How to Make Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Ah, brussel sprouts. It seems you either love them or grow to love them! Actually, it turns out that there’s a scientific reason behind this phenomenon, so don’t feel bad if you’re one of the people who doesn’t like them – besides you are about to love em’. I used to be one of those people. But now air fryer brussel sprouts are one of my favorite quick and easy side dishes to make any day of the week.
When I was younger, both my brother and I hated brussel sprouts. My mom didn’t make them often, but it was always the same routine when she did. “Can’t we eat something else?” Well, as much as I would’ve rather had air fryer pizza rolls instead, brussel sprouts were what we had.
They say your taste buds change as you grow older. At least for me, that’s what happened. Nowadays, I can appreciate well-prepared brussel sprouts! Still, they have to be cooked right, like pretty much any food. Otherwise, I might end up reliving my childhood experience with brussel sprouts!
Fortunately, there are plenty of great air fryer brussels sprouts recipes that can turn plain old sprouts into a delicious meal.
The Benefits of Crispy Air Fryer Sprouts
We’ll go over the recipes in a bit, but they all center around using a specific kitchen appliance: the air fryer! I know it’s not the “traditional” way to fry your favorite foods, but trust me.
Using an air fryer, your food will turn out just as good as deep frying, but it will be much healthier due to the minimal amount of oil needed for these air fryer recipes.
Oh, and it’s also worth mentioning that air fryers cook food extremely fast. Some recipes for air-frying sprouts don’t even require preheating (unlike pretty much every simple sprout recipe out there that uses a conventional oven!).
That said, there is a downside. Unfortunately, you can’t cook as much food in an air fryer as you can in an oven. There are two reasons for this.
- Firstly, air fryers are much smaller than conventional ovens. That’s part of what makes them so convenient, but it also works against them if you’re trying to feed a family of four (or more!). Thankfully, you can usually fit a fair amount of brussel sprouts in air fryer baskets.
- Secondly, air fryers rely on proper airflow to cook quickly and efficiently. It’s not like baking. If you cram the basket full of food, your meal or air fryer frozen brussel sprouts won’t cook properly. Undercooked or partially raw food certainly isn’t worth waiting for! Therefore, you should always make sure there’s some space between your food to ensure it will cook properly.
Fortunately, you can get around these space restrictions by using air fryer racks. Having your food placed on different levels enables it to cook properly while allowing you to cook more at once.
These racks are often made for specific models, which means you may feel unlucky if the manufacturer doesn’t offer them for your model. Don’t miss out and grab my air fryer.
However, with proper research, you should be able to find ones that fit your air fryer (even if your particular model doesn’t offer racks). Just pay close attention to the measurements!
Air Fryers for Any Budget
 | BELLA 2.9QT Manual Air Fryer At first, I was pretty wary about air fryers. It’s just a fad, right? Well, it turns out that people loved them, so eventually, I had to try one out. I didn’t want to invest much into something I might not like, so I decided to go with the BELLA 2.9QT Manual Air Fryer. The basket isn’t very big, but it’s perfect for a single person making air fryer brussels sprouts! Air fryer ovens are great to use for many different meals. Although I’ve graduated to a bigger model now, I’d still recommend this manual air fryer to anyone who just wants to “test the waters.” There’s even a digital version available as well (if that’s more your style!). |
| COSORI Pro Air Fryer Oven Combo, 5.8QT Max Xl Large Cooker I decided to go with this COSORI air fryer once I needed an upgrade. With a 5.8QT basket, it has plenty of space to make meals, and there are even racks (sold separately) you can use to fit extra food! The digital display, smart settings, and included cookbook come together to form this excellent little bundle. If you’re not sure what to cook first, Cosori has over 100 different recipes for you to try out. Granted, it’s a bit more expensive than the aforementioned model, but I think the extra size and additional perks justify the price! If you don’t need one quite this large, consider a 3.5-quart air fryer instead. |  |
The Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts Recipes
Now that we’ve gone over the appliance you’ll need, let’s get to the good stuff: the air fryer brussels sprouts recipes! I’ve gathered three healthy versions of recipes that I think anyone can enjoy, even if you don’t have a lot of cooking time (or space) to prepare.
