Lara Clevenger

Recipes, Travel, Bowling, and RV Adventures

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • Blackstone
    • Instant Pot
    • Keto
    • Ninja Creami
    • Paleo
    • Sheet Pan Meals
    • Slow Cooker
    • Vegetarian
  • Services
    • Meal Plans
    • Services
    • Food Sensitivities – MRT
  • RV LIFE
    • Blackstone Recipes
    • Campgrounds
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Disclosure Policy
Home » Air Fryer Broccolini

Air Fryer Broccolini

January 17, 2023 by Lara January 17, 2023

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR MORE INFO.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Air Fryer Broccolini is a super easy side dish and pairs great with any protein! Whether you follow a keto diet or not, anyone can appreciate having perfectly cooked broccolini in less than 10 minutes!

air fryer broccolini on a white plate with a white napkin
Table of Contents
  • Air Fryer Broccolini
  • Why you’ll love this easy Air Fryer Broccolini Recipe
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Ingredients
  • How to Cook Broccolini in Air Fryer
  • Substitutions
  • How to Store
  • How to Reheat
  • What to Serve with Broccolini
  • What is broccolini
    • Broccolini vs broccoli
    • Broccoli rabe vs broccolini
  • More Air Fryer Recipes to try

Air Fryer Broccolini

I love making air fried broccolini! It’s so much better than regular broccoli in my opinion! I feel like you get so much more out of them because you eat the entire stalk unlike broccoli.

I mean you an eat the stalk on broccoli but it’s super tough and you have to cook it down into like a soup to make it palatable.

I’ve been completely obsessed with air frying vegetables! I’ve already made Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash, Air Fryer Peppers and Onions, Air Fryer Parmesan Asparagus and Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts.

Since traveling in my Cedar Creek RV more I’ve really started to appreciate my Air Fryer, Blackstone and Instant Pot. So be on the lookout for a bunch more recipes!

This broccolini recipe uses basic ingredients, but has a nice crispy texture and has a delicious lemony garlic flavor! It’s shown below with this broiled chicken thigh recipe.

broiled chicken thigh and broccolini on a white plate

Why you’ll love this easy Air Fryer Broccolini Recipe

  • Low in carbs! This broccolini recipe is good if you’re following a keto diet. It has just 1g net carbs per serving and 5g total carbs per serving.
  • Quick and Easy! With only 6 simple ingredients and cooked in just 7 minutes, it can’t get much easier than that!
  • Pairs with most proteins! This broccolini is served above with my easy broiled chicken thighs recipe.

Tips and Tricks

This easy air fryer lemon and garlic broccolini recipe is cooked al dente. If you like yours cooked more on the done side, add a few more minutes to the cooking time.

If you do decide to eat your broccolini as a snack as I have done on many occasions, sprinkle with a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon. You’ll thank me later.

ingredients needed to make broccolini in the air fryer

Ingredients

  • broccolini: washed and trimmed, I used the pre-packaged kind that has already been washed
  • oil: Olive oil or avocado oil
  • lemon juice: I prefer fresh squeezed, but the bottle kind will work in a pinch too
  • seasonings: fresh garlic, kosher or coarse sea salt, black pepper
step by step guide how to make broccolini in an air fryer

How to Cook Broccolini in Air Fryer

You can either use the bunch of broccolini that’s near the heads of broccoli in the produce section or you can get the broccolini that comes in the ready to eat bag. I opted for the bag version because 1) it’s all that was available, 2) it’s already been washed, dried and stems cut so less work for me!

  1. In a large bowl add your broccolini.
  2. Then add the olive or avocado oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic (I use this garlic press – best kitchen gadget ever!), salt (I use kosher or coarse sea salt because I like big chunks of salt), and ground pepper
  3. Toss the broccolini with your hands until they’re evenly coated.
  4. Next put them in the air fryer basket in a single layer (You don’t have to spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with oil). Cook at 390F for 5-6 minutes.
  5. If you’re feeling a little bit fancy you can top it with some fresh lemon zest. Enjoy your perfectly crisp vegetables!
  6. Store leftovers in an air-tight container.

So you’re going to see quite a few recipes out there that cook it longer than 6 minutes. I don’t know why because at the 6 minute mark mine were already getting charred on the edged so I’d highly recommend not cooking longer than 6 minutes because broccolini cooks up quick.

Unless you like your veggies burnt or extra crispy, then by any means cook it longer! Any way you like it, this makes for a delicious side dish! It’s also a naturally gluten-free recipe!

Substitutions

You can substitute avocado oil for olive oil, bottle lemon juice for fresh squeezed lemon, garlic powder for fresh minced garlic, sea salt for kosher salt. If you want to add a little flair, try adding in some crushed red pepper flakes and sesame seeds!

If you’re looking for more healthy side dish recipes, try this Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower and this roasted garlic parmesan asparagus.

How to Store

Store the leftovers broccolini in an airtight container (preferably glass) for 3-4 days. You most likely won’t have any leftovers.

How to Reheat

Reheat the broccolini in the the Air Fryer by place it in the air fryer basket and cooking at 390 for 2-3 minutes. You can also reheat it on the stove top. Transfer broccolini to a pan and heat of medium high for 1-2 minutes until warm throughout.

