Air Fryer Crispy Smashed Broccoli

Discover a simple and tasty way to cook broccoli using an air fryer. This recipe is perfect for busy individuals looking for a healthy and quick vegetable side dish. Those crispy edges are everything!

I have been on an air fryer recipes kick lately and one night I wanted to try something different with our veggies. So instead of roasting our broccoli, I tried cooking it in the air fryer. I loved that I got similar results to roasting it but in a fraction of the time. You can make this recipe from start to finish in less than 15 minutes!

Ingredients for Broccoli in the Air Fryer

First we will air fry the broccoli with a little oil and salt, and we will toss it in a delicious maple garlic sauce. Here are the items you will need to make this recipe:

• Broccoli Florets: cut into similar bite-sized pieces
• Olive Oil: helps the broccoli get crispy around the edges
• Salt: adds flavor
• Garlic: adds flavor
• Maple Syrup: adds a subtle natural sweetness
• Sesame Oil: adds flavor to the sauce we toss the roasted broccoli in at the end

The measurements for everything can be found in the recipe card down below.

Can I Use Frozen Broccoli?

Yes, frozen broccoli works great for this recipe. I would steam it until just heated through and then smash it as written in the instruction. Then proceed with the recipe as written to air fry it.

How to Make Air Fryer Broccoli

Here are the step-by-step directions for making this air fryer vegetable recipe:

1. Steam: We are going to parboil the broccoli first to get it nice and tender before sticking it in the air fryer. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket in a large sauce pan with boiling water. Cover the pan and let it steam until tender.
2. Flatten: Spread the steamed broccoli into a single layer on a cutting board or right in the air fryer basket and smash each one with the bottom of a sturdy drinking glass until it’s about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Toss: Put the smashed broccoli into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and salt and then toss to coat. Return them to the air fryer basket or baking sheets in a single layer (you may need to cook them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer) and cook at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes. You’ll want the edges to just start to get charred.
4. Stir: In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, maple syrup and sesame oil and then drizzle it over the broccoli and toss to coat.
5. Serve: Serve immediately while it’s crispy and hot!

The instructions can also be found in the recipe card down below so keep scrolling for the complete recipe.

Watch This Video to See How It’s Done…

Mom’s Cheesy Ham and Potato Broccoli Casserole [+Video]

Take your taste buds on a comforting journey with this delicious cheesy ham and potato broccoli casserole. It is creamy, cheesy, hearty and a totally comforting meal. Perfect for a family dinner or potluck!

My mom’s classic recipe that I hated for nearly my entire life, yes, even as an adult. I don’t know what has happened but in the last few years I’ve had such a craving for the classic recipes that I grew up on. Call it nostalgia, or maybe I’m just finally growing up and realizing what a gift it was that my mom made dinner literally every night and we always ate around a dinner table together.

This recipe is from her dear friend, Debbie, and I don’t remember a single year of my life that Mom didn’t make it, so it’s been around for a long time.

Ingredients for Ham Potato Broccoli Casserole

Grab your leftover ham and a few other ingredients, and let’s make this comforting casserole for dinner! Here is everything you’ll need:

• New Potatoes: a little sweeter and less starchy than regular russet or yukon gold potatoes, we love the flavor and texture!
• Broccoli: fresh or frozen broccoli florets work great
• Butter: used to salute and onions and mushrooms
• Onion: just a regular yellow onion
• Baby Bella Mushrooms: can be substituted with white button mushrooms or omitted if desired
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
• Ham: adds flavor and protein
• Cream Cheese: adds richness and creaminess
• Cheddar Cheese: adds flavor and gooiness

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down at the end of the post.

Substitutions and Variations

I love to use leftover ham in this recipe, but any protein tastes great in this casserole. You could use rotisserie chicken, ground beef, bacon, sausage, etc.

Growing up, Mom usually skipped the mushrooms or only put them on half of the casserole in order to please her picky kids, but they are in fact her favorite part. Sautéed with onions in gobs of delicious butter, I mean, what isn’t to love?

You can also change up the vegetables in this casserole. Peas or green beans would be super yummy!

How to Make Ham Potato and Broccoli Casserole

1. Prep: Butter or spray a 9×13 baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Parboil: Partially boil the potatoes for 8-10 minutes then drain and set aside. See section below for skipping this step.
3. Steam: Place the broccoli in a saucepan and steam until bright green.

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Brussel Sprouts and Broccoli

A creamy sauce is the key to our perfect brussel sprouts and broccoli recipe, plus buttery sautéed mushrooms and crisp, salty bacon! It the best easy vegetable recipe.

My mom LOVES mushrooms sautéed in butter. She loves caramelized mushrooms and mushroom soup, but nothing really sold me on the power of a little ‘shroom’ until now. This is the absolute best recipe for brussel sprouts AND their famous green and stalky cousin, broccoli. As the flavors blend and melt together under the blanket of a silky and creamy white sauce the nuttiness from the nutmeg will take over and everyone will be salivating for just one little bite.

