While roasted broccolini is great, air frying baby broccoli has won me over with its perfect crispy-to-tender texture and intensified flavors. My new favorite green veggie discovery has earned a permanent place on my regular side dish rotation!
I never knew much about broccolini, also known as "baby broccoli", until a side dish changed my perspective. While broccolini resembles its close relative broccoli, it has slim asparagus-like stalks and petite florets.
I had only ever seen broccolini roasted before. But my friend served broccolini roasted in an air fryer one night along with dinner, and it was oh so delicious - the high heat airflow delivered the vegetables extra crispy and caramelized on the outside while keeping them nice and tender inside.
Why you are going to love this easy air fryer recipe
- It's Simple - With a short prep and cook time and only a handful of ingredients, it's ready in less than 20 minutes. Great for busy weeknights.
- Veggies Crisp Up Perfectly - The hot air circulates all around to make the broccolini uniformly crispy on the outside while keeping the inside tender.
- Nutrient Retention - Air frying uses less oil while the high heat also locks in nutrients better than other cooking methods.
- Flavor Variations Galore - The basic recipe lets the broccolini flavor shine. But customizations like garlic, chili flakes, Parmesan or sesame seeds take it to the next level.
Ingredients Needed to Make Air Fryer Broccolini:
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Air Fryer Tip
Cut the broccolini into uniform pieces so that they cook evenly with the air flow in the air fryer basket.
How to make this air fryer broccolini recipe:
Ever since that revelation of broccolini in the air fryer, I now often whip up a batch myself as an easy, tasty side for weeknight meals. It fills the house with amazing aromas of roasted veggies too! The prep work is minimal - just wash the broccolini, trim the ends, toss with a touch of oil and seasonings, then set the air fryer timer.
- Preheat Air fryer to 375°F.
- Wash broccolini thoroughly and drain well.
- Trim leaves from stems and cut off the bottom of stems.
- In a medium bowl, toss broccolini with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly combined and coated.
- Transfer seasoned broccolini to an air fryer basket in single layer, avoiding overcrowding.
- Cook broccolini at 375°F for 6 minutes.
- Remove the basket and flip the broccolini using tongs.
- Return the basket to the air fryer and cook for another 6 minutes.
- When the air fryer cycle is complete, transfer crispy broccolini to the serving dish.
- If desired, drizzle with lemon juice before serving
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Different Ways to Season Broccolini
The air fryer lends itself well to developing flavors on vegetables. Mix and match herbs, spices, citrus, garlic, dressings, etc. for your signature broccolini side!
- Lemon Pepper - Toss broccolini with freshly grated lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and coarse cracked black pepper.
- Southwest Style - Coat broccolini in olive oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and lime juice for a tex-mex kick.
- Italian Herb - Toss broccolini florets with olive oil, italian herb seasoning blend, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
- Everything Bagel - Mix broccolini with olive oil, everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, dried minced onion and garlic.
- Chili Lime - Dress broccolini with olive oil, lime zest and juice, diced chili peppers, cilantro, and salt.
- Parmesan Ranch - Combine air-fried broccolini with a drizzle of ranch dressing and sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese.
Reheating Instructions
To Reheat in Air Fryer
- Place the leftover broccolini in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd it.
- Air fry at 330°F for 4-5 minutes, until warmed through.
- Stir or flip over halfway for even heating if needed.
To Reheat in Microwave:
- Transfer broccolini to a microwave-safe dish in an even layer.
- Add a tablespoon of water to prevent drying out.
- Cover dish fully with plastic wrap and vent one corner.
- Microwave on High for 2 minutes, stopping to stir once after 1 minute if necessary.
- Let stand 1 minute before serving.
Tips:
- Monitor microwaved broccolini to avoid overheating.
- Reheating in air fryer will re-crisp the outsides better if desired.
Air Fryer Tips:
- Cut even-sized pieces: Cut the broccolini into uniform pieces so that they cook evenly with the air flow in the air fryer basket. Large and small pieces will lead to uneven cooking.
- Toss in oil before cooking: The small amount of oil in the recipe helps the broccolini get evenly browned and crisp during air frying. Make sure all pieces are lightly coated.
- Flip halfway through: Air fryers cook very quickly, so flipping the broccolini halfway through the cooking time ensures the other side gets evenly cooked as well. Don't forget this step!
Storage Tips
Follow proper storage guidelines to safely enjoy leftover broccolini again later!
Short Term Storage:
- Let broccolini cool to room temperature before storing.
- Place broccolini in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
- Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days maximum.
Long Term Storage:
- Portion broccolini into freezer bags or airtight containers, removing as much air as possible.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to reuse, don't thaw before reheating either in the air fryer or microwave per reheating instructions.
Extra Tips:
- Check leftovers for signs of mold before storing or re-eating.
- Add a paper towel inside the storage container to help absorb excess moisture.
- For best results, reheat fried broccolini in the air fryer to restore the crispy texture.
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FAQ's and Tips
Do you cut the stems of broccolini?
An important prep step is to remove any leaves, and to trim the very end of the broccolini stems. This helps ensure even cooking when air frying.
Can you still eat broccolini when it turns yellow?
When broccolini begins to yellow and open into flowers past its prime for consumption, the temptation may be to discard it entirely. However, with proper handling, much of the vegetable can still be salvaged and eaten.
Start by slicing off the extremely yellow, bitter florets until only pale green hues remain on the heads and stems. Then utilize quick cooking techniques like stir-frying or steaming to counteract the increasing toughness and unfavorable flavor profile of a less-than-fresh broccolini bunch.
Check carefully for signs of rot or mold first, as well. While the signature sweetness and tender crunch of broccolini at its peak cannot be recaptured once flowering, the salvageable parts lend themselves reasonably well to incorporation into fried rice, pasta, or casseroles when fresh options are lacking.
Do you need to wash broccolini?
Washing vegetables like broccolini removes any dirt or debris so that what you eat is clean. Letting the broccolini drain after washing helps remove excess moisture so the broccolini crisps up properly in the air fryer.
What's the difference between Broccolini and broccoli?
Broccolini is a premium hybrid vegetable that combines broccoli and asparagus traits into a sweet, versatile green with a high cost. Regular broccoli is more commonly available, robust in flavor, and cheaper by the bunch.
Broccolini and broccoli may look like close cousins, but broccolini is a hybrid green carefully bred to combine the best attributes of broccoli and asparagus.
While standard broccoli has broad, dense florets and large stalks, tender broccolini has slender elongated stalks ending in delicate bite-sized florets more akin to asparagus spears.
The flavor profile differs as well - broccolini trades out robust earthiness for sweet, mild, almost fruity notes with a subtler crunch, making it ideal for quick cooking techniques.
Of course, for the novelty of this specially cultivated and versatile vegetable, there is a premium price tag - broccolini generally rings in at three to four times the cost of common broccoli bunches.
So whether the delicate flavor and texture is worth the cost comes down to personal preference!
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccolini
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- dash Salt
- dash Black Pepper
- dash Lemon Juice optional
Instructions
- Wash your broccolini and let the water drain.1 pound broccolini
- Remove the leaves off the stems.
- In a medium bowl, add the broccolini, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, dash Salt, dash Black Pepper
- Add to the broccolini to the air fryer basket and air fry for 12 minutes on 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to flip the broccolini over halfway.
- Remove from the air fryer and sprinkle some lemon juice, if preferred.dash Lemon Juice
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