This is how to cook air fryer frozen broccoli in Ninja Foodi or Cosori so it’s tender with a bit of crisp on the edges. This can become a delicious healthy vegetable side dish cooked in just minutes.
Ever wondered if you could cook frozen broccoli right out of the bag without boiling or a microwave? Well you can! In the air fryer you can get the best texture on the outside so it isn’t mushy when you don’t have fresh produce on hand. It’s just one of many easy air fryer recipes we love.
We shared how to cook fresh air fryer broccoli last year. Since it is a rather firm vegetable you need some water in the lower basket to get it perfect, not necessary in this case. This is way easier. Just grab a bag of florets, throw it into a preheated basket and it’s done in no time.
At the end you can season with salt and pepper and/or sprinkle with some parmesan cheese on top. A healthy easy side dish recipe that goes with any protein.
Tips: My Favorite models are the Cosori or making Ninja Foodi recipes with the lid that is attached.
It is best practice to put food into a hot basket. This is how to preheat air fryer first before adding your food so it becomes as crispy as possible. For best results, here’s a printable free air fryer cooking time chart here for your fridge.
Ninja Foodi Frozen Broccoli
I have a few different brands of machines, they all work very similarly so use what you have. You’ll use the lid that is attached for the Foodi. Honestly I do think that when you air fry foods in a singular machine vs. this duo Foodi it does get crunchier on the outside. Smaller machines keep the heat hotter in a smaller area and it has less area to circulate.
Yes of course you could bake frozen broccoli in the oven too but that heats up your entire house and takes a lot longer to boot.
How to Season
Can you add seasonings even when it’s rock hard? Yes. Just toss with some melted butter or olive oil and most of the salt, pepper, and/or air fryer roasted garlic will stick well enough. As it defrosts in the basket the added moisture will help it adhere more. I will typically add a bit more when it’s cooked as well.
How Long to Air Fry Frozen Broccoli
Now when it comes to the texture on the outside that is up to you. If you just want to get it from hard to tender then 8 minutes would do it. But if you would like a little bit of crispy edges then go for an extra 2-3 minutes beyond that. From there you can continue to toss and add more time. Olive oil spray always gets everything crunchier.
You always want to preheat your machine for 5 minutes ahead of time so that the whole time it’s in there it is cooking at the same temperature.
How do you cook frozen broccoli without it being soggy?
You want to do it quickly, that is one thing to remember. Slowly will make it defrost, soften, and is harder to crisp up at all. Secondly do not add into your heat source until it is preheated. Same reason as the other, if it sits in a cold machine and slowly heats with it you’ll have it thaw first and will become soft.
We have cooked other air fryer frozen veggies this way too. They are a really healthy side dish ideas that are cheap with a quick cooking time. Other Foodi recipe ideas could include pressure cooking corn on the cob too. That is if you have this pot that offers both functions.
We like to drizzle with some Velveeta cheese sauce over the top too when done to make kiddos excited about it.
If you have a Cosori or AirWave you will only be able to follow the directions below since that is the only function. The nice thing about air frying is that you can check it often. With Instant Pot broccoli that isn’t an option, it’s closed and locked until you release the steam.
Not sure how long you want to cook it? Just open the basket, or lid, and look inside. Still firm…just add a few minute more and check again and again until perfect.
Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer Recipe
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F. for 5 minutes.
- Melt butter in microwave. Pour frozen florets into a bowl and drizzle butter over the top. Toss to coat. Sprinkle all seasonings on top so they stick.
- Spray inside of air fryer basket with olive oil, pour frozen broccoli inside in a single layer.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes tossing contents halfway thru until it is as tender with a bit of crisp on the outside as you desire.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As for leftovers it will stay and reheat the next day. Beyond that I would just toss it because it gets a bit sticky or slimy. Just microwave for about 45 seconds and make some butter noodles or chicken with it. OR make a batch of air fryer teriyaki chicken and toss these in at the end, now that is yummy!
Start to finish I would say this takes 15 minutes flat. So when your baked pork chops are close to being done, throw this in. You always want meat to rest before slicing anyway so time it accordingly so everything is done at the same time.
For just steamed broccoli set to closer to 8 min. No need for a steamer basket for this one. The excess water from the outside of each piece will drip to the bottom of the basket. All frozen vegetables will do this, you can just dump that at the end.
