Making Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts is a total game changer! In just 15 minutes you'll have beautifully charred, crispy-tender Brussel sprouts using just a bit of oil and no turning 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 them 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 balsamic reduction 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 Brussel Sprouts Recipe
- Flavor. Even with just the salt and pepper, the crispy golden outer layers give it so much flavor. It brings out the natural flavor of the Brussel sprouts, however, the added balsamic reduction is even better!
- Texture. The results are just as crispy on the outside and tender on the inside as you'd get from oven-roasted.
- Simplicity. Using an air fryer for side dishes is basically a set-it-and-forget-it method that you can walk away from or use to focus on other parts of your meal.
- Healthy. These are low carb, keto-friendly, and highly nutritious. The fact that kids love this recipe is just a bonus!
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!
- Olive 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.
- Salt & pepper - A simple seasoning is all this recipe needs.
- The balsamic soy glaze is optional but adds a ton of flavor.
What's in the Balsamic Soy Glaze?
It's a combination of balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and maple syrup. When combined it's a delicious sweet and savory sauce that's thick enough to drizzle without overpowering anything.
How to Make Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
Step 1: In a large bowl, gently toss together the sprouts, olive oil, salt, and ground pepper.
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 400°F for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. In the meantime, combine balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and maple syrup in a saucepan and simmer gently. Don't let it burn.
Step 4: Once the sauce has spent a few minutes simmering it should be reduced and appear thick enough so that it is the consistency of syrup.
Step 5: Transfer air-fried Brussel sprouts to a serving bowl or platter, and drizzle the balsamic glaze on top. 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, that's ok!
- 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 Brussel 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 Brussel sprouts. It's a slightly bitter veggie so it's able to take on ingredients that are both sweet and savory.
Other than balsamic vinegar, 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!
- Parmesan cheese - Sprinkling some crispy parmesan on the Brussel sprouts is a great way to add extra flavor and crunch!
- Maple syrup - You can also use honey!
- Cranberries & almonds - A wonderful idea for the holidays. Pairing Brussel sprouts with dried fruit and nuts!
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 Brussel 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 Brussel sprouts thaw, they're quite mushy.
Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussel sprouts (washed, ends trimmed, and halved)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Balsamic Soy Glaze (optional)
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently toss together the Brussel sprouts, olive oil, salt and ground pepper.
- Place the Brussel sprouts in the air fryer basket, in a single layer, leaving enough room between each one.
- Air fry at 400°F for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and maple syrup. Turn the stove on and bring the balsamic to a gentle simmer (adjust heat if necessary to prevent it from burning). Let the sauce reduce/thicken for about 2-3 minutes until it has the consistency of syrup.
- Place the Brussel sprouts onto a serving plate and drizzle balsamic glaze on top.
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.
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