It was a Sunday and my plans for dinner ended up being a waste, so I quickly shifted gears and began pulling the leftovers into a new concoction, one I hoped would be decently received.

I had:

Broccoli

Brussel Sprouts

Cream

and Mushrooms.

But I was feeling a bit insecure. I mean, do broccoli and brussel sprouts really hold up next to one another?

And hold up they have! This is one of my very favorite recipes to make. If it was 20 years ago I’d have given a hard pass on those brussels, heck probably the broccoli too, so why was I willing to play the game now?

Because of that sauce.

It’s rich and creamy without drowning the vegetables. And I’m convinced that it actually makes you happier when you combine vibrant color with an opposite sauce and texture. For some reason it really does go from being ok to delicious!

How to Make This Recipe

Ingredients for Creamy Brussel Sprouts and Broccoli

This veggie recipe is simple but totally loaded with flavor. Here is what you will need:

• Bacon
• Butter
• Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli Florets
• Baby Bella Mushrooms
• Garlic Seasoning: like Johnny Garlic Spread or Kinder Buttery Steakhouse Rub
• Heavy Cream
• Buttermilk
• Parmesan Cheese
• Salt and Pepper

The measurements for all these ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

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Teriyaki Chicken Casserole [+ Video]

This classic baked teriyaki chicken casserole recipe is easy to make and the perfect crowd pleasing recipe for a busy weeknight dinner or potluck.

It’s everything you love about takeout without leaving your house! Casseroles are great for dinner because they’re easy to throw together and comforting to come home to. This casserole combines chicken with a sweet savory glaze mixed with tasty fried rice and loads of healthy vegetables!

Before You Begin…

I know, this is kind of like a souped up fried rice, but I’m still calling it a casserole since we are adding in a few extras. We start with our ham fried rice recipe for the base of this casserole. If you haven’t already, you’re going to want to read that post because there’s a secret to making perfect fried rice. Both the fried rice and the teriyaki sauce can be made a day or two ahead of time.

How This Recipe Came to Be

One night after we made a huge batch of the fried rice, our fridge died. And I mean, died. We went just over two weeks without the dang thing while we waited for parts to come in. That first day I knew I needed to throw together a casserole because we didn’t have anything for dinner that night, so the teriyaki chicken casserole was born and what a blessing in disguise because it turned out awesome-sauce!

Well, there were a few months that were bitterly cold and we were feeling so grateful for a warm house. Because almost two weeks after the fridge died our furnace went out. Yaaaaaay. (Can you hear my sarcasm?). What a blessing it was that it was winter so we were able to keep condiments, butter, and such outside.

We learned that we can survive without the fridge. It changed our eating habits and was quite hard, especially for a food blogger, but it just took creativity for meals and helped us to remember to be grateful for our modern day conveniences.

And in the end we made a killer rice casserole recipe with teriyaki chicken, broccoli, fried rice and extra sauce. So maybe in the end the whole fridge debacle was worth it. Because this teriyaki chicken casserole is that delicious. 

Where Does Teriyaki Chicken Come From?

Teriyaki is a cooking technique where foods are grilled or broiled in a glaze of soy sauce, mirin and sugar. It is usually associated with Japanese cuisine, but the technique is used in many Asian cuisines. Teriyaki chicken is a Japanese-American cuisine.

What’s in Teriyaki Chicken Casserole? 

For this easy chicken casserole, you’ll need fried rice, a chicken breast, a packag

This Broccoli Slaw is filled with crunchy ribbons of broccoli and carrots, paper-thin onions, sweet chewy cranberries, and pecans before being tossed in a light, tangy dressing. You’re going to love all of the different textures in this salad!

Broccoli Slaw

Broccoli slaw served as a side dish makes a nice change from some of the underwhelming mayo and cabbage-heavy coleslaws out there.

I’ve found a great many slaw recipes I like (like this Sweet and Spicy Apple Coleslaw that’s loved by even the coleslaw-averse members of my family) but there’s something extra wonderful about a good broccoli slaw. The crisp broccoli and carrots keep their crunch for days, even after being mixed with the dressing. 

Broccoli Slaw Salad

I like my salad recipes abundant with fresh, flavorful ingredients and lots of different textures. Broccoli Slaw is no different! In this version, I added pecans and dried cranberries for a satisfying layer of crunchy fruity nutty goodness.

The finely sliced red onions bring zest, spice, and a gorgeous color to the salad. Be sure to slice the red onion as thinly as possible to get the right texture and balance of flavors in your broccoli slaw.

I can make this recipe again and again and not get tired of it. That’s how I know it’s a real winner.

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