These stir-fried vegetables are the easiest dish I make at home! They go with almost everything, and the air fryer gets them perfectly golden and soft without any fuss.
These air fried vegetables have become our go-to side for almost every non-veg meal we make at home. They barely need oil and no babysitting, which frees me up to focus on the main course. Plus, that roasted, slightly burnt flavor of the vegetables makes them so addictive!
To make these air-fried greens, I used baby carrots, broccoli, beans, zucchini, and onions, but you can swap out any vegetables your family likes. If you’ve been using your fryer regularly for recipes like ours air fryer chicken tikka OR air fryer garlic lemon chickenthese roasted vegetables make the perfect side to go with them.
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Ingredients for Air Fryer Vegetables
Vegetables: Babycorn, carrots, broccoli florets, beans, zucchini and onions
Seasoning: Salt and crushed pepper
Dijon mustard: Adds a light aroma and depth of flavor. You can also use kasundi instead
Oil: Olive oil or any neutral cooking oil
Water: A few spoonfuls added to the outer basket to prevent vegetables from drying out during roasting
Frequently asked questions
Root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes work great because they hold their shape and caramelize well. Broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini, beans and onions are also great. The key is to group vegetables with similar cooking times together so nothing is overcooked or undercooked.
Fresh is recommended because frozen vegetables release a lot of water as they thaw, which prevents them from browning in the air fryer. If frozen is all you have, thaw them completely and dry them well before tossing them with oil and spices.
Usually one of three reasons. There is not enough oil on the surface, too many vegetables packed in the basket, or the air fryer is not preheated. Vegetables need space for hot air to circulate, a thin layer of oil to help them brown, and a fully heated air pan to start browning immediately.
You don’t need to turn individual portions, but shaking the basket slightly or tossing it halfway through helps everything cook more evenly.
Richa’s top tips
- Cut the vegetables into large pieces. They shrink significantly during baking, so what looks like a large piece raw will be the perfect size by the time it’s done. Small parts will shrivel and dry out.
- Add vegetables in stages based on cooking time. Babycorn and carrots take the longest so go in first. Broccoli, beans, zucchini and onions cook faster and are added halfway through. In this way, everything is finished at the same time, with little or no cooking.
- Line the basket with baking paper. This traps the natural juices from the vegetables and prevents them from drying out during roasting. It also makes cleaning much easier.
- Add water to the outer basket. Just a few tablespoons. This creates a little steam that keeps the vegetables moist on the inside, while the air fryer browns the outside.
Storage tips
- In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Vegetables hold their flavor well, but will soften as they sit.
- Freezing: Not recommended. Roasted vegetables lose their texture after being frozen and thawed, especially broccoli and beans, which become mushy.
- Reheating tip: Place them again in the pan with air at 200°C for 3-4 minutes to fry again. The oven works too, but takes longer. Avoid microwaving, as it makes them soft and steamy rather than crispy.
Ideas for service
These air-fried vegetables are a side dish at heart, so they pair well with almost anything:
- with Roast chicken: A rich, spicy ghee roast dish with these roasted vegetables on the side makes for a truly balanced meal.
- with Pepper Fried Mutton: The simplicity of roasted vegetables pairs perfectly with a bold, peppery mutton fry.
- In a bowl of wheat: Pile them over some quinoa or cooked rice, add a spoonful hummusand drizzle with olive oil for a healthy and filling lunch.
- In a wrap: We fill them in a warm whole wheat pita with some hummus and pickled onions for a quick vegetarian meal.
- with Mediterranean Quinoa Salad: Toss roasted vegetables into this salad while they’re still warm for a heartier, more substantial version.
Personalization ideas
- Go to the Mediterranean: Toss the vegetables with dried oregano, garlic powder and a squeeze of lemon after baking. Crumble some slices on top while they are still hot.
- Make it Indian: Swap the salt and pepper for chaat masala, amchur and kashmiri chili powder. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and your roasted vegetable masaledar roof is ready.
- Add paneer or chicken: Toss marinated cubes or chicken pieces with the second set of vegetables. They soak up nicely in the air fryer along with the vegetables.
- Try different vegetables: Sweet potatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers and cauliflower all cook very well in the air fryer. Use whatever is in the fridge and adjust the time accordingly.
Did you know?
Roasting vegetables at high heat causes the Maillard reaction, the same chemical process that makes a steak so delicious. When vegetables are exposed to temperatures above 150°C, the natural sugars and amino acids on their surface react with each other and create hundreds of new flavor compounds that do not exist in raw vegetables. This is why roasted carrots taste sweeter than boiled, and why roasted broccoli has a nuttiness that steamed broccoli will never have. The air fan is especially good at this because it circulates the heat directly around the food, creating more surface contact than an oven.
If you’ve never air-fried vegetables before, try this recipe and I think you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. It’s one of the easiest and most useful things your air fryer can do. Share your photos with me on Instagram @my_foodstory when you try it.
Watch the air fryer recipe video
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Preheat the freezer to 200C and line the basket with baking paper. Refer to note 1
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Add the carrots and babycorn to a bowl, add ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dijon or kasundi mustard, and 1.5 teaspoons oil and toss to combine well.
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Add 2 tablespoons of water to the outer basket of the dish to prevent the vegetables from drying out during roasting.
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Add the carrots and babycorn to the roasting basket and air fry for 12 minutes at 200C.
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While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the other vegetables. Add the onion, beans, broccoli and zucchini to the same bowl. Add remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1.5 teaspoon oil and toss to combine well.
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Once the baby corn and carrots are half cooked, pause the fryer and add the remaining vegetables to the basket. Throw everything together.
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Air fry for 12 minutes at 180 C until everything is well cooked. Depending on your air fryer and how soft you prefer the vegetables, you may need to roast them for another 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and serve.
- Cut the vegetables into 1.5-inch-thick sticks as they shrink in size during roasting.
- If you like, you can line your baking pan with parchment paper.
Calories: 97kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 4g, Saturated fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated fat: 1g, Monounsaturated fats: 2g, Sodium: 353mg, Potassium: 430mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 5502was, Vitamin C: 36mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 1mg
This article was researched and written by Harita Odedra.