Crispy air fryer broccoli parmesan is a quick and easy vegetable side dish that the whole family will love. It can be cooked in less than 10 minutes, making it a great recipe for busy weeknights.
It's cooked to perfection in the air fryer, coming out tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
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My kids love this air fryer roasted broccoli; it's probably their favourite veggie side.
Cooking it in the air fryer means that the broccoli retains a lot of its nutrient value, is beautifully tender but crispy, and is also deliciously cheesy.
It's a lot like my roasted Tenderstem broccoli but this version is roasted in the air fryer instead of the oven.
👩🍳 Love cooking veg in your air fryer? Check out my crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts too!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- With only 5 ingredients and a cook time of less than 10 minutes, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.
- The short ingredient list means minimal prep and cleanup.
- The crispy-cheesy broccoli will appeal to kids more than regular steamed broccoli. It's a sneaky way to get them to eat their veggies.
"I love this air fryer broccoli! It's so easy to make and the sprinkled parmesan makes it so yummy." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Erin
🛒 Ingredients
Broccoli - cut any large florets with wide stems in half with a sharp knife to ensure they cook quickly and evenly in the air fryer. You want all florets to be roughly the same size.
Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons are all you need.
Seasonings - I typically use sea salt and garlic granules. I give some more flavouring suggestions in the variations section below.
Parmesan - freshly grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the broccoli before air frying helps crisp up the florets and gives them a lovely flavour boost. Substitute with a vegetarian hard cheese alternative if you wish.
🔪 How to roast broccoli in the air fryer
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C (375 °F).
Two: Place the broccoli florets in a large bowl and mix with the olive oil, seasonings, and freshly grated Parmesan.
Three: Place the broccoli into the air fryer basket and air fry for 6-8 minutes until crispy (the cooking time depends on the size of your broccoli florets and type of air fryer you are using). Shake halfway through cooking.
Top Tips
- Air fryers vary quite considerably so set the timer for 8 minutes but start checking to see if the broccoli is done from 6 minutes onwards. A sharp knife should easily glide into the stems.
- Mix the oil with the broccoli florets thoroughly to ensure the florets are fully coated and don't burn in the air fryer.
- Make sure you press (I use the back of a spoon) all of the lovely grated Parmesan onto the broccoli florets so it sticks to them.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Air fryer parmesan broccoli is the perfect veggie side for so many different dishes! I serve it with dishes like cottage pie, air fryer whole chicken, hunters chicken, sweet potato pasta, salmon, or pork chops (alongside some crispy baby roasted potatoes), for quick and easy weeknight dinners.
It's also great as part of a roast beef dinner at the weekend!
The kids enjoy it with a dip too (something like red pepper hummus, or sour cream and chive) for a healthy after-school snack.
📖 Variations
- Use fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder but make sure it's coated in oil so it doesn't burn.
- Vary the seasonings and try smoked paprika or cayenne pepper.
- Like your food spicy? Add half a teaspoon of chilli flakes!
- Make it vegetarian-friendly and swap parmesan for a vegetarian hard cheese alternative.
Can I make air fryer broccoli ahead of time?
You can, but it's so much better fresh out of the air fryer.
To save time, prepare the broccoli florets the night before and put them in a mixing bowl with the oil, and seasonings. Then all you need to do is mix in the grated Parmesan!
🥡 Storage
Store - In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave, but the broccoli will lose its crispness. It will still taste great though! Alternatively, pop the broccoli back in the air fryer for about 3-4 minutes, and it will crisp right back up again!
❓ FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen broccoli in the air fryer. If using frozen broccoli use it straight from the freezer and do not let it thaw! You may also need to increase the cooking time.
A small coating of oil prevents the broccoli from burning in the air fryer. You won't need much, so it's still a very healthy recipe!
😋 More air fryer recipes
- Air fryer baked potatoes
- Air fryer asparagus
- Air fryer stuffing balls
- Air fryer sweet potato fries
- Air fryer chicken breasts
You might also like my stir-fried garlic green beans!
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Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan
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We'll email you this post for easy access later! You'll also join the Effortless Foodie mailing list and receive my popular 'No Bake Bars and Slices' eBook for free!
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Broccoli broken into florets. Cut any large florets in half so they are all roughly the same size.
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 4 tablespoon Parmesan grated
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C (375 °F).
- Place the broccoli florets in a large bowl and mix with the olive oil, seasonings, and freshly grated Parmesan.
- Place the broccoli into the air fryer basket and air fry for 6-8 minutes until crispy (the cooking time depends on the size of your broccoli florets and type of air fryer you are using). Shake halfway through cooking.
Notes
- Air fryers vary quite considerably so set the timer for 8 minutes but start checking to see if the broccoli is done from 6 minutes onwards. A sharp knife should easily glide into the stems.
- Mix the oil with the broccoli florets thoroughly to ensure the florets are fully coated and don't burn in the air fryer.
- Make sure you press (I use the back of a spoon) all of the lovely grated Parmesan onto the broccoli florets so it sticks to them.
- Use fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder but make sure it's coated in oil so it doesn't burn.
- Vary the seasonings and try smoked paprika or cayenne pepper.
- Like food spicy? Add half a teaspoon of chilli flakes!
- Make it vegetarian friendly and swap parmesan for a vegetarian hard cheese alternative.
⭐Air Fryer Recipe eBook⭐
With easy-to-follow recipes & instructions, you'll be able to master the art of air fryer cooking in no time. Buy now for £2.99!
Dannii
I love cooking broccoli in the air fryer. It's so deliciouly crispy.
Gina
Another reason to love the air fryer! This cooks up broccoli so nicely and the parmesan, garlic powder, and seal salt make it for one delicious side dish!
Farah Abumaizar
Love my air fryer, and love broccoli. Perfect combination! Parmesan makes everything better, can't wait to try this out!
Nic
YUM YUM YUM! I love broccoli and parmesan. Thank you for this delicious and amazing recipe!
Erin
I love this air fryer broccoli! It's so easy to make and the sprinkled parmesan makes it so yummy.