Charred Broccolini Salad (Printer View)

Air-fried broccolini with crispy garlic, lemon zest, and Parmesan offers a bright, flavorful dish.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 14 oz broccolini, trimmed
02 - 1.5 tbsp olive oil
03 - 0.5 tbsp olive oil
04 - 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

→ Seasonings & Flavor

05 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
06 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
07 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Cheese

09 - 1.5 oz Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
11 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Method:

01 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and let it run for 3 minutes.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the broccolini with 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Place the broccolini in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through until broccolini is charred and tender.
04 - While broccolini cooks, heat 0.5 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic slices and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp for about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
05 - Transfer the hot broccolini to a serving platter. Drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with lemon zest, and toss gently.
06 - Scatter garlic chips and Parmesan cheese over the broccolini. Optionally, add red pepper flakes and toasted pine nuts.
07 - Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broccolini gets caramelized and crispy instead of soft, which is the whole revelation here.
  • Those garlic chips are pure umami magic, and they take maybe two minutes to make.
  • It's the rare vegetable dish that works as a side, a light lunch, or even part of a composed salad plate.
02 -
  • The garlic will go from golden to burnt in about 10 seconds, so keep your eyes on it and have a paper towel ready—this is the hardest part of the whole dish.
  • If your air fryer runs hot or cold, you may need to adjust the time by a minute or two, so keep checking after the five-minute mark.
03 -
  • Don't toss the broccolini with the lemon juice too early or it'll become limp; do it right before serving while everything's still warm.
  • If you can't find broccolini, regular broccoli florets work—just cut them smaller so they char evenly, and you might need a minute or two longer in the air fryer.
Return