If you’ve never had roasted broccoli, you are in for a real treat. When broccoli starts to char, the flavors it releases are incredible. We’re so used to simply steaming broccoli, either in the microwave or on the stovetop – which is fine. But with under 10 minutes in the air fryer, we get a whole new dimension of flavor. I can’t wait for you to try this recipe!
Start with Fresh Broccoli
For roasting broccoli we’ll get the very best results by using fresh broccoli – specifically the florets. We can trim away most of the stems, and cut the broccoli into chunks of an inch or 2 in size. We’re essentially creating nugget sized chunks of broccoli. Frozen doesn’t work well for a couple of reasons. The water content can be too high, and frozen broccoli generally contains too many stem parts. The florets are going to be the star of the show for this recipe. I recommend using ½ – 1lb. of fresh broccoli.
Ingredients
Lemon pepper seasoning is an excellent blend for many different recipes. If you don’t already have some in your pantry, you can easily find it in any supermarket and it’s quite affordable. You can also find lemon pepper seasoning here. Then all we need is some olive oil. I like to use oil spray. It makes it much easier to get the oil well coated within all the little nooks and crannies of the broccoli.
Add a little water
Most standard air fryers are either basket style or tray style. All have what’s called a “drip tray” at the bottom to collect food drippings. For this recipe we’re actually going to use the drip tray to help cook the broccoli. By adding a tablespoon of water to the drip tray, prior to cooking the broccoli, this will create just a bit of steam which will help to more thoroughly cook the broccoli. And it really does help.
Air Fry at 380°(F) for 8-10 minutes
Preheat your air fryer at 380°(F) for 5 minutes. Once it’s preheated, add the tablespoon of water to the drip tray, then add the seasoned broccoli to the basket or air fryer food tray. Set to air fry at 380°(F) for 8-10 minutes. The length of time can vary from air fryer to air fryer and also on the amount of broccoli used. The florets will have a slight char when done and the stems will be fork tender.
Serve Immediately
Once the cooking time is complete, your air fryer lemon pepper roasted broccoli is ready to enjoy! As with any dish, you can add a little salt or pepper to your liking. Keep in mind that the lemon pepper seasoning usually has some salt to begin with, so you probably won’t need much. I also like to keep some additional lemon pepper seasoning and some fresh lemon slices on the side as well. Adding that little bit of fresh lemon juice from the lemon slices is always perfect to bring the flavor right over the top! Oh my goodness it’s so delicious!
