With minimal prep & just 8 minutes of cooking you can make the best Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli. Learn how to cook frozen broccoli in air fryer; crispy at the edges and deliciously seasoned with olive oil and lemon pepper. A great easy side dish for any protein!
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This easy recipe is one of my favorite ways to make broccoli whenever I don't have fresh broccoli around - it's a delicious, healthy side dish that's sure to become a staple in your house.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's the best way to cook frozen broccoli
- Quicker than boiled or oven roasted broccoli
- Super easy and done in 6-8 minutes + 5 minutes of preheating
- Similar to steamed broccoli but with a bit of crisp at the edges
- Perfect pairing of broccoli and lemon flavors
- Low carb, gluten free, keto, paleo and vegan - so it will suit most diets
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes
- Lemon pepper can be substituted for other seasonings. See suggestions below under "variations".
- Olive oil can be substituted for another type of oil or cooking spray
Can I make this without oil?
Yes, you can make this without oil - but I recommend using at least a little bit of oil. A great way to use less oil is to just spray or brush the air fryer basket with oil before adding the broccoli.
Without oil the broccoli might stick to the basket, and you will loose a bit of that nicely browned crisp.
How to cook frozen broccoli in air fryer
- Place the frozen broccoli florets in a bowl and pour over the olive oil
- Mix well
- Season with lemon pepper or the seasoning of your choice
- Mix again
- Place broccoli in a preheated air fryer basket
- Air fry for 3-4 minutes at 390°F (200°C), then shake them around a bit and air fry for 3-4 minutes more
- Make sure they are done, then serve immediately!
Tips & tricks
- Don't defrost the broccoli, cook it straight from frozen
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket - you don't need to cook them in a single layer, but make sure there's still some air around and don't fill the basket all the way up
- For the crispiest broccoli, cook in a single layer, and drain the water from the bottom of the air fryer halfway
- Shake the broccoli around halfway for an even cook
- Cook time can vary with different air fryers
- Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure they are done - frozen food should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (73°C)
Recipe FAQ
Find the answer to even more of your Air Fryer questions in my complete Air Fryer FAQ.
You can totally stack the veggies for this recipe, but make sure to not overcrowd your air fryer basket and shake the broccoli around at least once while cooking.
No, you can't properly steam broccoli in an air fryer - but thanks to the high water content of frozen broccoli this recipe comes very close!
Recipe variations
This air fryer broccoli is a great side dish just as it is, but you can also change it up with different veggies & seasonings.
- Broccoli & cauliflower: They have similar cook times, so you can mix in some cauliflower with the broccoli as well.
- Italian broccoli: season with Italian spice mix, or just use dried basil and garlic powder
- Spicy broccoli: season with red pepper flakes
- Lemony broccoli: add a squeeze of lemon juice
- Cheesy broccoli: season with salt & pepper, then sprinkle over parmesan cheese after cooking, while the broccoli is still hot
- Asian broccoli mixed with Gyoza sauce
Serving suggestions
Frozen broccoli cooked in the air fryer is a great side dish for almost any protein. Some of my favorite dishes to serve it with are:
- Baked salmon: lemon pepper salmon, teriyaki salmon and furikake salmon all go great with it - as does air fryer salmon
- Duck with orange sauce
- Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp
- Air Fryer Orange Chicken and Orange Ginger Whole Chicken
Storage and reheating
Storing leftovers: This broccoli is best consumed immediately after cooking, but you can store in in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing leftovers: You can freeze leftovers, but it won't be as good after thawing.
Reheating leftovers: Reheat leftovers in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 390°F (200°C).
More quick & easy air fryer vegetable recipes
Looking for more quick & easy recipes for air fryer veggies?
- Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Complete guide to air frying frozen vegetables
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...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
Print RateIngredients
- 3 cups frozen broccoli
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or another type of oil / cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
Instructions
- Pour the oil over the frozen broccoli and mix well. Then season with lemon pepper and mix again.3 cups frozen broccoli, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp lemon pepper
- Air fry at 390°F (200°C) for 3-4 minutes, then shake them around and air fry for 3-4 more minutes. Check if they are done (if not - add more time) then serve!
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Notes
Storing leftovers: This broccoli is best consumed immediately after cooking, but you can store in in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezing leftovers: You can freeze leftovers, but it won't be as good after thawing. Reheating leftovers: Reheat leftovers in the air fryer * for 3-4 minutes at 390°F (200°C).
Tips & tricks
- Don't defrost the broccoli, cook it straight from frozen
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket - you don't need to cook them in a single layer, but make sure there's still some air around and don't fill the basket all the way up
- For the crispiest broccoli cook in a single layer, and drain the water from the bottom of the air fryer * halfway
- Shake the broccoli around halfway for an even cook
- Cook time can vary with different air fryers
- Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure they are done - frozen food should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (73°C)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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