This Air fryer broccolini recipe is easy, quick, and ready in 10 minutes or less. It is tender, crunchy, flavorful and makes a perfect side dish that can be served with potatoes, chicken, rice, pasta, or any food of your choice. The ingredients used on this baby broccoli in air fryer are also quite subtle, letting the sweet, earthy taste shine, but with a little twist. Like the sound of it? Let's get cooking then!
Rinse, and trim the tips off the broccolini then add to a bowl.
Blanch- Add broccolini to a bowl and add boiling water to the bowl. Let it sit for 3 minutes and drain. Immediately add cold water into the bowl then drain in a colander. Let the broccolini sit for a few minutes then pat dry with paper towels.
Season- Mix olive oil, garlic granules, onion granules, salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl. Toss the blanched broccolini in the seasoning mixture coating them evenly with the seasoning mix.
Cook- Spread the broccolini in the air fryer basket in a single layer leaving some space between each stem.
Air fry broccolini for 6-8 minutes depending on how crispy you want it.
Bring them out of the air fryer, and squeeze in some lemon juice for a bright zesty flavor.
Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Always make sure to thoroughly dry off the broccolini before seasoning and cooking. Moisture on the surface will cause the vegetable to steam. Hence, it won't get that signature crisp I've been talking about.
As you know, an air fryer is all about hot air circulation. Therefore, ensure not to overcrowd the basket and keep ample space between all baby broccoli pieces. Cook in batches, if need be!
I recommend checking the dish at least 3 minutes before the cooking time. As all air fryers are different, some might cook the food quicker. You don't want to end up with a burned broccolini, do you?
Don't shy away from getting creative with the seasonings. The ones I mentioned in the recipe are according to my liking. If you think any other seasonings would taste good, give it a try.