I have been making these roasted cumin air fryer broccoli bits on REPEAT for months now and haven’t told you about them. And for that I apologize. Because anything that gets me to voluntarily eat broccoli basically every day is worth sharing.
Broccoli has always been a solidly bottom-tier vegetable for me. I don’t…*hate* it per se, but I absolutely refuse to eat it raw, and I think it’s gross steamed (like most veggies), so it’s generally a “nope” from me. Just texturally, it’s rough.
But when you break it down into smaller pieces (we’re talking smaller than florets here), and roast them until close to charred, they transform into something almost crave-worthy!
Like I mentioned in my air fryer green beans, it almost feels like overstating to call this a “recipe”.
After two years of having an air fryer and not using it all, I became obsessed this past summer and use it at least once a day (in fact I’ve gotten a 2-basket one so I can make multiple thing at the same time).
Putting veggies in my air fryer was a lifesaver when I was on a functional medicine detox and gut health protocol with a really restrictive diet regimen (see all my tips for that here!).
That said, if you’re not an air fryer person, you can absolutely make these in the oven as well. It will take a bit longer—especially with having to preheat the oven—but it’s just as delicious.
And similarly, if the taste of cumin powder isn’t for you (I understand, I only like it in small amounts), this is great with just sea salt. But I’ve found that cumin and cruciferous veggies pair really well together, and it amps up the flavors in this easy side dish.
As crazy as it sounds, you definitely need to add this roasted broccoli to your weekly dinner routine STAT!
Other crazy easy sides you’ll love:
- Addictive Oven-Roasted Okra
- Easy Roasted Tahini Maple Mustard Carrots
- Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic-Honey Drizzle
- Cheesy Rosemary Sweet Potatoes on the Grill
- Fluffy, Fragrant Turmeric Rice
- Easy Air Fryer Green Beans (Blistered Green Bean Fries)
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Crazy Easy Air Fryer Broccoli: Roasted with Cumin
This air fryer broccoli is the best, easiest way to make it...a delicious roasted broccoli recipe using cumin that's ready in under 10 minutes. You can also make this as oven roasted broccoli if you want, though it will take 20-25 including preheating the oven. This is a super healthy & easy side dish recipe for any day of the week!
Ingredients
- Fresh broccoli florets, cut into smaller pieces
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- A sprinkling of ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer for 2-3 minutes. On mine, the setting is Air Fryer, 360 to 375 F. If you prefer to make this in the oven, preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Cut up your broccoli florets into smaller pieces (unless they're already tiny).
- Place in a bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and a little cumin powder. Toss with a spoon to distribute and coat.
- Throw the broccoli in the air fryer drawer and cook for 4 to 7 minutes. The time will depending highly on your air fryer and the size of the broccoli. About halfway through the cooking I usually pull out the drawer and shake it for a second, just to move everything around. In the oven this will take 10-20 minutes, depending.
- Keep a close eye on the broccoli once you get past the 4-minute mark...it will go from perfect to charred in mere seconds! Once it's the softness and crispness you prefer, remove into a bowl, sprinkle with a tiny bit more salt, and eat immediately. You can also save as leftovers, they're decent if not amazing.
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