Air fryer broccolini is the way to go! You'll have a delicious roasted broccolini flavor, without heating up your oven. Season with a squeeze of lemon or some garlic for a flavor sensation!
What Is Broccolini?
Broccolini a cross between regular broccoli and a Chinese broccoli. Broccolini is completely edible from the small florets, long stalks, and even the small leaves. Compared to regular broccoli, broccolini has a milder, more earthy flavor that lends itself to roasting.
Why You'll Love This Broccolini
Air frying broccolini packs powerful flavor punch without any unnecessary fat and calories. It cooks quickly and lends itself to a variety of seasoning options. Just brush with some olive oil, season, and cook!
Broccolini is a great alternative to traditional broccoli, and it tastes delicious when cooked in the air fryer.
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Ingredients For Air Frying Broccolini
You want nice fresh broccolini. Calculate ¼ pound per person. Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest is preferred but bottled is fine.
- Fresh Broccolini - trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry.
- Olive oil - to brush on the broccolini florets.
- Lemon Juice - Fresh squeezed lemon juice.
- Garlic - minced.
- Salt
- Pepper
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Air Fry Broccolini
You will wash it well, trim off any woody parts of the stem (similar to trimming asparagus). Pat the broccolini dry with a few paper towels so the olive oil and seasonings stick.
Prepare The Broccolini
Get fresh broccolini when it is in season. Trim the ends, rinse and pat the broccolini dry.
- After washing, trimming, and patting the broccolini dry, place it in a bowl.
- Add the salt to the bowl of broccolini.
Season For Broccolini For Air Frying
- Sprinkle the broccolini with pepper, garlic powder, and any other spices or seasonings you are using.
- Toss the broccolini so that it is lightly coated with the oil and seasonings.
Air Fry The Broccolini
When you air fry broccolini, it cooks up very much like oven roasted broccolini! The edges get a little crispy, and adds to the flavor profile!
PRO TIP: Sprinkle your hot, fresh from the air fryer broccolini with some Parmesan cheese for a finishing touch.
- Spread the broccolini in the air fryer basket. Keep it to one layer. The air fryer should hold about half of the pound of broccolini.
- Set the air fryer temperature to 375° F and cook for 6 minutes. Your broccolini will be bright green and still a little crispy.
Serving Suggestions
Air Fryer Broccolini is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a side, snack, or even a main course. It's the perfect low calorie side dish for grilled salmon, steaks, or broiled chicken!
Serve air fried broccolini with you favorite main dishes like our Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta, Meatloaf with Lipton Soup mix, Broiled Chicken Thighs or Longhorns Salmon for a complete meal.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions
- You can substitute regular broccoli also, just cut the crowns into thin slices about the size of broccolini, so that the broccoli cooks yet still stays crisp.
Equipment
You will need an Air Fryer. Once you have one, you will be so surprised at how versatile and easy to use it actually is. They work by circulating hot air around the food, which results in a crispy outside and tender inside.
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- Nuwave Brio Air Fryer - Rotisserie - Grill - This 15 quart countertop Smart Oven has three slide in trays, that all can be used at the same time. You can air fry rotisserie chickens, an SO mush more!
- Nuwave Air Fryer 15 quart - This large family size basket air fryer has room to air fry enough for a large family!
- Gourmia Digital Air Fryer 6 quart - This basket style air fryer will handle four frozen waffles in the air fryer.
- Ninja Foodie Pro Air Fryer - Folds up out of the way on your counter.
- Nuwave Air Fryer 3 quart - This compact basket air fryer is perfect for singles or a small family of 2 or 3. You can air fry two frozen waffles in 4 minutes.
- Oil Sprayer - This is a perfect sprayer for spritzing a light coating of oil on vegetables, meats, and other prepared frozen foods before air frying. The tiny amount of oil ensures you get as amazing results as deep frying and roasting, with a fraction of the calories and splatter!
Storage and Reheating
- Store air fryer broccolini in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat it in a pre heated air fryer to restore its crispy exterior.
Tips for Success
- Be sure to pat the broccolini dry before air frying. Excess water will prevent it from roasting.
- Don't over fill the air fryer basket. Keep the broccolini to a one layer cook. Repeat for the remaining broccolini.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, just cover and freeze up to 3 months. The broccolini will not be quite as crisp on the reheat, but it will still taste fabulous.
Yes! Just wash, trim, and season your carrots, beets, broccoli, zucchini, just like the broccolini. Cooking times will vary according to the hardness of the vegetable.
Yes, you can. Just cut the broccoli into thinner strips so that it air fries like broccolini.
Broccoli rabe is actually in the turnip family. This means it is very similar to other bitter greens, but it cooks and tastes very similar to broccolini.
More Delish Ideas
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Broccolini
Ingredients
- 1 lb Broccolini, fresh
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the broccolini and trim off any woody end pieces. Pat dry with some paper towels.1 lb Broccolini, fresh
- In a large bowl add the broccolini. Pour the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Toss broccolini with seasonings until coated lightly.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, minced, salt to taste, pepper to taste
- Transfer the half the broccolini to your air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook at 375° F for 5 to 6 minutes for broccolini that is al dente, you can cook longer if you like it even softer.
- Remove the air fryer basket and lift out the cooked broccolini to a serving plate. Set aside while you air fry cook the second half of the broccolini.
- Repeat process with the remaining half of the broccolini in the bowl.
- Garnish with lemon zest or seasoning salt if desired, and serve!1 teaspoon lemon zest for garnish
Notes
- Store leftovers in air tight container.
- If cooking for more than 2 people, cook in two sessions.
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