Broccoli balls in air fryer

Name: Broccoli balls in air fryer
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 30
Ingredients: Broccoli 5 ½ cups; Garlic to taste; Anchovies in oil 2 fillets; Grana Padano PDO cheese 3.2 oz; Breadcrumbs ½ cup; Cow's milk ricotta cheese 1 cup; Eggs 1; Marjoram to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Breadcrumbs to taste

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Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Makes: 30 pieces
Cost: Low
Note For the recipe, we used a 6 L air fryer

PRESENTATION

So here's the thing, you gotta try these air fryer broccoli meatballs. They're a delicious twist on your usual Italian dishes. Really good stuff. The combo of ricotta, cheese, anchovies and garlic—super savory—makes them stand out. Lightly coated in oil and breadcrumbs, the air fryer works like magic, turning them into these crispy, golden wonders with a tender inside. Seriously, it's the fried taste you want, without the guilt. Perfect for those who love healthy air fryer meatballs. Plus, with broccoli sneaked in, you're adding extra greens in a tasty way.

I mean, one of the coolest parts? It's a no-waste dish. Instead of tossing broccoli stems, blend them into a creamy dipping sauce. And the sauce? So so good, with a tangy, savory kick that really enhances every bite. These healthy air fryer meatballs can be your meal's star, a party hit, or just a quick lunch. In Italy, air fryers are a big thing now—creating all sorts of veggie and seafood dishes. So it is perfect alongside other easy air fryer recipes and creative air fryer dinner ideas.

Look, compared to regular fried meatballs, this version is lighter yet super satisfying. Feel free to switch up the seasonings or cheeses to make it yours. It's pretty simple—just roll, coat, and let the air fryer do its thing. You'll end up with a plate full of crispy, golden bites packed with flavor. Can't go wrong. Eating veggies has never been this fun—or delicious.

INGREDIENTS

for 30 balls: Broccoli 5 ½ cups (500 g); Garlic to taste; Anchovies in oil 2 fillets; Grana Padano PDO cheese 3.2 oz (90 g); Breadcrumbs ½ cup (70 g); Cow's milk ricotta cheese 1 cup (270 g); Eggs 1; Marjoram to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

For the breading: Breadcrumbs to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Broccoli balls in air fryer

To prepare the broccoli balls in the air fryer, first, separate the florets from the stem 1. The stem will be used to immediately prepare the sauce for your balls, like this: remove the base of the stem, then separate all the small branches 3.

Cut them into pieces. Peel the stem to remove the outer, tougher part. Then cut the core of the stem into pieces as well 4. Parboil everything in salted boiling water to taste 5 for about 5 minutes. When they are soft, drain them using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a blender jar 6. Do not discard the water, it will be needed for cooking the florets.

Add salt, pepper 7, a drizzle of oil 8, and some marjoram leaves 9.

Pour in a ladle of the cooking water 10 and blend with an immersion blender 11 until you get a smooth sauce 12. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Bring the water where you cooked the stems back to a boil and immerse the florets as well 13. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, then drain them 14. Transfer them to a blender jar and add a small piece of garlic (about 1/3 of a clove) 15.

Add the anchovies 16 and blend everything with an immersion blender until you get a smooth cream 17. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add an egg 18.

Add the grated Grana Padano PDO 19, breadcrumbs 20, salt, pepper, and ricotta 21.

Mix until you get a homogeneous mixture 22, then use your hands to form balls about 8 inches 23, and gradually place them on a tray lined with parchment paper 34.

Pour oil into one baking dish and breadcrumbs into another. Now bread the balls by first dipping them in the oil 25 and then in the breadcrumbs 26. Gradually place them on a tray lined with parchment paper 27.

Proceed to cooking (we used a fryer with a capacity of 6 liters). Preheat the fryer for a minute, then place about 15 balls in the basket and cook them at 356°F for 15-20 minutes 28 until they are well browned 29. Continue cooking the others and serve the balls with the sauce prepared earlier 30!

Storage

The cooked balls and sauce can be stored for 2 days in the refrigerator, in separate airtight containers.

You can freeze both the raw balls and the sauce.

Advice

For cooking the balls, adjust based on the size of your fryer basket. If it is smaller than ours, cook them in 3 batches; if it is larger, you can cook them all at once. Make sure the balls do not overlap and are slightly spaced apart.

You can season the balls with paprika, parsley, or other herbs and spices.

For a vegetarian version, just remove the anchovies.

For a stronger taste, replace the Grana with Pecorino or do half and half.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.