Miso Sesame Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Making Brussels Sprouts in the air fryer is a total game changer! In just 15 minutes you’ll have beautifully charred, crispy-tender Brussels sprouts in a creamy miso sesame glaze topped with crunchy, cheesy breadcrumbs. You don’t even have to turn on the oven.
If you do turn on the oven, it’s only because you’re cooking up a storm so you’re saving space for other things on your menu!
It’s a quick and easy way to whip up a healthy side dish for a casual weeknight meal or to serve it as part of a special holiday meal. Even if you’re normally not a lover of Brussels sprouts, I promise, this recipe will change your mind.
They’re lightly seasoned and can be eaten on their own or as a side dish. However, the miso sesame drizzled on top just takes the whole dish to another level.
That’s what’s so great about this low-carb recipe. It’s still super flavorful and you can adjust the seasonings to suit your preference!
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe
- Flavor. The combination of miso, sesame oil, and soy sauce brings a rich umami flavor that enhances the natural earthiness of Brussels sprouts. The sesame oil not only adds a delicious nutty aroma but also enhances the overall taste with its toasty undertones. The combination of all the ingredients provides just the right amount of saltiness to amplify the taste without overwhelming it.
- Texture. The air fryer transforms the Brussels sprouts into crispy, golden-brown bites, offering a satisfying crunch with every bite. The tender interior of the sprouts contrasts beautifully with the crispy panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese on top, providing a delightful textural interplay.
- Simplicity. Using an air fryer for side dishes is a set-it-and-forget-it method that you can walk away from or use to focus on other parts of your meal.
- Healthy. Air frying requires minimal oil, reducing unnecessary calories while still achieving the desired crispy texture.
Ingredients Needed
- Brussel Sprouts – These need a good wash. You may find you want to discard the top leaves just for assurance. Trip the ends and cut them in half lengthwise. You can air fry them whole, however, giving them a bit more surface area to work with means extra crispness!
- Avocado oil – Just a bit to coat the veggies. Air fryers, while they don’t use a ton of oil, they do require a bit for most recipes. Not only to help with nonstick but to help get that beautiful golden color.
- Miso Paste – These come in a huge variety. I prefer to use the mild, low-sodium kind. If you can’t find low sodium miso paste, adjust the amount of soy sauce used or use a miso substitute. Always do a taste test before drizzling everything on top of the Brussels sprouts.
- Dijon Mustard – Used for a tangy kick. If you don’t have this on hand, use yellow mustard.
- Rice Vinegar – Balances out the other salty ingredients. You can substitute it with other types of vinegar.
- Soy Sauce – Adjust the amount to your taste preference. Beware of hidden sodium in the miso paste. Depending on the brand that you get, you may need to adjust the amount of soy sauce.
- Sesame Oil – For a nutty aroma.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – Super crunchy texture to balance out the creamy dressing and tender Brussels sprouts.
- Parmesan Cheese – everything tastes better with cheese!
How to Make Miso Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Step 1: In a large bowl, gently toss together the sprouts in avocado oil.
Step 2: Place the vegetables in the air fryer basket, in a single layer, leaving enough room between each one so that they don’t steam. Work in batches if you need to.
Step 3: Air fry at 380°F for 8 minutes. In the meantime, combine miso paste, dijon mustard, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
Step 4: Once the 8 minutes is up, sprinkle panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese over top. Air fry for an additional 4-5 minutes, until golden brown.
Step 5: Transfer air-fried Brussels sprouts to a serving bowl or platter. Toss it with the miso sesame sauce. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the sprouts are even in size. If you’ve got larger ones you may want to consider cutting them into quarters. If you’ve got smaller ones you may not need to cut them at all. Having them all uniform in size will ensure even cooking.
- Cut the stem, it’s quite tough to eat. You may notice the outer leaves naturally fall off with the stem, but that’s okay!
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. There needs to be room for the air to circulate evenly so they don’t transfer steam from one to the other causing them not to crisp up.
- Frozen Air fryer Brussels sprouts – If you have a bag of them in your freezer, use them! You don’t even need to thaw them. Halfway through the cooking time, you may want to consider cutting them in half to maximize their potential for getting crispy. You may also need to air fry them a bit longer.
- Brussels sprouts need high heat to get crispy. The air fryer should be between 380-400 degrees F. Any hotter than that, they’ll burn and become too bitter. Any lower and they won’t brown and crisp up.
Recipe Variations
There are so many great pairings for Air Fryer Brussels sprouts. It’s a slightly bitter veggie so it’s able to take on ingredients that are both sweet and savory.
Other than miso sesame sauce, here are some more ideas:
- Bacon – Add crumbles of smoky salty bacon.
- Garlic & onions – Fresh garlic and onions that get caramelized and cooked down with the veggies are so good!
FAQs
You can! This is super convenient if you’ve already got some laying around because you just pop them in as-is. Don’t thaw them first, otherwise, they’ll already be going in a bit mushy. You have the option of cutting them halfway, but you don’t need to. Keep an eye on how much extra time they’ll need to crisp up to how you like it.
This is probably because the basket is overcrowded, there is too much moisture in it, or the temperature isn’t high enough. Either that or they just need in a little longer in there, in which case pop them back in for a few extra minutes.
Keep any leftover Brussels sprouts in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They’ll lose their crispy exterior over time, so to reheat you can put them back in the air fryer for a few minutes to do the job. You can also use the oven at 350 if preferred.
Technically you can, for up to 3 months, however, I wouldn’t. I’d try and only make what I would be eating throughout the week because once frozen Brussels sprouts thaw, they’re quite mushy.
Miso Sesame Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brussel sprouts (washed, ends trimmed, and halved)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons mild low sodium miso paste
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently toss together the sprouts in avocado oil.
- Place the vegetables in the air fryer basket, in a single layer, leaving enough room between each one so that they don't steam. Work in batches if you need to.
- Air fry at 380°F for 8 minutes. In the meantime, combine miso paste, dijon mustard, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
- Once the 8 minutes is up, sprinkle panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese overtop. Air fry for an additional 4-5 minutes, until golden brown.
- Transfer air-fried Brussels sprouts to a serving bowl or platter. Toss it with the miso sesame sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- cut the Brussel sprouts in half (or quarter) to make some surface area for it to brown
- do not overcrowd the basket. If the Brussel sprouts are too close, they’ll steam instead of roast.
- Brussels sprouts will need high heat to get crispy. The air fryer should be between 380-400 degrees F. Any hotter than that and they are likely to burn; any lower than that and they’ll probably not crisp up and brown.
