Broccoli is a healthy and tasty snack for when you are craving something savory but want to avoid high calorie counts.
If you have never tried cooking it in an air fryer, that should be your next step, because it gives the classic vegetable a whole new taste and can be done straight out of the freezer. But how long do you cook frozen broccoli in an air fryer?
Frozen broccoli takes between 8 and 12 minutes to cook in an air fryer when cooking from frozen at 360 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have larger florets, they will take closer to 12 minutes to cook whereas smaller ones will take closer to 8. You can also keep your frozen broccoli in the air fryer for longer than you need to for a crispier final product.
In the rest of the article, we are going to share with you all you need to know about cooking frozen broccoli in an air fryer.
How Do You Cook Frozen Broccoli In an Air Fryer?
If you are new to air fryers, you may be a bit confused about how to get your frozen broccoli tasting great even now that you know the cooking times and temperatures.
Not to worry. It is a fairly straightforward process. Let’s go through it together step by step.
Ingredients
The ingredients we recommend for making a great dish of air fried frozen broccoli are simply:
- Frozen broccoli
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Very often, less is more, and a simple set of ingredients can give you a meal that really brings out the natural taste of the broccoli.
We prefer olive oil over sunflower oil because it is both healthier and complements the natural taste of the broccoli better. If you prefer sunflower oil for taste, however, you can easily substitute it in the recipe.
If you want to keep with similar oils but are getting tired of using olive oil for everything, avocado oil works as an amazing substitute and gives you a unique final product.
If you prefer using more herbs and spices in your cooking, garlic goes very well with broccoli.
You can either cut the garlic up to cook alongside it, dice or crush it up to put on the florets or use garlic powder to season them ahead of cooking.
Preparation
Set your air fryer to begin preheating to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. This is an important step because it removes any of the variations that you may have to deal with if you have to incorporate the air fryer’s own heating time into the recipe’s cooking time.
While you are waiting for it to preheat, put your frozen broccoli in a mixing bowl, add your oil, and sprinkle in whichever seasonings you are going to use. Mix it up well in the bowl so that your florets are all coated well and evenly in oil and seasonings.
Once your ingredients are ready, place them in your air fryer basket. They will cook best if they are not too crowded.
While it may be tempting to fill the basket up to the top, for reliable results, you should keep your broccoli arranged in only a single layer in the fryer basket.
You do not need to thaw your broccoli before this step. In fact, if you do so, it will not match up with the cooking times, so just use it straight out of the freezer.
Frying
When your ingredients are arranged in your basket and the air fryer is preheated, you can place the basket in the air fryer.
Wait for between 4 and 6 minutes and then give the basket a shake. This will help the broccoli cook more evenly. At this point, you should also check if there is any build up of water at the bottom of the air fryer. If there is, do not worry.
This is normal when cooking frozen foods. You will have to empty this water out before continuing, though.
Once you have shaken your air fryer basket and emptied out any excess water, simply wait another 4 to 6 minutes, and your broccoli dish will be ready to serve.
Serving
There are many ways to serve frozen broccoli that has just come out of an air fryer. For many people, it makes for a great mid-day or inter-meal snack.
This is especially true if you have kept your broccoli in the air fryer a bit longer, leaving you with crispy little florets. If you have been trying to move away from potato chips, you now have a perfect excuse.
You can also serve your air fried broccoli as a vegetable side to a meaty main course. A versatile plant like broccoli goes with just about anything, whether you are pairing it with white meats like chicken, red meats like beef or pork, or seafood like salmon, shrimp, or crab.
If you are vegetarian or prefer to go easy on the meat, broccoli has still got you covered. Pair your florets with a nice pesto pasta or a rice casserole.
You can even keep it simple by using them to prepare a broccoli salad or serving them with a yoghurt glaze.
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Does Frozen Broccoli Cook Faster Than Fresh?
Frozen broccoli actually cooks faster than fresh broccoli. You do not need to thaw your frozen broccoli before cooking it in the air fryer either.
This fact is a source of confusion for many people because it seems counterintuitive. Why would broccoli that is starting out at a much lower temperature, one below the freezing point, cook faster than broccoli at room temperature?
The starting temperature here is a red herring. If you let your frozen broccoli thaw, it would cook slightly quicker, but this is not necessary because of how short the cooking time is.
The reason frozen broccoli cooks faster than fresh broccoli is because it is already partially cooked. Before manufacturers package their broccoli, they blanch it.
The blanching process involves putting the food in boiling water for a short period of time and then quickly cooling it, usually by putting it directly in very cold water, to stop the cooking process at the best point for preserving taste and texture.
Only after the blanching process is complete is the broccoli frozen and packaged.
Is Frozen Broccoli Fully Cooked?
This does not mean that frozen broccoli is fully cooked. The blanching process is more about preservation than about giving you a meal that is ready to eat or easy to cook.
Blanching prevents certain enzymes that are present in broccoli from degrading its flavor, texture, nutritional value, and appearance while it is frozen. This is why in spite of the poor reputation that frozen foods have among some people, frozen foods that have been blanched actually taste very good.
Although you could let your frozen broccoli thaw and eat it as is, it is still only partially cooked, not fully. If you want your broccoli to be fully cooked, you will have to finish the process off, for example, in an air fryer.
Is Frozen Cooked Broccoli Healthy?
Because of the blanching process that happens before the broccoli is frozen, frozen broccoli is just as healthy as fresh broccoli, which is famed for its great nutritional profile and the health benefits it offers.
Broccoli is full of vitamins and minerals. Only a single cup of broccoli gives you more than an entire day’s worth of vitamin C and vitamin K. It is also a great source of potassium, vitamin A, and manganese, and these are just the highlights.
Broccoli also has antioxidants like sulforaphane, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants are essential to keeping your body healthy because they fight free radicals, which can cause cell damage.
The health benefits from the antioxidants found in broccoli include reductions in rates of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Finally, broccoli is a great source of fiber and is effective at reducing inflammation. Fiber keeps your digestive system happy and healthy while avoiding chronic inflammation and protects you from a wide array of diseases.
The Secret to Roasted Air Fryer Broccoli! Seasoned and Delicious! >> Check out the video below:
Conclusion
We have learned today all you need to know about how long to cook frozen broccoli in an air fryer. Combining one of the most versatile vegetables around with one of the most versatile cooking appliances truly leaves you spoiled for choice.
Add the convenience of cooking straight from frozen, and you have your easy ticket to a great snack or meal.