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With minimal prep & just 8 minutes of cooking you can make the best Air Fryer * Frozen Broccoli. A little bit 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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There's nothing quite like crispy broccoli edges - so flavorful and delicious, you can't really believe it's good for you.
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 - thanks to the circulating hot air & excess water ending up in the bottom of the air fryer *
- 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. Some of my favorite seasonings are:
- Dried basil
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper
- Dried red pepper flakes
- A bit of lemon zest and/or lemon juice
- Parmesan cheese sprinkled over at the end
- Olive oil can be substituted for another type of oil, for example canola oil
How to Cook Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer
- Place the frozen broccoli florets in a bowl and pour over the olive oil
- Mix well - the easiest way is to use your hands
- Season with lemon pepper
- 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
- Preheat the air fryer * for the very best results
- Don't defrost the broccoli, cook it straight from frozen
- Switch it up with different seasonings - choose whatever suits your taste the best
- 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
- Shake the broccoli around halfway for an even cook
- Adjust cook time depending on the amount of broccoli - if you cook more broccoli at once, it will take longer
- 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)
- Mix with other frozen vegetables - you can cook broccoli together with other veggies with similar cook times, like cauliflower. You can also check out my complete guide to cooking frozen veggies in your air fryer.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days - but this broccoli is best consumed immediately after air frying
Recipe FAQ
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.
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!
Cooking frozen broccoli in an air fryer takes 6-8 minutes.
Yes, it's better to cook broccoli from frozen than to thaw it first. This is true for most cooking methods including air frying, steaming and boiling.
What to serve it with
Not sure what to serve with your air fryer frozen broccoli? Here are some of my favorites!
- Lemon Pepper Salmon
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders
- Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken
- Air Fryer Shrimp with Garlic & Parsley
More quick & easy air fryer vegetable recipes
Here are some of my other favorite recipes for cooking veggies in the air fryer:
- Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
Print RateInstructions
- Pour the oil over the frozen broccoli and mix well. Then season with lemon pepper and mix again.3 cups frozen broccoli, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon 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 needed for this recipe
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Lemon pepper can be substituted for other seasonings like dried basil, salt and pepper, dried red pepper flakes, or Parmesan cheese sprinkled over at the end
- Olive oil can be substituted for another type of oil, for example canola oil
Tips & tricks
- Preheat the air fryer for the very best results
- Don't defrost the broccoli, cook it straight from frozen
- Switch it up with different seasonings - choose whatever suits your taste the best
- 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
- Shake the broccoli around halfway for an even cook
- Adjust cook time depending on the amount of broccoli - if you cook more broccoli at once, it will take longer
- 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)
- Mix with other frozen vegetables - you can cook broccoli together with other veggies with similar cook times, like cauliflower. You can also check out my complete guide to cooking frozen veggies in your air fryer.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days - but this broccoli is best consumed immediately after air frying
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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