Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer

Preparing frozen broccoli in the air fryer is super simple and quick! Get crispy broccoli in less than 30 minutes! This versatile recipe works with a variety of spices and toppings. It’s a simple side dish for busy weeknights!

My family is crazy about broccoli! I know that’s a bit unusual since most kids and even many adults are not fans. However, it is the vegetable of choice for everyone around our table.

We keep organic frozen broccoli in our freezer at all times. That way I can pull it out to prepare a vegetable side dish whenever I need it.

Most of the time when people think of preparing frozen vegetables, they imagine there’s only one way to do it, steam. But I’m sharing with you an ultra flavorful and easy way to kick your frozen broccoli up a notch!

Using your air fryer is a quick and easy way to prepare your favorite vegetables like air fryer squash. Now you use it to roast broccoli without having to preheat the oven, or chop fresh broccoli florets! Get the same roasted flavor, without the extra time and effort.

Why This Recipe Works

Quick and Easy: With only 2 minutes of hands-on preparation time, and 20 minutes of cook time, making frozen broccoli in the air fryer takes less time than chopping fresh, and less time preheating the oven. While your broccoli is roasting in the air fryer, you can prepare the rest of your meal with ease!

Crispy and Flavorful: Achieve the same crispy texture, and roasted flavor using frozen broccoli!

Versatile: Add your favorite herbs and spices. I kept this recipe simple with a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can make it spicy by adding some cayenne, or give it a unique flavor with curry powder!

This recipe is vegan-friendly, dairy-free, and gluten-free. It also complies with low-carb diets such as Keto, Paleo, and Whole30.

Ingredients and Notes

Bag of Frozen Broccoli: I recommend using organic broccoli. I have found that non-organic frozen broccoli is of lower quality. You end up with a lot of cut stems, and smaller florets. Whereas, organic frozen broccoli is all florets that are a decent size.

Spices: Be creative here! I used simple salt, pepper, and garlic powder, but don’t limit yourself. Use what you like!

Olive Oil: Many recipes will tell you to spray your air fryer with cooking spray. I do not recommend using cooking spray for any air fryer recipes. Over time cooking spray can damage the enamel inside your air fryer. The harsh chemicals in aerosol cans are too much for your air fryer to handle. Instead, use a small amount of oil. I recommend using an oil with a high smoke point such as olive oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Place the frozen broccoli in a large bowl. Do not defrost the broccoli first. Add the olive oil, and toss. Then add the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and any additional seasonings you choose. Toss to evenly coat the broccoli with the spices.

Step 3: Add the broccoli florets to the pre-heated air fryer basket. It’s okay if they overlap a bit.

Step 4: Cook for 10 minutes at 400 F. Shake the basket, and cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until desired crispiness is reached. Enjoy!

Recipe FAQS

Expert Tips

• Do not defrost the broccoli.
• Use this same method to cook other types of frozen veggies in the air fryer.
• Try to keep the broccoli in a single layer in the air fryer basket. It’s okay if they overlap a little, but don’t stack them on top of one another. This will ensure that they get brown and crispy on all sides.
• Cook the broccoli to your preferred doneness. If you like it super crispy and brown it may need more time. If not, you may only need 10-15 minutes of cook time total.
• Use aluminum foil in your air fryer for easy clean-up.

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