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A tasty veggie side dish that goes from freezer to table in no time at all, this air fryer frozen broccoli is a total hit with the whole family. Lightly seasoned then crisped to perfection using a quick and easy method. What could be better?

Previously frozen broccoli florets, resting in an air fryer basket after being cooked until some spots are dark brown and crisp.

🥦 What Makes This Recipe So Good

The air fryer cooks frozen broccoli florets to crisp, browned perfection! Cooking broccoli has seriously never been so easy. You don’t even need to defrost the florets first. The air fryer’s faster than the oven, and the broccoli won’t turn to mush like they would in the microwave. Plus there’s basically no prep. It’s great!
The seasonings are totally customizable! Southwest, cajun, or Italian seasoning would be delicious. Or, match it with whatever main course you’re planning for a perfect pairing. However you decide to season this broccoli, it’s sure to pair perfectly with any meal you have planned.
Air fryer frozen broccoli is the perfect side dish to any meal. Whether you’ve got a busy weeknight, or just want a quick and healthy side, just grab your veggies and toss them in the air fryer.

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s Tips

Every air fryer behaves differently, so go by the look of your broccoli rather than my specific cook times! Pause your cooking every so often to check how done the broccoli is. This recipe’s written so you end up with crispy, browned air fryer frozen broccoli. If you don’t like your broccoli that done, though, then stop cooking it when it’s as done as you like!
My cook times are based on cooking two 12-ounce bags of frozen broccoli florets. If you’re not cooking that much broccoli at one time, you’ll need to adjust your cook time accordingly! 12 ounces of broccoli won’t need to cook as long as 24 ounces of broccoli would. Start checking on them after 5 minutes rather than 10 to make sure you don’t overcook them!

Air fryer frozen broccoli with crisp brown spots piled on parchment paper.

🍴More Air Fryer Recipes We Love

Recipe By: Cheryl Malik

Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

Prep 10

Cook 20

Total 30

This easy air fryer method is one of my favorite ways to cook frozen broccoli. Super quick with foolproof results!

4 servings

Equipment

air fryer
large mixing bowl
Silicone spatula

Ingredients

For the Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

▢ 2 12-ounce bags frozen broccoli florets 24 ounces total, not defrosted
▢ 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Serving Suggestions (All Optional)

▢ grated fresh parmesan
▢ lemon zest

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit.
Add 2 12-ounce bags frozen broccoli florets to large mixing bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon avocado oil over broccoli, then add 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Stir or toss to fully coat florets in oil and seasonings.
Transfer broccoli to air fryer basket and spread florets out evenly across basket. Return basket to preheated air fryer.
Air fry broccoli 10 minutes, then pause air fryer and remove basket. Shake basket gently to toss and flip florets, then return basket to air fryer.
Air fry broccoli 5 minutes, then check doneness. Continue air frying as needed, checking doneness every 60 seconds, until broccoli is browned and crispy.
Once broccoli is ready, remove basket from air fryer. Immediately sprinkle grated fresh parmesan and lemon zest onto broccoli florets if desired. Serve immediately.

Cook Time: Exact cook times will vary from one air fryer to another. If you’re cooking less than 24 ounces of broccoli, you’ll want to reduce the cook time to accommodate, as less broccoli will cook much faster. Shake the basket and check the doneness of the broccoli for the first time at 5 minutes (instead of 10), then every 60 seconds after.
Keep it Dairy Free: Use a dairy-free parmesan or skip it entirely.
Keep it Whole30: Skip the optional parmesan and do not replace it with any parmesan alternatives.
Keep it Paleo: Use a paleo-friendly parmesan alternative or skip it entirely.

Flavor Variations

Neutral oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper
Neutral oil, minced garlic, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper
Neutral oil, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and pepper
Neutral oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper, finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Neutral oil, minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and pepper, finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of lemon zest
Neutral oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 44calProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 592mgPotassium: 102mgTotal Carbs: 3gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gNet Carbs: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 0.3mg