Simple yet delicious, lemon and garlic air fryer broccoli makes the perfect quick side dish. The broccoli is perfectly cooked and the lemon really gives the dish a nice pop of flavor. Minimal ingredients make this a great fuss-free option for getting some veggies on the table.
Lemon and Garlic Air Fryer Broccoli
Air fried broccoli is one of the easiest side dishes you can make, and it tastes delicious in its simplicity.
All you have to do is:
- Chop the broccoli into evenly sized florets (roughly even, they do not have to be perfect)
- Add the rest of the ingredients to a bowl and mix
- Add the broccoli and stir everything to combine
- Pop everything into the air fryer and cook for 7-10 minutes depending on how crispy you like your broccoli.
See, cooking broccoli in the air fryer could not get any more simple.
It makes for a great weeknight veggie side, and is usually a hit with the kids, especially if you add the title 'little trees' (works every time for my kids....I make no promises for yours!)
Choosing The Perfect Broccoli
Choosing the right broccoli is going to make this simple side dish transform into something phenomenal.
Look for:
- Florets that are a nice deep green and are quite tight, you do not want yellow or brown flecks in there;
- Nice firm stalks, nothing droopy or limp;
- It should feel heavy for its size;
- The cut ends of the stalks should be fresh-looking.
For this recipe, we are only going to use the florets to ensure even cooking.
However, once you chop them off, do not throw out the stem, it is full of nutrients and should definitely be used in another recipe. Peel it and chop it into 'sticks' and use in a stir-fry, or save it to use as broccoli rice.
Choosing An Air Fryer
If you don't already have an air-fryer, choosing one can be a bit confusing as there are so many different types on the market.
My biggest tip would be to consider capacity.
How many people are you cooking for? I am cooking for a family of 5 and we regularly have people over, so I chose the biggest one I could find on the market with a good brand name and warranty behind it.
If you are only cooking for yourself, or yourself and a partner, you may benefit from having a smaller unit.
Also, consider bench space. The big ones can be pretty huge, so you want to make sure you have enough space before adding it to your family of kitchen appliances.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Broccoli.
Now you have your easy side, you need something to serve it with (I mean you can totally just eat the broccoli by itself, and we regularly do this as a snack because we love broccoli in this house...but for a meal, you will want to add something else.)
As the flavors in lemon and garlic air fryer broccoli are so simple, you can pair it with almost anything. I love having it along with some Mexican Mac and Cheese, but you could also try:
- chicken (try crusted sage and macadamia nut chicken breasts)
- fish (how about beside some easy poached salmon burgers)
- a nice steak
- on top of some mashed potatoes or inside a baked potato with a nice dollop of sour cream
The possibilities are endless, use your imagination and you can't go wrong.
Need More Air Fryer Recipes?
Once you start using the air fryer you are going to be hooked, it is such an easy device to use, and can make dinner so much easier.
If you loved this air fryer broccoli recipe then you should definitely check out these other air fryer recipes:
- Honey Lemon and Sea Salt Asparagus
- Air Fryer Paleo Meatloaf Sliders
- Simple Cinnamon Air Fryer Apple Chips
- Herbed Turkey Air Fryer Meatballs
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash from Upstate Ramblings
- Air Fryer Potatoes from Bless Her Heart Y'all
Happy Eating
xx
Recipe
Lemon and Garlic Air Fryer Broccoli
Equipment
- Airfryer
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Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli chopped into florets
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 ½ tablespoons miced garlic
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper to serve
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and toss together well.1 head broccoli, ¼ cup avocado oil, ½ lemon, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 ½ tablespoons miced garlic, freshly cracked black pepper
- Place in the air fryer basket and cook at 375 degrees for about 7-10 minutes, stopping halfway through to toss. If you like your broccoli less crispy on the edges cook for 7 minutes, if you like little bits of crispiness, go for the whole 10 minutes.
Notes
- Store: allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Sean@Diversivore says
Fantastic to have another way to make broccoli that's simple and flavourful, yet healthy! Broccoli is one of the few green veggies that all three of my kids seem to agree on (or to agree in a positive sense at any rate!), so we're always eager to cook it up and do something interesting. Hooray for air-frying simplicity!
Gloria says
I love broccoli....and my air fryer. With ALL the time I have these days, I think I need to give this a try. It would be the perfect side to a beer can chicken for the weekend.