Brussels sprouts are the best cooked in the air fryer! The result is crisp on the outside and tender on the inside air fryer Brussel sprouts you will love. Serve the sprouts as a simple, easy-to-make side, or enjoy them as a light, crunchy snack. If you feel like something similar, but even more crispy, try my air fryer smashed brussel sprouts!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Roasted, boiled, sautéed, raw, and AIR-FRIED, what’s not to love about Brussels sprouts? They are the perfect healthy side and go well with just about everything. Brown, crisp, and tender – the air fryer takes the tasty vegetable to another level! They are so good; I can hardly wait for them to get to the table. I have to keep myself from eating all of them straight out of the basket.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Brussels Sprouts: Use one pound of fresh sprouts.
- Oil: Use avocado, coconut, or olive oil to flavor the Brussels sprouts and prevent them from sticking to the air fryer basket.
- Salt + Pepper: Season with salt and pepper to finish this simple air fryer Brussel sprout recipe.
Additions and Substitutions
- Protein: Crumble cooked bacon over the sprouts when they’ve finished cooking.
- Dressing: Toss them with maple or honey to create a beautiful caramelization. Drizzle balsamic vinegar. Top with teriyaki, soy sauce, coconut amino, hollandaise sauce, butter, or lemon juice.
- Cheese: Pull the Brussels sprouts with one minute to go, add grated parmesan cheese, and cook for another minute. You can also garnish them with bleu cheese or feta. Melt Velveeta or queso and pour it over the sprouts.
- Nuts: Add toasted almonds, pepitas, walnuts, or pecans.
- Vegetables: Air-fry the sprouts with onions, garlic cloves (add these at the halfway point), sweet potatoes, butternut squash, mushrooms, or acorn squash.
- Fruit: Toss the sprouts with dried cranberries.
- Spices: We usually stick to the basics and toss them with salt and pepper, but if you’re looking for some variation, I recommend seasoning them with yellow curry powder, Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse, Slap Ya Mama Seasoning recipe, nutritional yeast, brown sugar, or red pepper flakes.
How To Make Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Trim and half the Brussels sprouts.
Step 2: Soak them in water for 5-10 minutes in a mixing bowl.
Step 3: Drain the water and toss the sprouts with oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 4: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (240°C). Then, add the Brussels sprouts to the air fryer basket. Cook for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Shake the basket, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Look for bright green Brussels sprouts that are firm to the touch and free of wilted leaves.
- Soak the Brussels sprouts in water for 5-10 minutes before putting them in the air fryer, resulting in sprouts with a tender, soft center. Soaking them also prevents the outsides from charring too quickly.
- To make crispy sprouts, don’t overcrowd the basket. Work in batches if you need to cook more than one pound, as suggested in this recipe.
- For the crispiest Brussels sprouts, shake the basket halfway through. My air fryer gives me a helpful notification to remind me.
How to Prepare Brussels Sprouts
- Trim and cut off the bottom of the stem.
- Cut the Brussels sprouts in half and quarter the large sprouts so they are all the same size.
- Remove the other leaves and any that are discolored.
- Wash the sprouts with water.
- Soak them in a bowl of water.
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If you love this recipe, try one of these air fryer favorites!
Serving Suggestions
- BBQ Ribs
- Pork Chops
- Boliche, Instant Pot Pot Roast, Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe, Easy Beef Stroganoff
- Sriracha Salmon, Baked Flounder Recipe
- Bison Steak Recipe, Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken, BBQ Baked Chicken Legs
- Tandoori Turkey
What to do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – I don’t recommend freezing them; it alters the texture.
- Reheat – Warm leftovers in an air fryer or oven at 350°F (176°C) for about 5 minutes.
- Repurpose – Serve them as is or add them to a salad for textural variation. You can also mix them with eggs and top with hollandaise sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen Brussels sprouts?
Yes, however, the sprouts lose some of the crispiness that makes them so tasty.
More Vegetable Recipes:
Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- 1 pound brussel sprouts, halved, and quarter the large Brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- Trim and half the Brussels sprouts.
- Soak them in water for 5-10 minutes in a mixing bowl.
- Drain the water and toss the sprouts with oil, salt, and pepper.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (240°C). Then, add the Brussels sprouts to the air fryer basket. Cook for 5 minutes. Shake the basket, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Look for bright green Brussels sprouts that are firm to the touch and free of wilted leaves.
- Soak the Brussels sprouts in water for 5-10 minutes before putting them in the air fryer, resulting in sprouts with a tender, soft center. Soaking them also prevents the outsides from charring too quickly.
- To make crispy sprouts, don’t overcrowd the basket. Work in batches if you need to cook more than one pound, as suggested in this recipe.
- For the crispiest Brussels sprouts, shake the basket halfway through. My air fryer gives me a helpful notification to remind me.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.