Whether you love them or dislike them, you have to try air fryer brussels sprouts! This tiny vegetable gets a whole new lease on flavor when tossed into the air fryer.
With just a little bit of prep, a few common spices, and a little bit of oil, you can have a hearty side dish that goes well with loads of meal options.
As a cooking couple, we’re a mini example of how society thinks about this vegetable.
Eric loves brussels sprouts while Lisa isn’t that big of a fan.
However, after trying brussels sprouts in the air fryer, she was actually impressed with the taste and texture and wanted to eat more!
Recipe Tips
When making air-fried brussels sprouts, there are a few things you should consider before cooking:
- This is a recipe for fresh brussels sprouts. You can learn how we made air fryer frozen brussels sprouts here.
- Be sure to wash the sprouts but also remove the outer one or two leaves. These are usually damaged and/or have dirt on them.
- Also, definitely cut the brussels sprouts in half since they can be quite dense in the middle and will cook faster and more evenly this way.
- We use avocado oil in our air fryer because it has a higher smoke point. We do not recommend using regular virgin olive oil in the air fryer because it has a tendency to smoke when heated.
- You can use whatever spices you like. We keep it simple with a little salt and pepper since the brussels sprouts themselves have a rich flavor and aroma to them.
- If you really want to up the ante, you can make brussels sprouts with bacon in the air fryer, too!
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.
Step by Step Instruction
If you are looking for visuals for how to make air fryer brussels sprouts, you can find the recipe process photos in this section.
First, cut the stem ends off of the brussels sprouts and remove the outer leaves if they are dirty.
Next cut the brussels sprouts in half.
Add the cut-up brussels sprouts to a mixing bowl. Also, add the oil, salt, and pepper – and toss until the brussels sprouts are evenly coated.
Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
When it is hot, evenly spread the brussels sprouts onto the air fryer tray and fry them for 9 to 11 minutes until tender and browned.
Gently shake them every 3 minutes so they cook evenly. Since every air fryer is different, your exact cooking time might vary slightly.
Our brussels sprouts are usually done after 10 minutes.
Remove the cooked brussels sprouts from the air fryer and season with more spices, if desired.
Storage Tips
You can toss any leftover brussels sprouts in a sealed container and place them in the fridge. Properly stored they will last for around 3 days.
The longer they stay in a container, the mushier they may become so we’d recommend eating them sooner rather than later.
You can reheat them in the microwave or even put the sprouts back in the air fryer for a few minutes.
What to Serve Brussels Sprouts With
Brussels sprouts in the air fryer make a really nice green vegetable side dish for any well-rounded dinner.
Due to their crispy outer layers and more intense, earthy flavor (hence why some people love them and some people strongly dislike them), these brussels sprouts go well with meat dishes that have a sauce like roast beef as well as roasted turkey.
If you are serving a larger meal with meat and potatoes, mash the potatoes so that you have a creamy element to complement the crispy, lightly fried texture of the sprouts.
Related Recipes
For more great air fryer vegetable recipes, try out these tasty veggie dishes:
- Air Fried Turnip Fries
- Air Fried Eggplant
- Air Fried Beets
- Carrots in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil, see notes
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper, more to taste
Instructions
- Cut the stem end off of the brussels sprouts and remove the outer leaves. Then cut the brussels sprouts in half.
- Add the brussels sprouts as well as oil, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl and toss them until evenly coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once hot, evenly spread the brussels sprouts out on the air fryer tray. They should be evenly distributed around the tray and in one layer (as little overlapping as possible).
- Cook the brussels sprouts for 9 to 11 minutes until tender and browned. Gently shake them approximately every 3 minutes. Since every air fryer is different, your cooking time might vary slightly. Our brussels sprouts are usually done after 10 minutes.
Notes
- We don’t recommend using virgin olive oil in the air fryer due to its low smoke point. Instead, consider using avocado oil, sesame oil or even canola oil.
- As mentioned above, don’t overcrowd the tray of the air fryer. We use an air fryer with 6 quart capacity. If your air fryer is smaller, you might need to do it in two batches.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
