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Crispy, tender and delicately seasoned, this Air Fryer broccolini is a stunning side dish that you can put together in just minutes. If you don’t like the taste of broccoli, try this recipe- it has a milder flavor, and is really easy to cook too!
Best of all, it’s vegan, gluten-free and super versatile- you can pair it with your classic air fried chicken Parmesan or the ultimate Air Fryer mac and cheese.
I love using my Air Fryer to quickly whip up a healthy veggie side dish to go with my protein, and while I’m partial to my Air Fryer green beans and air fried snap peas recipes, I really wanted to try something different this time.
And tender, juicy stalks of broccolini seemed like the perfect option! Here, I kept the seasonings to a minimum to let the flavors of the veggie shine through, but of course, you can totally go heavy on them and spice it up if you want to!
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Crunchy and savory.
⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes.
🔥 Cook time: 5 minutes.
⏲️ Total time: 10 minutes.
👥 Servings: 4 servings.
🥄 Tools: Air Fryer.
❄️ Freezer friendly: No.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: If you’re using broccoli florets, stick to my Air Fryer broccoli recipe- not this one, as the cooking time will be different.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You’ll need just 10 minutes to whip it up. It’s the perfect easy side dish for any day of the week- just like my air fried mushrooms.
- Serve them for lunch or dinner- they’re super versatile.
- You can play around with the seasonings too- the dish is super customizable.
Recipe Ingredients
- Broccolini: Pick ones that look fresh, bright and firm. Stay away from ones that look dull and limp.
- Olive oil– The best quality you can get- I love using Pompeian Olive Oil.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic, for that beautiful umami depth. Garlic powder can work in a pinch.
- Seasonings: Some Kosher salt and crushed black pepper. You can also a pinch of my homemade poultry seasoning if you want some extra herby flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- For a smoky flavor, use air fried roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic for the flavor.
- Team up the broccolini with some carrots to make it more fun. I actually did this sometime back with broccoli- check out my Air Fryer broccoli and carrots recipe.
- Drizzle some lemon juice over the top, right before you serve to lend the broccolini a nice citrusy zing.
- To add a touch of heat, season the broccolini with red pepper flakes or cayenne.
How to Make Air Fryer Broccolini
- Start by rinsing and chopping the broccolini stems and patting them dry with a paper towel. Add them to a bowl with the olive oil, garlic and seasonings.
- Toss well to coat all of them nicely.
- Transfer them to your Air Fryer basket and cook at 380 F for 5-7 minutes or until they look slightly golden brown and crispy.
- Top with some shaved Parmesan if you want, and serve immediately!
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Serve your air fried broccolini with any protein main of your choice. I personally love pairing it with my air fried Parmesan crusted chicken, Air Fryer lobster tails and my favorite Air Fryer ribeye steak.
And of course, you can team it up with pretty much any pasta dish too! It’s a great side to go with my Air Fryer pizza pasta casserole or a simple pasta dish made with my juicy Air Fryer meatballs.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Massage the broccolini- especially the tops- nicely with olive oil to keep them from drying out.
- You can add a tablespoon of water to the bottom of the Air Fryer basket for the perfectly tender yet crispy broccolini.
- I used my Cosori 5.8 qt Air Fryer for this recipe. You may need to adjust the cooking time by 1-2 minutes if you’re using a different device.
- Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese during the final 2 minutes of cooking time to lend the broccolini a nice cheesy flavor. I did this when I made my Air Fryer Parmesan Brussels sprouts recently and it turned out SO delicious!
- To make it vegan, use a generous sprinkle of nutritional yeast instead of the Parmesan.
Recipe FAQs
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or resealable storage bag for up to 3 days in your refrigerator.
Yes, you can. First, allow it to cool down completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
If the broccolini tops are turning too brown, it’s probably because you’ve kept them in for too long. Cut down the cooking time by a minute or two for the perfect texture.
More Air Fryer Side Dishes
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Home Fries
Appetizers
Air Fryer Green Bean Fries
Appetizers
Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Squash
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Air Fryer Broccolini
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 cups broccolini, about 6-8ounces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse broccolini, then cut the ends off broccolini stems (about an inch) and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a shallow dish toss the broccolini with olive oil. Then add garlic and seasonings.
- Toss broccolini until it is fully coated. Place broccolini in the air fryer basket and cook at 380 degrees F for 5-7 minutes until it reaches your desired crispiness.
- Serve this quick side dish while hot.
Notes
- Experiment with different seasonings to jazz up the flavors of this simple broccolini.
- Keep an eye on the Air Fryer at the 4 minute mark. If you’re using really small, tender stalks, overcooking will cause them to burn.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
