Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

Air frying frozen broccoli tastes delicious and brings this vegetable to a whole new level. Not only is it super easy to prepare air fryer frozen broccoli, but it also tastes amazing. It’s so easy and so good, you do not want to miss out!

Below we are going to walk you through one of our favorite recipes for this super easy side dish.

Why you will love this air fryer frozen broccoli

Making frozen broccoli in the air fryer is super easy and provides you with a delicious side dish. Today we are going to show you how you can easily do this, with only a few ingredients, and have it ready in just a few minutes’ time. This is so good; you do not want to miss out!

This easy recipe is one of my personal favorites, as it allows the broccoli to get ready, while focusing on other things.

We’re excited to show you how easy it is to make frozen broccoli in the air fryer, in the hopes that you will love making it also!

Let’s get started!

Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer Recipe

Ingredients to Cook Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

Frozen broccoli florets. We recommend buying a bag of frozen broccoli florets. You can find a bag of frozen broccoli florets at any grocery store, and in any brand.

There is no need to specifically buy a name brand when you can buy the generic brand for a lesser price. Usually, we use a 12-ounce bag of broccoli florets for this recipe.

Olive oil. We also recommend that you use a little bit of olive oil to drizzle on your broccoli before cooking it. You don’t need much, and if you don’t have olive oil you can use another type of oil such as avocado oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Keep in mind for this recipe a little bit goes a long way.

Garlic salt. We like to season the frozen broccoli with a little bit of garlic salt. The kind we use specifically is garlic salt with parsley, but you can use your favorite type of garlic salt mixture. This seasoning provides a nice bit of flavor that brings out the natural flavors of your broccoli.

How to Air Fry Frozen Broccoli

To air fry your frozen broccoli, begin by preheating your air fryer to 375°F (190.6°C).

While your air fryer is preheating, pull a 12-ounce bag of frozen broccoli florets out of the freezer and pour it into a mixing bowl. Drizzle your broccoli with a little bit of olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic salt. Toss or mix to combine.

When the air fryer is preheated, pour your broccoli mixture into your air fryer basket. Shake the basket, so that the broccoli is evenly distributed.

Add your basket back into the air fryer. Air fry at 375°F (190.6°C), for approximately 8 minutes. Once the time is up, shake the air fryer basket, to turn the broccoli. Replace the air fryer basket and continue air frying for another 4 to 6 minutes or until your broccoli is done to your liking.

Once your broccoli is done, remove it from the air fryer basket add your desired toppings if any, then serve and enjoy!

Variations of Seasoned Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

There are many ways you may choose to season your broccoli. You can leave it plain, or lightly flavor it as we have suggested. You could also make it spicy, and add a cheese sauce to it once it is cooked. It is completely up to you.

Garlic Salt

When it comes to seasoning, our favorite is to use a mixture of garlic salt and parsley. You can find the seasoning all in one bottle. Sprinkle a little bit on your broccoli to help season it. This will give you a mild, seasoning that allows you to still enjoy the overall flavor of the delicious broccoli.

Spiced Broccoli

If you enjoy more of a spicy flavor, however, you can mix together some red pepper flakes, cumin, and paprika for a spicy flavor added to your broccoli.

Salt & Pepper

If you want a super basic seasoning to use on your vegetable, you can simply season it using salt and pepper. This is a basic but delicious way to season your broccoli.

Tips for Making Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer

Cook Low and Slow

We recommend that you cook your frozen broccoli at a lower temperature, for a longer amount of time.

This will help prevent your frozen broccoli from burning as it air fries, but still allows you to have nice tender air fried broccoli.

Although you can air fryer broccoli at 400°F or even 425°F, it is likely that some pieces of your broccoli will burn or be extra crispy, rather than nicely done.

Add More Time

We also recommend that in order to avoid overcooking your broccoli, you set the timer for less than you think you’ll need, then add more time as needed. This way it will address the time correctly to your air fryer and allow you to have delicious tasting broccoli.

Don’t Thaw Ahead of Time

We have also found that there is no need to buy your broccoli ahead of time. Instead, when you pull the broccoli out of the freezer and pour it into the air fryer, this allows it to stay frozen and makes it cook perfectly.

Serving Suggestions

We recommend that you serve your air fried broccoli fresh from the air fryer. This will give you the best tasting and looking results. To enjoy the best all-around version of this recipe, it is best enjoyed fresh.

Storage and reheating instructions for air fried frozen broccoli

How To Store

Frozen broccoli that has been cooked in your air fryer should be kept at room temperature for no more than two hours. After that, it should be transferred to an airtight container, or sealed in a plastic storage bag and placed in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

How To Reheat

In order to reheat leftover air fried broccoli, we have found that the best way is to reheat it is in the air fryer. Simply preheat your air fryer to 350°F, then add your leftover broccoli to the air fryer basket. Air fry for approximately 5 to 8 minutes, or until the broccoli is warmed through. Then serve right away and enjoy.

