No, we didn’t make this vegetable up. Broccolini can be tricky to find, but you’ll hit the jackpot of produce once you’ve located it. And with the beauty of your air fryer, it takes little time to achieve crispy savory excellence. This easy recipe is packed with fresh and satisfying flavors that will make you wonder how you’ve lived life without this brilliant green. In 10 minutes or less, our Air Fryer Broccolini will become a regular on your lineup of side dishes, of this we have no doubt.
Serve this fancy side dish next to our 15 Minute Shrimp Scampi or Easy Baked Pork Chops.
Why Our Recipe
- A quick side dish that feels like an upgrade.
- Great alternative to asparagus, with a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Because using the air fryer keeps your oven and stovetop free for other cooking.
Broccolini is not the same as broccoli, but it’s kind of like broccoli’s fancy cousin. With longer, thinner stalks, and smaller florets, its flavor is slightly sweeter than broccoli and less bitter. A cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, this hybrid vegetable was developed in Japan, and we love them for it.
Ingredient Notes
- Broccolini: Can be found at specialty grocery stores, but maybe call ahead to ensure they have it before driving over.
- Olive Oil: Don’t feel like you need expensive olive oil, most extra-virgin olive oils will work well.
- Lemon: This recipe uses both the lemon juice and lemon zest. If you don’t own a zester, you can use the smallest size of your cheese grater. Some cheese graters even have a zester side.
- Parmesan Cheese: Shredded parmesan cheese can be found in plastic bags or tubs in the cheese section of the grocery store, but if you can get a wedge of parmesan cheese, grating it on the smallest size of your cheese grater will give you the best meltage.
Crispy exterior wanted
Coating your broccolini in the oil and seasonings before cooking it will give it a crispy and savory exterior that is perfection on cooked vegetables. No one likes soggy or mushy cooked vegetables, so we keep the cooking temperature high and the cooking time low to make sure we hit that perfection goal.
Air Fryer Tips & Tricks
Preheat your air fryer, it only takes a minute, but this will make for a more even cooking.
Place the broccolini in the air fryer basket in a single layer so that the air can circulate, creating that crispy perfection.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat portions in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and slightly crispy.
