Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Air fryer brussels sprouts are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. With five simple ingredients, they can be prepped and on your table in under 15 minutes!

While the air fryer is a great way to cook your proteins, it also works amazingly well to cook your vegetable side dishes! From air fryer cauliflower to air fryer broccoli to brussels sprouts and more, your vegetables get brown, crispy, and just plain delicious!

When it comes to brussels sprouts, I'm definitely a snob. I played around with this recipe to get you the best of both worlds: soft (not chewy or tough) on the inside and golden and crispy on the outside.

With simple flavors, these brussels sprouts are great paired with a variety of meals, from baked bruschetta chicken to chili rubbed salmon and more.

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these sprouts. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.

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Simple ingredients

For this recipe, you need five simple ingredients. While I've used olive oil, avocado oil is another great oil to use in the air fryer. Salt, onion powder and garlic powder season the brussels sprouts, while still allowing their natural flavors to shine through.

Prepping the brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts come in all shapes and sizes. If you have the normal-sized brussels sprouts (1.5 - 2 inches), you'll want to trim the stem off and slice in half. Occasionally, the brussels sprouts at the store are extremely small (1 inch), in which case I would advise leaving them whole.

Steam before cooking

To avoid tough, chewy brussels sprouts, we take the time to steam them slightly before cooking. To do this, I've used a large glass measuring cup and added ¼ cup of water. Cover with the lid and microwave on high for 3 minutes. This cooks the centers of the brussels sprouts, making them tender and soft.

Can you skip this step? Yes you can, but expect your brussels sprouts to have a chewy texture to them.

Step by step directions

1. Start by cutting ¼ inch or so off the bottom of the brussels sprout, removing its stem. Then slice in half. Note- see above for notes on small brussels sprouts.
2. Place in a large microwave-safe bowl and add ¼ cup of water.
3. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, then carefully drain off the water.
4. Add the olive oil, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Toss until evenly coated.
5. Heat air fryer to 200°C/ 390°F. Add brussels sprouts to the basket.
6. Cook for 7-8 minutes, shaking up the basket occasionally, until edges of brussels sprouts are brown and crispy.

Questions

Can I cook frozen brussels sprouts in the air fryer?

Yes, you can. Skip the steaming step in this case as they have already been cooked before freezing and are softer coming out of the freezer. Toss frozen brussels sprouts in oil and seasonings, and roast at 200°C/390°F until they are heated through and slightly browned.

Note that they will not get as crispy as brussels sprouts cooked from raw, but they are still super tasty this way! The air fryer is definitely my favorite way to cook frozen vegetables.

Which air fryer do you recommend?

I've been using a Phillips air fryer (similar to this one) for several years and it is still working great. However, if I could do it over again, I would buy the XL model, which fits more food. We also recently purchased the Instant Pot Vortex air fryer, but haven't used it enough to comment on it.

Variations

This is a great all purpose recipe, but you could certainly get creative with it! Here are some ideas:

• balsamic- add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the oil and toss the brussels sprouts
  • OR drizzle with balsamic reduction for a sweet and tangy flavor booster
• parmesan cheese- to serve, sprinkle with 2-4 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Asian-inspired- add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to the oil when tossing and sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve
• lemon garlic- add 4 cloves of crushed garlic and serve with fresh lemon wedges

More air fryer recipes

• Air Fryer Salmon
• Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
• Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Chicken Breast
• Honey Lime Air Fryer Shrimp