air-fried broccoli is packed with nutrition, including fiber and vitamins C, K, and folate. Plus, air frying requires minimal oil, so the broccoli is still low in calories and fat.
Air Fryer Broccoli
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 bag or 1 head of broccoli
- 2 tablespoons water (for steam effect and no smoke when air frying)
- Avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning
- ½ lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Break the broccoli up into bite-size pieces. It helps it to crisp on all sides.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the air fryer. Place the broccoli in the basket.
- Spray it with avocado oil, and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, and everything bagel seasoning.
- Air fry at 400℉ for 6 minutes. Once done, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top.