You can also reheat leftover broccoli in the oven, or microwave if desired. To microwave, you can simply add it to a microwave-safe plate or bowl then microwave it for one to two minutes until it is warm.

To reheat leftover broccoli in the oven, you can preheat the oven to 350°F, then add your leftover broccoli to a baking dish. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the broccoli is warmed.

How To Freeze

Once your frozen broccoli has been cooked in the air fryer, it is not typically our preference to refreeze the leftovers. Technically you can, and it is safe to do so, however, the results don’t usually turn out very well.

If you choose to refreeze your leftover broccoli, you will need to seal it in an airtight container, or plastic freezer bag. Then place it in the freezer for up to three months.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

Air fried broccoli makes a delicious side dish for almost any meal. Here are a few of our favorite dishes to serve frozen air fried broccoli with.

Ultimate Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta

The B est Grilled Chicken Thigh Recipe

Cheesecake Factory Shepherd's Pie. Photo by CookThink.

Cheesecake Factory Shepherd’s Pie. BEST Copycat Recipe

Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli Variations

Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli No Oil

One easy variation to this recipe is to completely skip the oil. If you do not have oil, don’t want to use it, or it’s too expensive, you can easily omit the oil from this recipe, and have it turn out tasting just as great.

The oil in our recipe simply serves to help the garlic salt stick to the broccoli. Therefore, if you want to skip the oil, it can easily be done with no harm to the finished dish.

Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli and Cheese

One of the favorite ways to enjoy broccoli is to top it off with cheese. With air fried broccoli, you can also enjoy your broccoli served with cheese.

Some of our favorite ways to do this are to top your air fried broccoli florets with shredded Parmesan cheese, or shredded cheddar cheese. You can also top your cooked broccoli with cheese sauce if desired.

Other Ways to Season Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

There are many different ways you can enjoy seasoning your frozen broccoli made in the air fryer. A basic way to season broccoli is with salt and pepper, our favorite way to season it is with a bit of garlic salt and parsley.

If you want to spice things up you can season it with red pepper flakes, cumin, and paprika. Really, the sky is the limit when it comes to what to season your broccoli with.

Recipe FAQ

Can you cook broccoli from frozen in the air fryer?

Yes! You can add frozen broccoli right into your air fryer basket, and we have found that cooking it from its frosted state, makes it turn out even better in the air fryer.

How Long Does Frozen Broccoli Last?

Broccoli that has been cooked in the air fryer, will typically last between three and four days when stored and air tight container in the fridge.

Should I Thaw Frozen Vegetables Before Air Frying?

No, we recommend that you do not thaw your frozen vegetables before cooking them in the air fryer. Instead, remove them from the freezer, open the packaging, and add the frozen vegetables directly to your air fryer basket.

This is especially true with frozen broccoli florets, and allows them to turn out even better.

Do I Have To Use Oil To Cook Frozen Broccoli in the Air Fryer?

No, you do not have to use oil when cooking frozen vegetables in the air fryer if you do not wish to.

We do like to use a little bit of olive oil or avocado oil, simply to help the seasoning stick to the broccoli better, but if you would rather skip the oil completely it can easily be done and you’re finished food will turn out just as delicious.

Do I preheat the air fryer when making frozen broccoli?

If your air fryer requires being preheated, then yes you will definitely want to preheat your air fryer before adding your vegetables to the air fryer basket. However, some air fryers do not require being preheated before they begin cooking.

How do I make extra crispy air fryer frozen broccoli?

There are two ways you can make your vegetables extra crispy. The first is by increasing the cooking temperature from 375°F to 400°F, or even 425°F.

However, if you are increasing the cooking temperature, you may want to decrease the overall cook time by a few minutes.

For example, if you are air frying your broccoli at 400°F or 425°F, we recommend air frying for 5 minutes, shaking the basket, then continue air frying for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until your broccoli is crispy. But be sure to keep a close eye on it because it can quickly go from crispy to burnt.

The other way you can make extra crispy air fryer frozen broccoli is to follow the above recipe, air fry the frozen broccoli at 375°F for 8 minutes. Then when you shake the broccoli, you would want to continue air frying it for another 8 to 10 minutes or until your broccoli is as crispy as you desire.

Be sure to keep a close eye on it so that the broccoli becomes crispy and not burned.

One of my favorite recipes for Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli

Making frozen broccoli in the air fryer is seriously so easy, and it turns out fabulous. If you are looking for a quick and easy side dish, simply open a bag of frozen broccoli florets, and add it to your air fryer basket. The side dish is so easy, and it tastes fabulous.

We hope that you will give this recipe a tried, and we hope that you enjoy it!

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