What to Serve with Broccolini

This broccolini is a great addition to any main dish entree. It’s a perfect quick side dish and very little cleanup!

If you like to meal prep, try pairing these with Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs. Or if you to serve it with an air fryer recipe, opt for this Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon, or this Juicy Air Fryer Ribeye Steak.

If you’re into carbs, you can also serve this with any of your favorite pasta dishes for a super easy side dish.

Cooked broccolini in an air fryer basket

What is broccolini

Broccolini is a cross between traditional broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It’s also known to some as “baby broccoli.” Broccolini is actually a trade marked name in 1993 by Japan’s Sakata Seed Corporation.

Broccolini vs broccoli

Not to be confused with broccoli, broccolini is still a part of the cruciferous family but it has much longer and thinner stalks and smaller florets than broccoli. Broccolini has a much less pungent taste than broccoli.

With the broccolini you eat the stems and the florets, unlike broccoli where most of the time the large stem is discarded and all you eat are the broccoli florets..

Broccoli rabe vs broccolini

Broccoli rabe has thicker stalks, bigger leaves and less florets than broccolini. Also the taste is completely different than broccolini or broccoli. Broccoli rabe is closer in taste and uses to mustard or turnip greens (you know that bitter taste), than either of the prior.

air fryer broccolini on a white plate with a white napkin

More Air Fryer Recipes to try

If you loved this air fryer best broccolini recipe ever – just kidding, but it is pretty darn good! Check out these air fryer hard boiled eggs, Air Fryer Tomatoes (Roasted or dehydrated), Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs and this Air Fryer T-bone Steak recipe.

PHOTO COLLAGE OF RECIPE WITH THE WORDS "VIEW MEAL PLANS"
air fryer broccolini on a white plate
Print Pin
5 from 11 votes

Air Fryer Broccolini

Air Fryer Broccolini is a super easy low carb side dish and pairs great with any protein! Whether you follow a keto diet or not, anyone can appreciate having perfectly cooked broccolini in less than 10 minutes!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword easy broccolini recipe, perfect broccolini
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Servings 3
Calories 71kcal
Author Lara

Equipment

  • air fryer

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces broccolini
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1/2 lemon juice of half a lemon
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt or coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl add your broccolini
  • Then add the olive or avocado oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and ground pepper
  • Toss the broccolini with your hands until they're evenly coated
  • Next put them in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 390F for 5-6 minutes.

Notes

So you’re going to see quite a few recipes out there that cook it longer than 6 minutes. I don’t know why because at the 6 minute mark mine were already getting charred on the edged so I’d highly recommend not cooking your broccoinin longer than 6 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1335IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

Filed Under: Air Fryer, Camping Recipes, keto, Recipes, Sides, Vegetables, vegetarian

« 3 Ingredient Keto Strawberry Ice Cream
Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes »

Comments

  1. Traci says

    January 17, 2023 at 8:30 AM

    5 stars
    This was enjoyed by everyone tonight as a side for our dinner! It was nice and crispy and tasted amazing!

    Reply
  2. Erin says

    January 17, 2023 at 9:29 AM

    5 stars
    I love the flavors in this recipe! I normally just steam ours and serve with olive oil This was SO much better! It was a huge hit. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Jenn says

    January 17, 2023 at 9:34 AM

    5 stars
    I don’t like broccoli but I LOVE broccolini – weird, I know. And making it in the air fryer was sooooo easy! Loved it!

    Reply
  4. Karen Kelly says

    January 17, 2023 at 10:08 AM

    5 stars
    Okay this was my first time making broccolini in the air fryer and it’s so tasty. Love having the veggies going in the air fryer and I can use the oven for the rest of the meal. Simple and a keeper for sure!

    Reply
  5. Vladka says

    January 17, 2023 at 10:20 AM

    5 stars
    I added oregano and thyme for extra flavor. We had it as a side dish with pasta and sauce and it was delicious.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





About Me

image of a girl in a pink jacket with fury hood smiling

Hi, I’m Lara! I’m a dietitian and I love to travel the US in my fifth wheel RV with my pups Stella & Loki. I share healthy, low carb and camping recipes along with my travel and bowling stories.

Recent Posts

keto chicken cordon bleu casserole in a dish with a spoon
instant pot cheesy mashed cauliflower topped with butter and parsley
bacon wrapped chuck tender filets topped with butter in an air fryer basket.
social media and featured image for best backstone side dishes
broccoli in a white bowl with a fork and a white napkin
Blackened Walleye on a white plate and parsley on the side
air fryer omelet on a white plate with a fork with sausage on the side
instant pot baby back ribs being dipped into a clear glass filled with BBQ sauce.
sliced air fryer strip steak on white plate next to Brussel sprouts

Disclaimer/Disclosure

The information presented on this web site is not intended to take the place of your personal physician’s advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Discuss this information with your own physician or healthcare provider to determine what is right for you. All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. We cannot and do not give you medical advice. See full disclaimer/disclosure policy. 

Web Stories

Lara Clevenger · Copyright © 2023