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GET IT NOWThese Air Fryer Vegetables Always Save The Day
You know that kind of night. You get home late, you’re exhausted, and there’s nothing cooked in the fridge. I often have various freezer proteins for such occasions, but what about the side dish? Enter these air fryer vegetables! They’ve saved me more times than I can count. Here’s why:
- Tender and flavorful, with better browning – Air fryer veggies have the same flavor and texture you get from roasting, but I think the texture is even better. Thanks to the air flow, they brown and caramelize more, while the inside stays crisp-tender.
- Much faster than the oven – This recipe cooks in a fraction of the time of oven roasted veggies! Definitely a win when I don’t have half an hour to wait.
- Easy to customize – You can air fry vegetables of all kinds, so I love these to use up odds and ends in my fridge! Just don’t miss my tips below to ensure even cooking.
We just got back from a trip overseas and last night’s dinner was exactly one of “those nights”, bleary eyed from jet lag and with a fridge of just-bought produce I didn’t feel like cooking. So, I threw a mix of vegetables in the air fryer and remembered why this recipe has saved me so many times. If you need an easy side tonight, make it with me!
Reader Review
“I made the air fryer vegetables for the first time and all I can say is amazing!! The flavor and the texture were outstanding!” –David
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my air fryer roasted vegetables, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Veggie Options:
Many air fryer vegetable recipes focus on just one type — and I’ve air fried almost every kind there is — but this time I wanted to show you how to cook a medley. I opted for red bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, cremini mushrooms, and red onion.
You can easily mix and match any veggies you have, as long as you choose ones that cook at the same rate:
- Soft Vegetables – The ones I chose above all fall into this category, and take about 8 minutes to air fry. Feel free to add or swap in asparagus, green beans, yellow squash, or eggplant together with these.
- Hard Vegetables – Brussels sprouts, root vegetables (like carrots, beets, rutabaga, parsnips, and turnips), potatoes (white or sweet), and winter squash (like butternut squash, acorn squash, and pumpkin) take a bit longer, about 12-15 minutes.
You’ll Also Need:
- Olive Oil – I’ve also cooked air fryer veggies with avocado oil and ghee. If you prefer less oil, I like this glass oil sprayer that will do it without chemicals.
- Seasonings – Just garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. When I want extra flavor, I add Italian seasoning, paprika, or grated parmesan cheese. You can also add crushed red pepper flakes for some heat, or add a splash of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice for some zing.
My Tips For Even Cooking
- Air fry veggies that cook at a similar rate together, and cut them the same size. As long as you’re cooking only soft vegetables (like my recipe here) or only hard ones, I recommend uniform pieces, so they cook the same way. But…
- If you mix and match, cut harder veggies smaller than softer ones. Just don’t cut them so small that they fall through the grate!
- You can also partially air fry hard ones first. I’ve had good results air frying vegetables that are heartier for 5-10 minutes first, then adding the softer ones to the basket.
- For even cooking and nice browning, don’t crowd the air fryer basket. Some touching is okay, but I always place the vegetables in the air fryer in a single layer. Work in batches if needed, depending on the size of your basket. I use this air fryer and it’s quite roomy!
- Shake the basket halfway, and flip as needed. Mostly shaking is enough, but I find that some pieces (especially flatter ones, like zucchini) are easier to flip manually with tongs.
- You can cook frozen vegetables in the air fryer, but they’re softer and don’t brown as well. I prefer to air fry them from frozen, as thawing makes them even more mushy in my experience. Just add a couple extra minutes of cook time.
Air Fryer Vegetables (Quick & Easy)
These air fryer vegetables are so fast and easy, with the perfect texture and browned edges! I use this method with all kinds of veggies.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F (193 degrees C).
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Cut the vegetables into uniform-sized pieces with a knife.
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In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat.
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Arrange the vegetables in the air fryer in a single layer (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. Air fry for 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, or until vegetables are tender and the edges are browned. (Time will vary depending on the size you cut your veggies.)
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get evenly cooked results and nice browning.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: Cut the veggies ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
- Reheat: I usually toss the vegetables in the air fryer again, this time at 350 degrees F for 1-3 minutes.
- Freeze: Freezing these is not my favorite because they’re mushy after thawing, but technically you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Air Fryer Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Air Fryer Vegetables
Mains To Serve With Air Fryer Veggies
Air fryer vegetables go with just about any protein. Pick your favorite — or just what you’ve got on a busy night:
- Chicken – My go-to simple options are baked chicken legs or garlic butter chicken. If you want something more unique, try my stuffed chicken breast or bacon wrapped chicken.
- Beef & Pork – My air fryer steak paired with garlic herb butter and air fryer vegetables is the fastest date night meal I’ve ever made. For other quick options, try my pork steaks, air fryer pork chops, or London broil.
- Fish & Seafood – My air fryer salmon is even faster than these air fried veggies! If you’re feeling fancy, they make an easy side to my bacon wrapped scallops, crab legs, or lobster tail.
And if the veggies feel a little plain on their own, you can dunk them in my creamy homemade ranch, aioli, or even spicy mayo.
7 Comments
David Moore
0? Delicious!
I made the air fryer vegetables for the first time and all I can say is amazing!! The flavor and the texture were outstanding!! it’s now become my families favorite vegetable dish!
Linda
0This recipe is so delicious! I will make this again.
Elizabeth S
0They turned out perfect! Not mushy or slimy… Will definitely make this again.
Rebecca
0I have used this recipe several times now to cook all kinds of vegetables in my air fryer and they come out perfectly every time! Thank you for such an easy to follow method for cooking veggies!
Liz
0These veggies were so good! They make such a great side dish. Love using my air fryer!
Gina
0Great easy way to get an assortment of color and nutrients in dinner! These turned out delicious in the air fryer, I think I like it better than roasting in the oven, especially for summer!
Lisa
0I’m only cooking for one so using the air fryer instead of oven to roast veggies is a much better option for me. This recipe was perfect and was just as good or better than roasting.