Frozen Broccoli in the Air Fryer
Frozen broccoli in the air fryer is one of the easiest side dishes you can make on a busy night. Just toss frozen broccoli with a little oil and salt, throw it in the air fryer, and in about 15 minutes you have broccoli that’s tender in the middle with crispy, charred edges that add so much flavor. It’s simple, hands-off, and one of the best ways to make frozen vegetables actually taste exciting.
I’ve been relying on easy recipes like this a lot lately because cooking burnout is real, and frozen vegetables are one of my favorite shortcuts when I just don’t have the energy to prep ingredients from scratch. No chopping, no washing produce, no extra dishes. Just a bag of frozen broccoli and an air fryer. Recipes like this are proof that making vegetables at home doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to still taste really good.
If you’re looking for more easy vegetable side dishes, I also have recipes for air fryer frozen asparagus, air fryer frozen green beans, air fryer frozen cauliflower, air fryer broccoli and cauliflower, and more. Air fryer vegetables are one of my favorite cooking shortcuts because they make it so easy to get a flavorful veggie side dish on the table fast.
How to cook frozen broccoli in air fryer
Add frozen broccoli to the air fryer basket, trying to make as much of a single layer as possible.
*Note if you see any very large florets, I do recommend cutting them into smaller pieces so they cook evenly.Spray with avocado oil and sprinkle salt. Cook at 390F for 16 minutes. After 10 minutes of cooking, pause the air fryer and use tongs to flip the broccoli so that it doesn’t burn at the top. Shake the basket again with just 2 minutes left on the timer. 
Serve hot.
Easy Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen broccoli florets
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- avocado oil spray or olive oil spray
Instructions
- Dump the frozen broccoli in the basket of the air fryer. Try to make a single layer if possible.1 pound frozen broccoli florets
- Spray the broccoli with the avocado oil or olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt.½ teaspoon sea salt, avocado oil spray or olive oil spray
- Set the air fryer to 390F for 16 minutes.
- After the broccoli has cooked for 10 minutes (6 minutes remaining on the air fryer cook time), pause the air fryer and remove the basket.
- Carefully flip the broccoli over with tongs or a spatula so that it doesn't burn on one side.
- Place the basket back in the air fryer and resume cooking time.
- With about 2 minutes left cooking (cooking for 14 minutes total), shake the basket. You may want to check to see if there are small pieces that need to be removed.
Equipment
Recipe Notes
- Cut very large florets if needed – Smaller, evenly sized broccoli florets will cook more evenly in the air fryer.
- No need to thaw the broccoli – Frozen broccoli releases water as it cooks, which helps steam and tenderize the broccoli while the edges get crispy.
- Cook in a mostly single layer – Try to spread the broccoli out as much as possible so it crisps instead of steaming.
- Shake the basket often if overcrowded – If the broccoli overlaps, shake the basket a few times during cooking, especially near the end.
- Watch closely during the last few minutes – Small florets can start getting very crispy around the edges during the final 2–3 minutes.
- For extra crispy broccoli – Cook the broccoli for an additional 1–3 minutes, removing any smaller florets that are already getting dark around the edges. Depending on your air fryer, the total cooking time will usually be around 17–19 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Other seasoning ideas
You can easily change up the flavor of this air fryer broccoli with different spice blends and seasonings:
- Add ½ tablespoon taco seasoning
- Add 1–2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
- Add 1–2 teaspoons Italian seasoning plus ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Add 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Add ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- Add ½ teaspoon garlic powder and toss with chopped sun-dried tomatoes after cooking
These are all easy ways to make frozen broccoli feel a little different without adding extra work.
