Air Fryer
Air Fryer Broccoli
Charred crisp edges and tender stalks in 10 minutes. Why a splash of water goes in the bottom of the basket, and why even florets matter more than their size.
Ingredients
- 450g broccoli florets (about 2 small heads)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp water
Method
- Cut the broccoli into evenly sized florets.
- Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil until every floret is glossy, then season with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Tip them into the air fryer basket in a single layer and pour the 2 tbsp of water into the bottom of the basket underneath them. It will hiss.
- Air fry at 200°C (390°F) for 4 minutes.
- Toss with tongs and cook for another 4-8 minutes, until the edges are charred and crisp and the stalks are tender.
Notes
- The splash of water is the trick. It steams from the bottom while the fan crisps the top, so the stalks go tender instead of tough while the edges still char.
- Even florets matter more than small or large ones. Sources disagree on size — Well Plated cut them small so the insides tenderise first, others keep them large so the tips do not burn. What actually causes trouble is mixing sizes in one batch.
- Fresh rather than frozen. Frozen broccoli carries too much water to char properly and takes 10-12 minutes just to dry out.
- Single layer. Piled broccoli steams grey rather than charring, and the bottom layer never colours at all.
- A quarter teaspoon of sugar in the seasoning helps it caramelise if you want the edges darker. Optional, and from Well Plated.
- Air fryer models vary. Treat the times as a guide, go by colour and crispness, and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Watch it
More Air Fryer Vegetables
Air fryer models vary in power and basket size, so treat the times here as a guide — go by colour and crispness rather than the clock, and adjust the seasoning and glaze to your taste.
Recipe source: Quantities and method from Well Plated (wellplated.com): 450g broccoli florets tossed with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp each of garlic powder and black pepper, with 2 tbsp water added to the bottom of the basket, air fried at 200°C (390°F) for 8-12 minutes and tossed at 4. Corroborated against Piping Pot Curry and Downshiftology, who cook at 190-200°C (375-390°F) for 7-10 minutes and also shake halfway. The sources disagree on floret size: Well Plated cut them small so the insides tenderise before the outsides char, while others keep them large for the opposite reason — both work, they just char differently.