Speaking of space: although these recipes call for a large bowl, you can get away with a medium bowl if you’re only making half-portions!
With that in mind, we’ll begin our compact kitchen journey as simply as possible: by using frozen brussel sprouts! Or if you want something fresh. Try my air fryer zucchini recipe too.
Frozen Brussel Sprouts
There’s nothing fancy going on here. These are just simple air fryer frozen brussel sprouts, cooked to perfection in a matter of minutes! I personally recommend (and use) this air fryer brussel sprouts recipe as a perfect side dish due to its simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- One bag of frozen brussel sprouts
- Olive oil (spray)
- Shallot
- Salt
- Place your frozen sprouts into the air fryer before turning it on.
- Turn the air fryer to 390° F, and set the timer to 14 minutes.
- After 9 minutes, remove the brussel sprouts from the air fryer. Quickly spray the sprouts with olive oil—avocado oil also works wonders—and then sprinkle the sprouts with salt. Shake the basket before placing it back inside the air fryer to ensure an even salt and pepper lace using my favorite shakers.
- When the air fryer turns off, remove the cooked sprouts. Apply additional salt as desired, and serve while they’re still hot. Easy!
If you have any brussel sprouts leftover, place them in an airtight container so you can reheat them later.
Sweet Soy Glazed Brussels
This is another air fryer brussel sprouts recipe I love. It’s a bit more complex than the first option but easy to do nonetheless. If you prefer using fresh instead of frozen, this is a quick way to make an amazing side dish! Make sure to check the outer leaves and remove any discolored leaves before cooking.
Ingredients
- Brussel sprouts
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Soy sauce
- Honey
- Sriracha (or chili-garlic) sauce
- Sesame seeds
- First, set your air fryer to 380°.
- Next, you’ll need a pound of non-frozen brussel sprouts. Cut off the ends, but make sure the roots stay intact. Then, slice each brussel sprout in half.
- Place the sprouts in a large bowl. Mix the sprouts in oil. Apply some olive oil in these cute dispensers(1 tbsp.), salt (1/2 tsp.), and pepper (1/4 tsp.) until they’re completely coated.
- Once this is done, you can place the brussel sprouts in the air fryer. Leave them for eight minutes.
- After eight minutes, remove the sprouts and give them a good shake before returning them to the fryer for an additional eight to ten minutes. Ideally, you want the sprouts to be tender on the inside but crisp on the outside!
- While the sprouts are finishing cooking, whisk sriracha (1/2 tsp.), soy sauce (1 tbsp.), and honey (2 tsp.) in the bowl you were just using.
- When the sprouts are done cooking, place them in the bowl and toss them around until fully coated.
- If desired, add an extra coating of salt and pepper. You can even add more flavor using garlic powder or even fresh garlic. Serve these air fryer brussels sprouts while they’re still hot and sprinkle with sesame seeds or edible flowers for a wow!
Air Fried Balsamic-Pancetta Brussels Sprouts
This crispy air fryer brussel sprouts recipe is my go-to option when I’m preparing brussel sprouts! Combining fresh brussel sprouts with parmesan cheese, pancetta, and a balsamic reduction: it simply doesn’t get better than this.
Ingredients
- Brussel sprouts
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper with this grinder
- Thick-sliced pancetta (diced)
- Parmesan cheese (grated)
- Like before, you’ll need to prepare the fresh sprouts by trimming the ends and slicing them in half. This is also a great time to dice your pancetta! Begin preheating your air fryer to 350° F.
- Next, place the brussel sprouts in a large bowl. Add salt (1/2 tsp.), pepper (1/4 tsp), balsamic vinegar (1 tbsp.), and olive oil (1 tbsp.).
- Mix the ingredients together, then toss the bowl a few times to ensure the sprouts are sufficiently coated.
- Once coated, place the sprouts in the air fryer and cook for twenty minutes. After twenty minutes, check to make sure the pancetta is fully cooked and the brussel sprouts are brown. If not, put them back in for a minute. If they’re ready, you can plate them on gorgeous white plates.
