Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli – fork-tender broccoli with lightly crisp edges cooks in just 8 minutes! It’s EASY to get delicious oven roasted taste in a fraction of the time. 
Fans of roasted vegetables will love this recipe – a healthy side dish that goes with almost everything! In just 8 minutes and 2 ingredients, fresh broccoli is air fried to fork-tender with lightly crisp edges (my favorite part).
Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli starts with fresh broccoli cooked the way broccoli should be. Tender, not mushy and over the top good all by itself.
I get it – that little box of frozen broccoli with the pre-made cheese sauce is convenient and tempting. But do yourself a favor and skip the frozen section.
What’s in air fryer roasted broccoli?
- fresh broccoli
- olive oil
Of course, you’ll also want to season the broccoli with a little salt as well.
how to roast broccoli in the air fryer:
Wash, trim and completely dry the broccoli. If it’s still moist, it won’t crisp up.
Drizzle the broccoli with olive oil, turning to coat it, then season with salt to taste.
Preheat the air fryer to 375° then add the broccoli to the air fryer basket. Cook 8 minutes or until tender with crispy edges, pausing to give the basket a good shake halfway through cooking. The broccoli is ready to eat or you can add the cheese sauce below.
How do I make the cheese sauce?
The cheese sauce is optional . . .who am I kidding? Cheese is everything! Here’s what you’ll need:
- butter
- flour
- milk (2% used, don’t recommend skim)
- sharp cheddar cheese (freshly grated cheese works best)
- salt
Tip: make the cheese sauce while the broccoli is cooking.
Grate the cheese then set it aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium to medium-low heat, then sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk until smooth.
Pour in the milk and salt and continue whisking constantly until the milk and flour mixture are combined. Increase the heat, bring to a full boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens.
Remove the pan from the heat then add the cheese, gently stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and silky. Taste and adjust salt as you like then spoon the cheese sauce over the broccoli and eat right away.
what goes with broccoli?
Almost anything – but here are a few suggestions:
- 20 Minute Honey Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
- Cucumber Dill Salmon
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
Enjoy!
If you tried this Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli recipe or any other on the blog then I’d love to hear from you with a comment or star rating!
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Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
Roasted Broccoli
- 4 cups fresh broccoli cut to florets (use stems too if you like)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt to taste
Cheese Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk 2% used
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated recommended
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
Roasted Broccoli
- Trim the broccoli, cut into florets then drizzle with olive oil turning to coat. Season with salt.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° then add the broccoli to the air fryer basket. Cook 7-8 minutes or until tender with crispy edges, pausing to give the basket a good shake halfway through cooking.
Cheese Sauce
- Grate the cheese then set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter then sprinkle the flour over the top. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Pour in the milk and salt, whisking constantly until the milk and flour mixture are combined. Increase the heat, bring to a full boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the pan from the heat then add the cheese gently stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is silky. Taste and adjust for salt then spoon over the broccoli and eat right away.