Air Fryer Vegetables (Quick & Easy!)

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I love all kinds of oven roasted veggies, from roasted carrots and parsnips, tender roasted asparagus, perfect roasted broccoli, caramelized roasted cauliflower, and even roasted eggplant… But when I’m short on time, roasted air fryer vegetables save the day! Air fryer veggies cook quickly and still have the same flavor you get from oven roasting.

Plus, air fryer vegetable recipes brown and caramelize better, making them even more delicious. I cook them this way even more often than I use my oven!

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Vegetables Recipe

Browned and caramelized
Perfectly tender and flavorful
Fast, easy prep — just cut, season, and air fry
Much faster than the oven — cooks in 8 minutes!
Easy to customize
Perfect healthy side dish or air fryer recipe for busy nights

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for roasting vegetables in the air fryer, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Veggies – For this air fryer roasted vegetables recipe, we’re using bell peppers (I used red bell pepper, but choose any color), zucchini, a head of broccoli, a head of cauliflower, mushrooms (I used cremini mushrooms), and red onion. See other veggie options below!
Olive Oil – The oil helps the seasoning stick to the veggies and also adds flavor. You can also use avocado oil, ghee, or even cooking spray if you prefer less oil.
Seasoning – All you need for a savory roasted taste is garlic powder (or 4 cloves of fresh minced garlic), sea salt, and black pepper.

VARIATION: Change up the seasoning!

Feel free to add Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, Cajun seasoning, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, or lemon pepper seasoning. You can also add crushed red pepper flakes for some heat, or add a splash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice for some zing.

How To Roast Vegetables In The Air Fryer

This section shows how to cook vegetables in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Prep. Preheat the air fryer. Cut vegetables into uniform-sized pieces.
Season. In a large bowl, combine vegetables, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat.

Veggies tossed in olive oil and seasoning in a bowl.

Air fry. Arrange the vegetables in the air fryer basket, in a single layer. Air fry vegetables until they tender and edges are browned, shaking the basket halfway.

Tips For The Best Air Fryer Vegetables

Cooking vegetables in an air fryer is super easy, but I do have some tips to make sure they come out tender and cook evenly:

Choose veggies that cook at a similar rate. Soft vegetables and hard vegetables take different amounts of time to cook, so choose ones that are similar in hardness. If you mix and match, cut harder veggies smaller than softer ones.
Cut veggies into uniform-sized pieces. Cutting vegetables into equal sized pieces ensures that all the pieces cook evenly.
Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. Some overlap is okay, but you don’t want multiple layers. Work in batches if needed, depending on the size of your air fryer basket.

Can You Cook Frozen Vegetables In The Air Fryer?

Yes, you can cook frozen vegetables in the air fryer, though they come out softer than fresh veggies. Air fry them from frozen (no need to thaw first), and add a couple extra minutes to the cook time.

Other Veggie Options

Take advantage of the endless combinations available for air frying veggies! Mixing and matching is easy; just be sure to choose items that cook at the same rate or cut foods that usually cook longer into smaller pieces. Here are some key differences in cooking times to keep in mind:

Soft Vegetables: This air fryer vegetables recipe uses soft vegetables, which take only about 8 minutes to air fry. You can use other soft vegetables such as asparagus, tomatoes, onions (any kind), peas, green beans, summer squash, or eggplant.
Hard Vegetables: Brussels sprouts, root vegetables (like carrots, beets, rutabaga, and parsnips), and winter squash (like butternut squash, acorn squash, and pumpkin) will take a bit longer to air fryer than softer veggies. You will need to cook these firm vegetables for for 12-15 minutes. Cut them into very small pieces if you want to cook them for less time with softer veggies.
Potatoes: If you want potatoes or sweet potatoes with your air fryer vegetables, it’s best to cook them with hard vegetables. Alternatively, you could air fry them for 5-10 minutes to partially soften before adding the soft veggies to the basket.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Meal prep: Cut all veggies ahead of time and store in the fridge for 2-3 days, or until ready to air fry.
Reheat: Warm up leftover vegetables in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes, until hot.
Freeze: Place leftover air fryer vegetables in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. If you want to ensure they won’t stick together, freeze in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet pan first, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid.

What To Serve With Air Fryer Veggies

Air fryer vegetables make an easy, healthy side dish that can pair with a variety of other foods for a well balanced meal. Here are some delicious mains to try:

Chicken – Veggies always go weell with chicken! Try this quick and easy side with stuffed chicken breast, simple baked chicken legs, flavorful garlic butter chicken, or bacon wrapped chicken breast with a touch of maple.
Steak – Make date night a piece of cake! Simply add an air fryer steak, juicy filet mignon, or fast London broil with garlic herb butter to your plate.
Fish & Seafood – For a quick and classy dinner, pair these vegetables with bacon wrapped scallops, easy crab legs, or surprisingly easy lobster tail. Or, keep it simple by pairing them with pan seared salmon, lemon baked cod, or flaky pan fried tilapia.
Pork – Try pork steaks, fall-apart Crock Pot pork tenderloin, or juicy & flavorful baked pork chops (or air fryer pork chops).
Dipping Sauce – Treat these veggies like a healthy appetizer and plate with creamy homemade ranch, a fancy lemon garlic aioli, or even spicy mayo.

More Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes

Looking for some new and delicious air fryer vegetable recipes? Here are some popular reader favorites:

Recommended Tools

Air Fryer – My favorite air fryer! It has a roomy basket to fit lots of veggies, and the basket is dishwasher-safe, too.
Chef’s Knife – This knife makes slicing up produce a breeze.