Last Updated on September 18, 2023 by Harry & Johan. This post may contain affliate links, see privacy policy
Cheesy Air fryer broccoli with parmesan is the perfect healthy snack or vegetable side dish to serve with a meal. The broccoli comes out the air fryer super crispy and cheesy!
Making broccoli in the air fryer is a super easy way to get greens on the table fast and make broccoli taste great too!
These air fryer broccoli florets are
- drizzled with lemon juice,
- generously sprinkled with parmesan cheese
- and ready in under 15 minutes!
You won't want your broccoli any other way!
For more air fryer vegetable side dishes, check out my Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges and my Air Fryer Corn on the Cobs recipes. They're perfect for getting some vegetables on the table fast! I also love making these Air Fryer Portobello Mushrooms - they're the best way to make them by far!
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🥦 Ingredients
Super simple ingredients are all you need for this recipe, fresh broccoli and your flavourings! Very little oil is needed for this recipe too!
To make parmesan flavoured broccoli in the air fryer, you'll need:
- A large head of broccoli or pre-cut broccoli florets
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Lemon juice
See the recipe card for precise quantities and instructions.
📖 Instructions
Cut the broccoli into florets, and try to keep the florets the same size. If cutting larger florets, cut down the middle creating a large flat surface that holds the oil and seasonings well and will crisp up in the air fryer.
In a large bowl, add the broccoli florets. Spray or drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle over the salt and pepper. Use your fingers to thoroughly coat the broccoli with oil and seasonings. This helps the oil get all over the broccoli, even all over the ends, which makes them more crispy overall.
Place the seasoned broccoli into the air fryer basket into an even, single layer. There should be small gaps between each piece of broccoli for airflow. Air fry for 7 minutes at 380 °F (180 °C). Then flip over the broccoli florets and air fry for another 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the broccoli and then place it back into the air fryer. You can leave it to melt with the warmth in the air fryer or air fry for 1 minute to melt the parmesan quickly. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the broccoli and serve!
Hint: I highly recommend taking the time and using your fingers to thoroughly coat the broccoli with the oil and seasonings.
Air fried foods need less oil to become crisp and rubbing a thin layer of oil over the broccoli instead of drizzling and soaking them with oil keeps them healthier too!
❓FAQ
Yes! Air fried foods need a lot less oil to become crispy. By rubbing a thin layer of oil over the broccoli with your fingers instead of drizzling and soaking them with oil keeps them healthy. Less oil and healthier than oven-baked or fried broccoli!
Air fry seasoned broccoli florets for a total of 10 minutes at 380 °F (180 °C). Flip roughly halfway through to ensure even cooking and crisping!
The ends of broccoli florets are quite delicate, thin and are prone to burning easily! Coating them evenly with oil helps prevent them from drying out and burning.
Every air fryer is different so check the broccoli a couple of times while cooking too. If the ends are browning within the first half of the cooking time, turn down your air fryer temperature.
🥘 Substitutions
Here are some substitutions suggestions that you can use based on what you have in your pantry:
- Broccoli substitutions - you can easily substitute the broccoli florets for broccoli tenderstems or cauliflower florets and keep the cooking time the same.
- Oils you can use - you can use avocado oil, canola oil or peanut oil for this recipe as they all work well in an air fryer. Avoid using aerosol spray oils and only use oil sprayers as aerosol oils can damage your air fryer.
- Vegan - replace the parmesan cheese with vegan parmesan cheese to make this recipe completely vegan. Vegan parmesan cheese wouldn't melt in the same way so I would recommend sprinkling it over the cooked broccoli after air frying and not melting it in the air fryer.
⏲️ Equipment
This recipe has been developed and tested using a Cosori Max XL Large Cooker. It has a capacity of 5.8 quarts.
I love making quick lunch and vegetable side dish recipes in the air fryer - it uses so little oil and all the food comes out crispy and delicious every time!
🥣 Storage
Store leftover cooked broccoli parmesan in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be stored for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or air fryer on a lower heat for a couple of minutes for a tasty, healthy snack!
‼️ Top tips
- Use your fingers to rub a thin layer of oil all over the broccoli florets with the seasonings. This is better and healthier than drizzling or pouring oil over them and then mixing as you will use a lot less oil and the air fryer makes sure your food still comes out crispy!
- The warmth of the air fryer is enough to melt the parmesan cheese, just sprinkle the parmesan cheese on in a generous layer and return to the warm air fryer for a few minutes to melt.
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Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Large Head of broccoli
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1 tsp. Sea salt
- 1 tsp. Black pepper
- 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer (or oven) to 380 °F (180 °C).
- Cut the broccoli into florets, and try to keep the florets the same size. If cutting larger florets, cut down the middle creating a large flat surface that holds the seasonings well and will crisp up in the air fryer.1 Large Head of broccoli
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli florets. Spray or drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle over the salt and pepper. Use your fingers to thoroughly coat the broccoli with oil and seasonings. This helps the oil get all over the broccoli, even all over the ends, which makes them more crispy overall.1 Tbsp. Olive oil, 1 tsp. Sea salt, 1 tsp. Black pepper
- Place the seasoned broccoli into the air fryer basket into an even, single layer. There should be small gaps between each piece of broccoli for airflow. Air fry for 7 minutes. Then flip over the broccoli florets and air fry for another 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the broccoli and then place it back into the air fryer. You can leave it to melt with the warmth in the air fryer or air fry for 1 minute to melt the parmesan quickly.3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
- Squeeze lemon juice over the broccoli and serve.1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was tested with these air fryers:
Court
The lemon juice and the parmesan were a great combination! I added some paprika to my broccoli as well for some extra flavor