Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli Spiced to Perfection!

Name: Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 14 min
Ingredients: 12 oz frozen broccoli florets; ½ medium onion (thinly sliced); 1 tbsp of ghee; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp pure garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp ground cumin; ¼ tsp chili powder; 1 tsp salt

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This recipe for making frozen broccoli in air fryer yields a perfectly cooked and flavorful side dish. This broccoli is spiced with earthy and aromatic cumin and flavorful ghee. This air fryer frozen broccoli is going to taste earthy, spicy, and aromatic. The flavor in totality is very close to a broccoli sabzi.

Eating vegetables does not have to be boring. What would call air-fried frozen broccoli with just salt and pepper? Boring, right!

The solution is to spice up the things! Those who are looking to spice up their broccoli must try this combination of spices.

I love to air fry my frozen vegetables. In our family, we love air fryer vegetables a lot. A few favorites are frozen okra, frozen brussels sprouts, frozen cauliflower, and spaghetti squash.

Why will you love this air fryer frozen broccoli?

This frozen broccoli recipe works as:

Air frying is the simplest, fuss-free way to cook frozen vegetables to finish deliciousness.
No thawing is required. There is no need to thaw the frozen broccoli before cooking it in an air fryer.
Oil is not necessary. One does not need to use any oil if he does not want to.
It is quick. The air fryer does not take much time to preheat like oven. Air fryer frozen broccoli is quick or rather the fastest and healthy way to make delicious broccoli.
No need to preheat at all. Also, you do not have to preheat anything. Cooking frozen broccoli in air fryer is as quick as it can get.
The broccoli turns out better than the pan-roasted, instant pot made, or oven-roasted frozen broccoli.
The air fryer cooks them evenly throughout.

Ingredients required to make frozen broccoli in air fryer

image of ingredients required to make the frozen broccoli air fryer recipe

Frozen broccoli florets

I am using a 12 oz pack of frozen broccoli florets. Usually, you will find two kinds of frozen broccoli in the stores: broccoli florets and steamed broccoli florets. Both will work fine for this recipe in the air fryer. Only the total cooking time will vary by 4-5 minutes.

Onion

We need half an onion for air frying with broccoli. We need to peel and then slice it thinly.

You can add sliced garlic if you want.

Onions caramelize and add a sweet flavor to this air-fried broccoli recipe.

Ghee and olive oil

I use a combination of ghee and olive oil. Broccoli loves Ghee. It gives a deep buttery flavor to the broccoli. But the issue with ghee is that it solidifies on touching the frozen broccoli florets, hence the spices cannot be spread into the florets.

I compliment it with some olive oil so that the spices can be distributed evenly throughout the broccoli florets. You can use any kind of vegetable oil to replace ghee and or olive oil.

Spices

I am using some basic spices here. Salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground cumin.

Cumin and ghee in totality give this broccoli a unique flavor profile. You have to try it to experience it.

How to cook frozen broccoli in air fryer?

Step 1 prepare the spice mix

images of making spice mix fro the broccoli

In a microwave-safe bowl, add a tablespoon of ghee. Melt the ghee in the microwave. Add olive oil, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well using a whisk or a fork.

Step 2 Coat frozen broccoli in the spice mix

Now empty the pack of frozen broccoli florets into the bowl. Be quick and coat them into the spices, before the ghee gets time to freeze and solidify. You can use a spoon to do that. But if you use your hands, it will be easier to spread as the warm hands prevent the ghee from freezing and broccoli can be easily coated with the spices.

Do not worry if some mini ghee chunks from broccoli. The ghee will melt on air frying and deliver the spices to the broccoli.

Step 3 Air fry the frozen broccoli

step by step images showing process of air frying frozen broccoli

Start by brushing the air fryer basket with some oil. Now, transfer the spiced broccoli florets into the air fryer basket or the air fryer racks (if using oven-style air fryers). Set the air fryer temperature to 380 ⁰F ( 193 ⁰C) and air fry them for 10-12 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, open the air fryer basket and flip the broccoli florets.

The best practice is to switch the location of the florets lying on the outer side with the ones in the center. This prevents the broccoli on the outer periphery from getting charred and all cook evenly.

The exact time will depend on how you like your broccoli. If you intend to make it crispy, air fry for 12 minutes, and if you like tender broccoli, air fry for about 10 minutes.

The frozen broccoli that is already steamed will take 8 minutes total cook time in an air fryer.

The exact time will vary with the type, brand, and size of your air fryer. Test out to find the ideal cook time for your air fryer.

When fully cooked, transfer the air fryer broccoli to a plate and garnish with some toasted sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. And serve hot!.

frozen broccoli cooke in air fryer and served in a bowl garnished with sesame seeds

Other variations use different seasonings and spices

There are various possible variations of broccoli that you can make using the frozen broccoli florets. A few options that we love in our family are as follows:

Garlic lemon broccoli: You can use garlic and dry lemon flakes to spice the broccoli in this recipe. You can use chili lemon or lemon salt coupled with garlic powder. This tangy broccoli is my kid’s favorite.
Garlic parmesan broccoli. The classic broccoli recipe is flavored with garlic and garnished with loads of grated parmesan.
Broccoli potato side dish. Air fry some thinly sliced potato with the broccoli and spice it the way you like.
Cheesy broccoli. Add grated cheddar cheese towards the end of the air frying duration to get the cheese broccoli.

