Can you cook frozen broccoli in an air fryer? It’s simple to cook frozen broccoli in an air fryer!
In this blog, we’ll talk about how to cook frozen broccoli in an air fryer and the guidelines to follow to get the greatest crispy broccoli.
Keep reading!
Frozen broccoli cooks quicker in an air fryer than fresh broccoli, but don’t overheat it; 5 to 10 minutes should serve.
Can You Cook Frozen Broccoli in An Air Fryer?
Frozen broccoli cooks quickly in the air fryer, making it great for weekday dinners. It’s a tasty and healthy vegetable side dish.
Here’s how to cook frozen broccoli in an air fryer for approximately 10 minutes. Let’s get started!
There are various methods for cooking frozen broccoli in air frying, including:
- Steaming
- Roasting or baking
- Sauteing
- Grilling
How to Steam Frozen Broccoli in An Airfryer
To learn how to steam the finest, crispy air fryer broccoli in only 10 minutes with these step-by-step instructions:
Ingredients:
Frozen Broccoli
For this dish, we’ll need roughly two medium heads of broccoli chopped into florets.
To save time, buy pre-washed broccoli florets.
Oil
We need one tablespoon of oil for this dish. I prefer olive or avocado oil.
If you don’t have either, feel free to substitute any transparent oil in your cupboard.
Seasoning
A little salt, black pepper, and garlic powder are all you need to season these veggies.
Optionally, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for more heat.
Step #1. Broccoli Head, Cut into Medium-Sized Florets
Here are the step-by-step instructions for cutting frozen broccoli:
- Slice off the large stem that links to the broccoli head with a sharp knife.
- Cut the head in half down the center.
- Cut it into quarters now.
- Now, at a 45-degree angle, cut the stem that joins all of the florets.
- With your hands, separate the florets. Cut big florets in half if you have them.
Step #2. Seasoning Broccoli
- Rinse frozen broccoli florets right before cooking to avoid scorching.
- Shake off any excess water gently.
- Place the broccoli florets in a mixing basin. Mix in the oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- If using parmesan cheese, do so now. Toss until all of the broccoli florets are covered with spice.
Step #3. Air Fry the Broccoli
Arrange the broccoli in a single layer in the frying basket. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Push the basket into position.
- Air fry the broccoli for 4-5 minutes at 360°F, or until it is roasted to your preference.
- The air fryer will warm for a few minutes before beginning to cook.
- Air-fried the broccoli for an additional 2 minutes for crispier results.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice. If desired, sprinkle with chili flakes for garnish.
How to Roast or Bake Frozen Broccoli In An Airfryer
Another option for quick dinner additions is to bake or roast your frozen veggies.
Here’s how to roast frozen veggies in an air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Coat your roasting pan with olive oil and place it in the air fryer to heat up (having a hot pan helps the broccoli thaw and cook more readily)
- Toss your broccoli with coconut oil or olive oil before placing it in a single layer in the roasting pan.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway.
How to Saute Frozen Broccoli in An Airfryer
Cooking broccoli in a skillet is an excellent method to cook it fast while retaining the amazing texture, flavor, and nutrients that your vegetables deserve.
Here’s how to sauté your veggies in an air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Place your frozen veggies in a pan.
- Stir in one tablespoon of olive oil (or other cooking oil of your choice) into the pan.
- Cook, stirring periodically, for 5-10 minutes, or until well cooked.
How to Grill Frozen Broccoli In An Airfryer
Grilling broccoli is ideal for backyard barbecues or family meals throughout the summer.
What’s more, there’s no mess in the kitchen to clean up!
Here’s how to make delicious grilled broccoli in an air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 350-370 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place your frozen broccoli in tin foil or a vegetable basket and drizzle with olive oil.
- Place them on the air fryer’s grill.
- Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
- To prevent sticking or charring, turn the veggies halfway through cooking.
Tips and Tricks for Cooking Frozen Broccoli in an Air Fryer
Broccoli has long been a great side dish since it is high in nutrients and simple to prepare. Can I put frozen broccoli in the air fryer?
However, if you want the greatest crispy broccoli ever when you cook this air fryer broccoli dish, follow the instructions below.
1. Never Thaw Your Food
There’s no need to add another step to your preparation since frozen vegetables do not need to be thawed before cooking in the air fryer.
Cooking them frozen produces the greatest results.
The flowing air in an air fryer helps vegetables dry up and get that gorgeous outer crispness.
If you defrost your vegetables first, they'll release some water, and your air fryer will play catch-up the whole time they're cooking.
By beginning with frozen vegetables, the air fryer can evaporate the water as it is released, ensuring that your vegetables remain crisp.
2. Make Room For the Vegetables
Avoiding overcrowding your air fryer with vegetables is essential to the success of any cooking endeavor with this appliance.
If you can manage it, arrange your vegetables in a single layer within your air fryer.
This will enable air to circulate between the individual pieces and complete drying.
3. Cooking Time Should be Increased by a Few Minutes
Soft frozen vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, bell pepper, and corn, cook for 10 to 15 minutes in the air fryer.
Any vegetable that can be fried fresh in the air fryer can also be prepared from frozen.
Add a few minutes to the cooking time to account for the time it will take to thaw (but check them constantly, so they don’t burn!).
On our air fryer cooking chart, you'll discover the estimated cook time for most fresh veggies.
4. Heat the Air Fryer
Preheating your air fryer before cooking, like with any other cooking technique, will provide the greatest results.
Before dropping the bag of vegetables into the frying section, heat the little area for 5 minutes.
Cooking temperatures for vegetables range from 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit; use the same temperature for frozen as you would for fresh.
5. A Season Around Halfway Through
We suggest seasoning your vegetables about in the middle of the cooking period so that you may get the most out of your salt.
For instance, if you want to cook cauliflower for fifteen minutes, you should empty the bag into an air fryer that has been prepared and cook the cauliflower for the first eight minutes.
After that, take them out of the air fryer, and cover them with oil and spices.
Put them back in for another 7 or 8 minutes of cooking time.
If you want to simmer the vegetables for longer than 15 minutes, you will need to stir them a few more times during the cooking process, perhaps once every 5 to 8 minutes.
FAQs About Can You Air Fry Frozen Broccoli?
Do you have any other questions about whether you can air-frozen fry broccoli?
Here are some additional frequently asked questions.
Can I Air Fry Frozen Broccoli Without Using Any Oil?
If you want the broccoli to roast thoroughly, you’ll need some oil, grapeseed, avocado, or olive oil.
They will all function similarly, and you may also use spray oil (non-aerosol).
Is It Possible to Stack the Vegetables?
If you want them to turn out properly roasted, the trick is to lay them down in a single layer.
This will enable the heat to flow around the food in the oven in the best possible way. It is bringing about the proper roasting of them.
Final Verdict
Can you cook frozen broccoli in an air fryer?
The simplest way to guarantee that your broccoli is perfectly cooked is to use frozen broccoli that has been heated in an air fryer.
This side dish is simple to prepare and takes less than thirty minutes to finish, and the resulting broccoli is delicious.
This roasted side dish is wonderful whether you top it with other additions like parmesan cheese or lemon or serve it plain.
Happy cooking!