Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan
This crispy roasted Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan will become your staple side dish that’s easy, takes about 10 minutes, and is tasty for the entire family.
Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe
We have always liked broccoli as a side dish, but our air fryer has taken broccoli to an entirely new level at our house: ADDICTIVE.
Because we like our roasted broccoli more on the crispy/crunchy side, we quickly discovered how wonderful it is when roasted in the air fryer.
In about 10 minutes, we can enjoy a healthy, low-carb, low-calorie batch of broccoli that is irresistible.
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We love to serve these along with our Air Fryer Prime Rib and our Air Fryer Garlic Bread. While the prime rib is resting, you can have these ready in a jiffy!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan
- Fresh broccoli cut into florets
- Garlic cloves crushed
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- red pepper flakes, if desired, optional
How to Make Roasted Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan
Begin with the Broccoli. You’ll need fresh broccoli from the produce section of the grocer.
To prepare the broccoli, you’ll trim the florets off the bunch, leaving the stems.
Cut the florets into large bite-size pieces, then slice the stems into coins – you can roast these right along with the florets and they are delicious!
Place the broccoli florets and the sliced stems into a large mixing bowl, then add the garlic and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat the broccoli well.
Add the Parmesan and toss again. I like to use two spatulas to toss my broccoli with the other ingredients – it makes it so much easier.
Air fry the broccoli at 375 – 400 degrees F. for 5 minutes, then turn and air fry for 5 minutes longer, or to desired doneness.
The broccoli should be starting to brown in some areas, which will make it turn crispy as it cools.
Keep an eye on the broccoli as you roast it since all air fryers cook differently.
Remove from the air fryer and garnish with red pepper flakes, if desired.
They are totally optional, but will give your broccoli some zing, plus a bit of color as a garnish.
I love it on my broccoli, but my family doesn’t, so I add the red pepper flakes to my broccoli individually.
How to Make Crispy Broccoli Parmesan in the Oven
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Trim the broccoli florets from the head of broccoli, then cut the florets into large bite-size pieces. I also like to slice the large center stem of broccoli into coins to be roasted along with the florets – delicious.
Place the broccoli florets and the sliced stems into a large mixing bowl; add the garlic and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat. Add the Parmesan (and red pepper flakes, if using) and toss well once more.
I like to use two spatulas to toss my broccoli with the other ingredients – it makes it so much easier.
Spread the prepared broccoli out in a single layer over a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven on the center rack, roasting it for 10 minutes.
Give the broccoli a toss then roast the broccoli for another 5-10 minutes or until fork-tender and golden brown on the edges. Serve at once.
What Should I Look for When Purchasing Fresh Broccoli?
- The broccoli heads should be dense, heavy, and firm with tight florets.
- The leaves on the broccoli should be dark green.
- If the broccoli is yellowing in color in areas or has dark spots, this is and indication that past it’s maturity window and should be avoided.
Does air fryer broccoli reheat well?
You can reheat the roasted broccoli in the microwave if you wish, but I really prefer to crisp it back up using the air fryer to reheat it.
Just place it into the air fryer basket once again and air fry at 375 degrees F. for just a few minutes. Voila!
What’s so Great About Fresh Broccoli Anyway??
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, which means it has cancer-fighting properties.
It is in the same family as arugula, cabbage, broccoli rabe, bok choy, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts. Broccoli has tons of fiber and is also low in calories.
The best Air Fryer
We have the Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer/Toaster Oven and completely love the thing! We’ve been really surprised at how much we use it and I was super skeptical in giving more counter space to yet another small appliance.
If you’re on the fence as to whether you might actually use an air fryer (or not), read this article: 7 Reasons An Air Fryer Might Need to Gain a Spot in Your Kitchen….and Why.
More Favorite Recipes to Enjoy
As far as broccoli goes, we also enjoy Easy Deep Dish Ham and Broccoli Quiche, Korean Pulled Pork Tacos with Broccoli Slaw, and don’t forget to make this warm and creamy Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Noodle Soup.
- Cajun Sweet Corn Medley
- 2-Minute Instant Pot Sweet Corn
- Tex Mex Cauliflower Rice with Ground Beef
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
- Cajun Sweet Corn Medley
- Artichoke Olive Cheese Bread
Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 head fresh broccoli cut into florets
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2-3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- red pepper flakes, if desired, optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, place broccoli florets with crushed garlic; drizzle with olive oil, then toss to combine. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss once more.
- Grease the air fryer basket with a bit of oil, then place the prepared broccoli onto the basket tray.
- Air fry the broccoli at 375 – 400 degrees F. for 5 minutes, then turn and air fry for 5 minutes longer, or to desired doneness. The broccoli should be starting to brown in some areas, which will make it turn crispy as it cools. (Keep an eye on the broccoli as you roast it since all air fryers cook differently.)
