Crispy and delicious, Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli is a perfect way to spruce up frozen veggies. All you need are frozen broccoli florets, olive oil, and seasoning for this easy weeknight side dish. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly.

cooked air fryer frozen broccoli in a serving dish.

Frozen veggies are a useful staple in our household and are a great way to eat more veggies. If you struggle with meal planning, you know you can always count on a bag of frozen vegetables as a healthy side dish.

Frozen broccoli is generally more affordable than fresh broccoli and they don’t perish in a few days (see more of my tips for eating clean on a budget).

One of my favorite ways to cook frozen broccoli is in the air fryer. The edges get crispy while the inside stays tender. It’s an easy side dish that cooks in a lot less time than in the regular oven. Air frying is my go-to cooking method for making crispy florets.

Why You Need This Recipe

  • This easy recipe is ready in 15 minutes! It’s the best way to cook frozen veggies in a fraction of the time.
  • Frozen vegetables can get soggy if cooked incorrectly. The air fryer is a foolproof way to cook them.
  • Everyone usually loves crispy broccoli. Plus, this Air Fryer Broccoli recipe is gluten-free, low carb, paleo, dairy-free, Whole30, and keto friendly. You can customize it with different seasonings like salt, nutritional yeast, black pepper, onion powder, or parmesan cheese.
  • Broccoli is one of the healthiest foods you can eat and is on my list of the best green vegetables. Plus, you can save money by buying frozen produce as opposed to fresh produce.

Key Ingredients

ingredients for air fryer frozen broccoli.
  • Frozen broccoli florets are all you need for this recipe. Look for florets and not “cuts” or else you will end up with lots of stem pieces. If you don’t mind the stems, then cuts will work fine too. Broccoli is one of the healthiest veggies you can eat and it’s also a great source of vitamin C.
  • Olive oil helps the seasonings adhere to the broccoli and crisp up the outsides during the cooking process. You can use whatever cooking oil you like including an olive oil spray or avocado oil. See my list of the safest cooking oils.
  • Salt, pepper, & garlic powder are all you need to season up this broccoli for plenty of flavor.

Please see the full recipe card at the end of this post for the exact measurements.

Recipe Steps

Step One

seasoned broccoli in a bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together all of the ingredients.

For best results, use frozen broccoli, not defrosted frozen broccoli.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Two

Transfer the mixture to your air fryer basket.

Try to arrange the florets in a single layer.

broccoli in the air fryer.

Step Three

Set the temperature to 360 degrees Fahrenheit with a cook time of 8 minutes.

cooked broccoli in the air fryer.

Step Four

Stop and toss the broccoli once during cooking to make sure all of them cook and get crispy.

Serve and enjoy!

I hope you love this perfect side dish that is perfect for busy weeknights. The crispy texture is the best part and goes with almost any main dish.

cooked broccoli ready to serve in white dish.

Recipe Tips

  • Some air fryer models needs to be preheated. Please refer to the owner’s manual of your particular model to see if you need to preheat it before using.
  • Feel free to use whatever seasonings you like. You can also add red pepper flakes or Italian seasoning.
  • You don’t need to defrost the broccoli before cooking. In fact it’s better to keep it frozen. You can also see my recipe for how to roast frozen broccoli in an oven, if you prefer.

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to coat the broccoli with oil?

In order for the broccoli to crisp up while it cooks, it needs to be coated in some oil. The oil will also prevent the broccoli from burning. You can use whichever oil you prefer and have on hand.

More Air Fryer Recipes You Might Like

Or, check out my entire index of gluten-free air fryer recipes.

Don’t Miss These Air Fryer Resources!

Air Fryer Versus Deep Fryer (Full Comparison)

45+ Healthy Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners

Air Fryer Pros and Cons

8 Air Fryers Under $100 (Reviewed)

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
air fryer frozen broccoli

Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli (3-Ingredients)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

Print Recipe

Crispy and delicious, Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli is a perfect way to spruce up frozen veggies. All you need are frozen broccoli florets, olive oil, and seasoning for this easy weeknight side dish. Vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly.

  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 16–ounce bag frozen broccoli florets (about 3 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the frozen broccoli, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
  2. Transfer the mixture to your air fryer basket.
  3. Set the temperature to 360°F for 8 minutes.
  4. Stop and toss the broccoli florets once during the cooking process.
  5. Serve hot.

Notes

  1. Some air fryer models needs to be preheated. Please refer to the owner’s manual of your particular model to see if you need to preheat it before using.
  2. Feel free to use whatever seasonings you like. You can also add red pepper flakes or Italian seasoning.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 59
  • Sugar: 1.4 g
  • Sodium: 316.4 mg
  • Fat: 3.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 5.3 g
  • Fiber: 3.2 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Don’t forget to join my newsletter list to get exclusive clean eating recipes and tips. The newsletter is 100% free with no spam; unsubscribe anytime.

About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is a certified holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.