Air Fryer Broccoli - Love and Lemons (2024)

Serve this air fryer broccoli as a side dish, or add it to your next grain bowl. It has perfect crispy edges and a savory garlic flavor. You're going to love it!

Every time I make this air fryer broccoli, I wish I’d doubled the recipe. It’s so simple, but something about the combination of the broccoli’s crisp edges and savory, salty seasoning makes it completely addictive. Even if I intend to serve it as a side dish or add it to a grain bowl, I find myself eating it straight out of the air fryer basket. It’s that good!

Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe Ingredients

To make this recipe, you’ll need these simple ingredients:

• Broccoli, of course! You’ll just need the florets for this recipe. If your broccoli has a long stalk attached, save it for another use, like making broccoli rice.
• Extra-virgin olive oil – It helps the broccoli become tender as it cooks. Don’t skimp on it – without enough oil, the broccoli will burn instead of browning.
• And tamari and garlic powder – The secret ingredients! They fill the broccoli florets with savory, umami flavor.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Toss the broccoli with the oil, tamari, and garlic powder, and arrange it in a single layer in the air fryer basket.

Transfer to the air fryer, and cook at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender and crisp around the edges. I like to flip my florets halfway through the cook time so that they brown evenly on all sides. That’s it!

Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe Tips

• Bigger is better.The first time I cooked broccoli in the air fryer, I didn’t think much about the size of the florets. Some were bigger; some were smaller. But when I tried it, I realized that the bigger florets had come out better. The small florets had browned on top before the stalk became fully tender. By the time it wastender, the tips of the florets had burned. So keep your florets on the large side! Bigger florets need more time to crisp up on top, so they cook more evenly in the air fryer.
• Coat it well.In order for the broccoli to come out with tender stalks and crispy tops, it needs to be well-coated in the oil and tamari. Use your hands to work them into the tops of the broccoli florets – you don’t want any part of the broccoli to remain dry!
• You might need to work in batches. If your air fryer basket is too crowded, the broccoli florets will steam and soften instead of crisping up as they cook. Ideally, they’ll fit in a single layer with a little space around each one. If they don’t, go ahead and work in batches. The crispier results will be worth the extra time!

Serving Suggestions

The simplest way to serve this air fryer broccoli (aside from straight from the basket…) is as a side dish. Garnish it with red pepper flakes for heat, or top it off with toasted sesame seeds for crunch. It’s also fantastic with drizzles of a punchy sauce on top. I love it with my gochujang sauce, peanut sauce, or sesame ginger dressing.

The air fried broccoli would pair nicely with all kinds of main dishes, but I especially love it with this Crispy Sesame Tofu. Complete the meal with some cilantro lime rice!

If I’m not serving this air fryer broccoli as a side, I typically add it to a grain bowl or noodle bowl. Try tossing it into these Cashew Broccoli Soba Noodles, these Sesame Soba Noodles, or this Veggie Power Bowl. Or make your own bowl! Start with a base of quinoa or brown or white rice. Then, add the broccoli and a protein like air fryer tofu or baked tempeh. Round it out with one of the sauces mentioned above!

Enjoy!

More Favorite Air Fryer Recipes

If you love this air fryer broccoli recipe, try one of these easy air fryer recipes next:

• Air Fryer Cauliflower
• Zucchini Chips
• Air Fryer Eggplant
• Avocado Fries
• Onion Rings
• Air Fryer French Fries
• Air Fryer Tofu