Serving suggestions for air fryer frozen broccoli

This air-fried broccoli spiced with aromatic ghee and cumin not only makes an excellent side dish but has the potential to become the main dish on its own. You can also use it as a filling for tacos, burritos, gyros, or wraps.

You can serve it with some cucumber raita and Indian flatbread as a main dish as well.

If you are not adding all these spices and making plain salt pepper broccoli using the air fryer, it is served best with some dipping sauce.

Storage and reheating instructions for air fried frozen broccoli

This broccoli recipe is best enjoyed warm and fresh. But if you have some leftovers, store them in an air-tight glass container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.

To reheat the microwave, it for a minute or air fry it for 3-4 minutes at 380 ⁰F. I like to use the leftover broccoli made in the air fryer for filling the wraps. Sometimes I combine it with some fried rice and serve it as lunch.

frozen broccoli cooked to perfection in air fryer

Pro tips on how to cook frozen vegetables in air fryer

You can use a spoon to mix the broccoli florets, but if you use your hands, it will be easier to spread as the warm hands prevent the ghee from freezing and broccoli can be easily coated with the spices.

Place the frozen broccoli in the air fryer in a single layer. Never overcrowd or overlap the food in an air fryer. If you are just using a bag of frozen broccoli of about 12 oz, this will not be your concern. But if you are air frying a large batch, make sure that there are gaps for air circulation.
Flip the broccoli cooking in the air fryer halfway through the cooking time. The best practice is to flip them and change the place of the broccoli florets sitting in the center with that the ones on the periphery of the basket. This ensures the even cooking of all florets.
If you are concerned about the mess in the air fryer, you can also add the spices at the end when the broccoli florets are cooked.
If you root for a mess-free air frying. Use air fryer silicon mats or punched parchment paper. They do not hamper the air circulation and are also easy to clean and maintain.
It is always a good idea to open the air fryer and check for the doneness 2-3 minutes before the suggested time. Pull out the air fryer basket before the lowest given cook time in a recipe and see for yourself, how much more time you need to perfectly air fry the frozen broccoli in your air fryer.
The frozen broccoli that is already steamed will take 8 minutes cook time at 350 ⁰F in an air fryer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I air fry broccoli without using any oil?

Yes, you can cook frozen broccoli without oil. The plain air-fried broccoli can be easily made without using any kind of fat or oil. Oil is optional for air frying the frozen or fresh vegetables. But if you want to spice up your broccoli, the oil helps with the flavor extraction of the spices and adhering the spices to the vegetables.

But you can certainly, air fry broccoli without oil and sprinkle the dry spice mix with some topping at the end.

Which one is better? Frozen broccoli in an Air fryer vs oven-roasted broccoli

In my opinion, the air-fried broccoli is way better than the oven-roasted frozen broccoli. For baking broccoli in the oven, first, you need to preheat the oven, it takes good 10-20 minutes of total time to preheat depending on the type and size of the oven.
Secondly, broccoli does not need to be thawed for air frying. Whereas for oven baking, first, we need to thaw the broccoli, else it never cooks crispy.
Thirdly, the air-fried broccoli cooks faster than in the oven and has a crispy texture (if that’s what you want).
Fourth, the air fryer cooks the vegetables evenly. The broccoli made in an air fryer is nicely done throughout, better in all respects than the oven roasted broccoli.

Can you steam frozen broccoli in air fryer?

Well, there is no provision to steam broccoli in the air fryer. Though you can steam it in an instant pot with ease.
But if you lower the air fryer temperature and air fry the broccoli at 340 ⁰F for 15-17 minutes, the results will be very close to the steamed broccoli.

Can I stack vegetables in an air fryer?

It is never advised to stack food in an air fryer. The air fryer cooks food by circulating hot air through them. Stacking the vegetable in an air fryer basket hampers the air circulation. Hence the food is not cooked thoroughly.

For getting crispy and through cooked veggies, never overcrowd and stack food in the air fryer.

How long does it take to cook frozen broccoli?

Usually, it takes somewhere from 10 to 12 minutes of total cook time to air fry a 12 oz pack of broccoli florets at 380 ⁰F. But if you are using steamed frozen broccoli, 8 minutes will be sufficient.

Are air-fried vegetables healthy?

Well, an air fryer gives us the flexibility to cook the food without using any oil, which translates a healthy food for many of us. Like broccoli can be made without using any oil at all. Such recipes make the veggies even more healthy for people who are trying to lower their calorie intake.

Can you air fry broccoli and cauliflower together?

Yes, you can air fry the broccoli and cauliflower together in an air fryer. Just make sure to cut them into equal-sized florets.
But if you are using frozen broccoli and cauliflower, I would not recommend doing that. Frozen broccoli is always better sized, whereas frozen cauliflower packs usually have a few very large jumbo florets and some smaller florets. So, it is never a good idea to mix them.

tender and delicious broccoli cooked in air fryer

Other Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes

If you are interested in more easy air fryer recipes, please read through the following frozen vegetables air fryer recipes :

More side dish recipes made in air fryer

I hope you will enjoy this frozen broccoli recipe using an air fryer. Share your results and opinions in the comment section below. Also, subscribe to never miss a recipe.

Till then,

Make it delicious and quick!

Recipe card for air fryer frozen broccoli

air fried frozen broccoli topped with toasted sesame seeds and sunflower seeds

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