My wife talked me into trying frozen broccoli in the air fryer and I was wrong

I always thought frozen veggies would just get soggy and sad in there, so I stuck to fresh stuff. She put a whole bag of frozen florets in our basket last week, no oil, just some garlic powder. Set it for 12 minutes at 400, shaking halfway. I was fully ready for a mushy mess. But they came out with these crispy, almost charred edges while still being tender inside. It totally changed my mind on convenience foods. Now I do a bag of frozen green beans the same way for a quick side. Has anyone else had a win with a frozen food they didn't expect to work?

3 comments

3 Comments

stella6273mo ago

Oh man, that's a total game changer, right? I read a whole article about how the ice crystals on frozen veggies actually help them get crispy in hot air (science, I guess). It works crazy well with those frozen potato wedges too, they come out like fast food fries. I was so against frozen Brussels sprouts for years, but a little parmesan and air fryer time fixed that. Now my freezer is full of bags I used to side-eye.

craig.reese1mo ago

Wait, doesn't skipping the oil make them kinda dry and sad though? I've tried it both ways and the tiny bit of oil always wins for me, even with the ice crystal trick.

brooke9453mo ago

Wait, you don't use any oil at all? I always toss mine in just a tiny bit, but maybe I should skip it. That's a solid tip. @stella627 is right about the science, the ice makes a big difference. I do the same thing with frozen cauliflower to make buffalo bites, and it works every time. My husband used to hate frozen veggies too until I started air frying them.