Cook this easy air fryer frozen broccoli in a fraction of the time it would take to cook it on the stove or in the oven. The air fryer helps the broccoli florets get a crispy texture and flavor. A perfect side dish for busy weeknights with no prep required!
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I love how you can make perfectly roasted vegetables in the air fryer. I air fry cauliflower and broccoli pretty often and they turn out great. You can roast pretty much any veggie in the air fryer.
Air fryers are also great for heating up all kinds of frozen food. Some easy air fryer recipes include frozen chicken wings, chicken tenders, french fries, fish sticks, and mozzarella sticks.
However, I had never tried out frozen vegetables in the air fryer. I didn’t think frozen broccoli in an air fryer would turn out as well as fresh.
Despite my skepticism, I decided to try it out anyway and was really surprised by the results!
The air fryer broccoli florets ended up with crispy edges and were so flavorful that I found myself popping them in my mouth, one after the other! As a matter of fact, I feel that frozen came out as good as, if not better than, fresh broccoli florets in the air fryer.
I think that cooking the broccoli from frozen prevented them from charring too quickly.
Using frozen broccoli is now one of my favorite ways to serve veggies, especially on busy weeknights!
It is so convenient because it takes almost no time to prep, which makes it an easy side dish! Next time I’m going to try frozen cauliflower.
Tips for Making Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer
For this frozen broccoli air fryer recipe, I definitely recommend that you preheat the air fryer. My Cosori has a preheat button that allows me to preheat the air fryer before putting in the food.
For best results, don’t thaw frozen veggies before air frying. Keep the broccoli frozen until you’re ready to put them in the preheated air fryer.
Add seasoning to the florets while they’re still frozen so that the flavors get absorbed. I like to add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
You may need to adjust the quantity of spice based on your tastes. You can also use your favorite seasonings, such as red pepper flakes, Cajun, or Italian seasoning.
If you wish, sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the roasted broccoli after it’s done cooking. You might need to adjust the quantity of salt in that case, since parmesan is salty too.
Don’t crowd the air fryer basket – place the frozen broccoli florets in a single layer and leave a little bit of space between the broccoli florets to allow the hot air to circulate. If you need to, air fry broccoli in multiple batches.
Serve air fried frozen broccoli as a healthy side dish to pair with pork chops, salmon, or any meal.
Every air fryer will vary. The first time you make this easy recipe for frozen broccoli in the air fryer, monitor and check on them during the cooking process a few minutes before the time is up. Broccoli is done when it’s tender but has a slightly crunchy texture. Adjust the recipe as needed in the future.
FAQS
I like to oil the basket just a bit so the broccoli doesn’t stick. Use olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil. Avocado oil is my favorite due to the high smoke point. You can use an oil spray bottle but try not to use a canned cooking spray because it can ruin the nonstick coating of the basket.
Yes, for best results and even cooking, you should turn the frozen broccoli halfway through cooking.
This air fryer frozen broccoli recipe was tested using a basket air fryer (Cosori) but you should be able to make it in other air fryer models.
If the broccoli isn’t cooked to your liking, cook it for an additional 2 minutes.
If you want crispy broccoli, spray some more oil and air fry it for a couple more minutes of cook time.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
How to Cook Frozen Broccoli in the Air Fryer
- Put the broccoli in a medium mixing bowl.
- Toss the frozen broccoli with olive oil or avocado oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Toss the broccoli florets to mix everything together.
- Add frozen broccoli to the air fryer basket and air fry.
- Halfway through the cooking time, shake the basket the toss the florets.
- Once the broccoli is done cooking, serve this perfect side dish immediately.
See the recipe card below on how to air fry frozen broccoli
Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10.8 oz frozen broccoli (1 bag) appx 300 grams
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions (See Note!)
- Place the empty air fryer basket in the air fryer and preheat at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 minutes. **
- Mix together oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powders in a small bowl.
- Place frozen broccoli florets in a medium mixing bowl. Coat the broccoli with olive oil and spices. Toss the broccoli florets to mix everything together.
- Place the frozen broccoli florets in the air fryer basket, without overcrowding.
- Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit, shaking the basket at the 5 minute mark.
- Transfer to serving bowl and serve immediately.
Notes
- Note: Every air fryer’s cooking time will vary due to wattage, capacity, and other factors. Always check on the food 2 to 3 minutes before the time is up to make sure it’s not burning or overcooking!
* Bird’s Eye Steamfresh broccoli florets were used in this recipe. - Don’t thaw the frozen broccoli before air frying.
- Every air fryer will vary. The first time you make this recipe, monitor the broccoli and adjust the air frying time as needed.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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