- Garnish these air fryer brussels sprouts using grated parmesan cheese, and serve hot!
Commonly Asked Questions
Do you need to soak brussel sprouts before cooking?
Some people prefer to soak their brussel sprouts before roasting them. However, you should not soak air fryer brussels sprouts. Air fryer baskets don’t like water, and all the extra steam will inhibit the air fryer’s ability to properly brown them.
How do I preheat my air fryer?
Although preheating isn’t always necessary, it’s still important to know how to do it. I’ve found that adding an extra five minutes gives it plenty of time to warm up! However, you can always double-check your owner’s manual if you want to play things safe.
Can you put tin foil in an air fryer with your air fryer Brussel sprouts?
Unlike a microwave, you can safely use tin foil with your brussel sprouts in air fryer baskets! However, you’ll want to make sure that the foil doesn’t completely disrupt the airflow, which will negatively impact the cooking process.
Why did my brussel sprouts burn in the air fryer?
There are a few possible reasons, but the three most common culprits are overcooking, using too high of a temperature, and not shaking your sprouts. If the recipe you’re using doesn’t call for shaking but your sprouts are burning, I would suggest shaking your sprouts halfway through!
Why won’t my brussel sprouts get crispy?
Using a crispy air fryer recipe is one of the easiest ways to get the crispiest sprouts. However, if your crispy sprouts aren’t as crispy as you’d like, you may be overcrowding the basket. Ensure there is proper space for airflow in-between the veggies if you want the crispiest sprouts!
Conclusion
If you love brussel sprouts, then you’re sure to love these air fryer brussel sprouts recipes! While I know I wasn’t a fan growing up, perhaps I could’ve been convinced with one of these lovely takes on the classic side. We all know veggies are an important part of a balanced diet, but it can be hard to find ones that you actually look forward to eating. Hopefully—with these recipes—you’ll have finally found the perfect, healthy side to your next well-rounded meal!
Sweet Soy Glazed Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pd brussel sprouts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tbsp sriracha
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, set your air fryer to 380°.
- Next, you’ll need a pound of non-frozen brussel sprouts. Cut off the ends, but make sure the roots stay intact. Then, slice each brussel sprout in half.
- Place the sprouts in a large bowl. Mix them around by applying some olive oil in these cute dispensers(1 tbsp.), salt (1/2 tsp.), and pepper (1/4 tsp.) until they’re completely coated.
- Once this is done, you can place the brussel sprouts in the air fryer. Leave them for eight minutes.
- After eight minutes, remove the sprouts and give them a good shake before returning them to the fryer for an additional eight to ten minutes. Ideally, you want the sprouts to be tender on the inside but crisp on the outside!
- While the sprouts are finishing cooking, whisk sriracha (1/2 tsp.), soy sauce (1 tbsp.), and honey (2 tsp.) in the bowl you were just using.
- When the sprouts are done cooking, place them in the bowl and toss them around until fully coated.
- If desired, add an extra coating of salt and pepper. Serve these air fryer brussels sprouts while they’re still hot and sprinkle with sesame seeds or edible flowers for a wow!
Pancetta and Balsamic Glazed Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pd brussel sprouts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 6 slices pancetta or bacon
- 2 tbsp shaved parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the brussel sprouts by trimming the ends and slicing them in half. This is also a great time to dice your pancetta! Begin preheating your air fryer to 350° F.
- Mix the ingredients together, then toss the bowl a few times to ensure the sprouts are sufficiently coated. Option: skip vinegar and drizzle with balsamic reduction at the end.
- Once coated, place the sprouts in the air fryer and cook for twenty minutes. After twenty minutes, check to make sure the pancetta is fully cooked and the brussel sprouts are brown. If not, put them back in for a minute. If they’re ready, you can plate them on gorgeous white plates.
- Garnish these air fryer brussels sprouts using grated parmesan cheese, and serve hot! If you want to use the balsamic reduction drizzle add it here and skip the balsamic vinegar in step 2.