- Remove from the air fryer and garnish with red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
Tips for Making Delicious Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli Parmesan
- Is air fryer roasted broccoli healthy? YES! Air fryer broccoli is great because roasting it in the air fryer involves using much less oil than roasting broccoli (or any other vegetable, for that matter) in the oven.
- Can I use any type of air fryer to roast broccoli? You sure can. There are lots of different air fryers and you can roast vegetables in any of them. We love it that the Cuisinart air fryer has a nice flat basket so we can spread the broccoli out in a single layer to roast it.
- Does air fryer broccoli reheat well? You can reheat the roasted broccoli in the microwave if you wish, but I really prefer to crisp it back up using the air fryer to reheat it. Just place it into the air fryer basket once again and air fry at 375 degrees F. for just a few minutes. Voila!
- What else can I cook in an air fryer? We make lots of different roasted vegetables in our air fryer – cauliflower, green beans, chick peas, edamame, brussels sprouts, and sweet potato fries….just to name a few.
- Don’t I need to preheat the air fryer before roasting the broccoli? Nope! This is another thing that we really like about our air fryer – no preheating required at all, and the air fryer also doesn’t heat up the house like using the oven does…..particularly nice when summer rolls into Kansas full blast.
Nutrition
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it!
Hi Brooke –
When you make the Broccoli Parmesan for your family, I sure hope you’ll let me know what you think of the recipe. My fam thought it was pretty darn good!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
I am super picky about my vegetables and I love seeing new and creative ways to work them into my diet. This recipe is awesome! Thank you Chef Alli!
Hi Lauren –
Well I’m pretty darn sure you’ll enjoy this broccoli recipe. The first time I made it, my husband and I ate the entire pan just between the two of us! Always a good sign when the Hubs will eat his veggies. 🙂
Thanks again for your comment – I so appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
This is such a good recipe! Always a success when we make it! The red pepper flakes add the perfect touch.
Hi Olivia –
I really like the red pepper flakes in this recipe, too. However, my guys don’t, sadly. 🙁 So, once the broccoli is roasted, I just add the red pepper flakes to my portion – works great and keeps my guys happy. I like doing that so they will actually eat their veggies!
Thanks so much for your comment – glad you like your broccoli cooked this way.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
This is a great alternative to oven roasting.
Hi Karen –
Thanks so much for your comment on the Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli Parmesan. I did tweak the recipe to include oven roasting instructions since others requested that but it’s been great being able to make this recipe in our handy-dandy air fryer.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Love this so easy and yummy
Hi Cindy –
It’s pretty hard to beat the Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli Parmesan, in my humble opinion. I like how my guys will eat their veggies when I serve broccoli this way.
Thanks a bunch for letting me know you enjoyed it.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Delicious combination!
Hi Jessica – So glad you enjoyed this recipe. It seems to be a keeper and it’s a great way to get your fam to eat their veggies…especially if you sprinkle on a little extra Parmesan.
Thanks for letting me know,
Chef Alli
This was amazing! Good way to get your veggies in 🙂
Hi Morgan –
I agreed! I’m always looking for ways to sneak veggies into our family menu, too. Sometimes it’s a challenge to get my guys to go for it, but this broccoli was a hit…thankfully!
Let’s Keep Cookin’,
Chef Alli
This is amazing!! Love the red pepper flakes with the broccoli!
Hi Phaedra –
Thanks so much for the comment and the 5 star rating. Every time I make this recipe, I wind up eating the entire head of broccoli myself – it’s so addictive!
Let’s Keep Cookin’,
Chef Alli
This was amazing! So easy. Loved the toasty bits and the parts that weren’t toasty were perfectly firm and cooked. Not mushy. Had great flavor. So easy to nibble at and eat! This is going to become a go-to
Hi Adrian!
Thanks so much for letting me know that you enjoyed this recipe. We love our air fryer and this is a very popular recipe here at my house – I’m glad you liked it as well.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
We made this last night, followed the cooking times and temp, and the cheese was burnt. Very disappointed.
Hi Susan –
I’m sorry you didn’t have a good experience with this recipe. We make it all the time and absolutely love it. I’m not sure what type of air fryer you have, but you can certainly adjust the recipe to what works for you and how your air fryer works. I hope you’ll try it again!
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
This is a FANTASTIC recipe! I have tried a lot of different recipes and this is by far our favorite 🙂 Even my kiddos loved it!!
Hi JD –
Thank you for your comment and the 5 star rating! This makes my heart sing and I’m SO GLAD your kiddos loved the broccoli – anything to get them to eat their veggies, right????
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
SO GOOD!!! Trying to eat a bit cleaner this year & this hit the spot! My kids LOVED it too!
Hi Mandy –
Score! Love it there’s a recipe that helps Moms get their kiddos to eat their veggies! I’ve found that I can personally eat an entire bundle of broccoli when I make this dish – so addictive.
Thanks for the rating and for letting me know this air fryer recipe was a success for you.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli