We’re obsessed with this air fryer Brussels sprouts recipe. It’s pretty clear about our love of brussels sprouts. Over the years we’ve added to our extensive collection of brussels sprouts recipes and thought we’d be satisfied for a while. Now we have a new one to add: Air fried brussels sprouts in the air fryer. And it’s a life changing way to make Brussels sprouts crispy!

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts in a bowl

Quick, Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Less Oil

First of all, we have to be honest about our initial judgments of air fryers. We have a great double oven that we use for roasting and stove top for deep frying. So adding another air fryer or for that matter, any appliance felt like an overload of tools.  Second of all, an air fryer just felt like an unnecessary “As Seen On TV” gadget that usually ends up at the garage sale. But with so much talk about air fryers over the last few years, we had to finally give it a try. Now as a result, our minds are blown and totally humbled about our previous air fryer judgments.

Watch Video:  Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe

How to Make Air Fried Brussels Sprouts

These air fryer brussels sprouts come out so fantastic, perfectly crispy and oh soooo good. Our classic brussels sprouts recipe with balsamic vinegar is our go-to oven roasted holiday brussels sprouts dish.

  1. We made these air fried brussels sprouts with much less oil when compared to cooking in the regular oven. The results were just as delicious and super crispy without all the oil. You can also use a light oil spray of avocado oil, grape seed oil or olive oil.
  2. Crispy texture: The texture was like a perfectly roasted brussels sprout. We’ll definitely consider making our brussels sprouts in the air fryer for the holidays when we’re in need of more oven space.
  3. Cut the brussels in half for even cooking. If they’re large, you might want to quarter them. Brussels sprouts vary so much in size. Here’s our discussion about different size Brussels sprouts.
  4. This recipe timing and temp is for fresh Brussels sprouts
  5. Now we can dedicate our ovens to the turkey, potatoes and desserts. The air fryer can now handle all the brussels sprouts dishes! We barely have to use any oil for cooking these air fried Brussels sprouts. And all food comes out crispy and perfectly cooked. different sizes of brussels sprouts
crispy Brussels after cooking

Our Favorite Air Fryer Tools

Evo Oil Sprayers
Evo Oil Sprayers

We LOVE the Evo Oil Sprayers. Great for grilling, air frying, and everyday cooking. They don’t clog up like many others we’ve bought. There’s different styles, but all seem to have the same great spray head. Works great for grilling!

Perforated Silicone Mat
Perforated Silicone Mat

Square Mats or Round Mats depending on your needs. Perforated non-stick silicone mats minimize food sticking in your air fryer or steamer. Holes allow the hot air to circulate, cooking quick & even.

Perforated Parchment Sheets
Perforated Parchment

Parchment sheets make clean up easy and minimize sticking food in your air fryer or bamboo steamer. Choose from different sizes, shapes, white and brown (unbleached). Holes allow air to cook food evenly.

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe @whiteonrice

Crispy Air Fryer Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Cooking times will vary depending on the size of brussels sprouts. We like our brussels sprouts brown, crispy and tender. For small to medium brussels sprouts, cut them in half. If they’re larger, then cut them into thirds. Most importantly, try to buy them in all the same size for consistent cooking. You can also par-boil them first, drain and then continue with the air frying recipe method. Par boiling helps make them a little softer and more cooked through the center.
4.87 from 36 votes
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound (454 g) brussels sprouts , ends removed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons (15 ml) olive oil , or more if needed
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt , or to personal taste
  • black pepper , to personal taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder , optional

Instructions 

  • Put cut brussels sprouts to bowl. Drizzle oil and balsamic vinegar evenly over the brussels sprouts. Don’t dump the oil and vinegar in one spot or else it will just coat one brussels sprout. You want to make sure to coat all the brussels sprouts.
  • Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the brussels sprouts. Add garlic powder if desired. Stir to combine everything and long enough so that all the brussels sprouts soaks up the marinade.
    There shouldn’t be any marinade left in the bottom of the bowl.
    Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe @whiteonrice
  • Add brussels to the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360°F for about 15-20 minutes. Shake and gently stir half way through, about 8 minutes into cooking. Make sure you shake at the halfway mark! You don’t wany to end up with uneven cooking. If needed, shake and toss a 3rd time to make sure it all cooks evenly.
    Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe @whiteonrice
  • Continue to air fry the brussels for the remainder of the time, or until the brussels are golden brown and cooked through. You can check earlier if needed to make sure nothing burns. Or you can add more time if needed to make sure it’s cooked through.
    Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe @whiteonrice
  • Add additional salt and pepper if needed on the brussels sprouts and enjoy!
    Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe @whiteonrice

Notes

  1. Don’t crowd the basket. If needed, it’s better to cook in multiple smaller batches for even cooking, than it is to cook in one large batch. If cooking in multiple batches, the first batch will take longer to cook if Air Fryer is not already pre-heated.
  2. If you decide to double the recipe, it will work great but make sure your air fryer is large enough (this recipe was cooked in a 3.7 qt air fryer). You might need add an additional 1-2 minutes of cooking time and give an extra shake or two while cooking if the basket is fairly full.
  3. Remember to set a timer to shake/flip/toss the food as directed in recipe.

Video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 83kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Sodium: 29mg, Potassium: 441mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 855IU, Vitamin C: 96.4mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 1.6mg
Course: Side Dish, Vegetables
Cuisine: Air Fryer, Vegetarian
Calories: 83

Can you air fry frozen brussels sprouts?

Using frozen brussels is definitely an option, but know that the texture will be softer and mushier. If you like your brussels on the soft side, then certainly frozen can work. But you will have to increase timing to another 5 minutes maybe so that the frozen sprouts can thaw during cooking. After they pass the thawed stage, then they’ll start to cook crisper. We have not tried air frying frozen brussels sprouts yet but if you attempt this please let us know how it turned out.

  • If the frozen brussels sprouts are whole, you will have to halve them. So that might mean you’ll have to thaw them first. If so, the timing might be a little quicker because you’re not trying to air fry a frozen hard brussels sprout.

Why are the brussels sprouts too dry?

It could be that because the air fryer cooked too hot. All air fryers differ in temperature and some cook hotter. Also, if it’s a smaller air fryer the brussels could have been too close to the heating element. If this is the case that your brussels are dry and tough, spray or brush a little more oil on them and air fry for another 2 minutes. Or, a light spray or brush or water could help too. As the water sits on the brussels during air frying, it could steam the brussels a bit more to be softer.

Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

As always, portion control is key to eating healthier so you wouldn’t want to eat a whole basket of fries even if it’s air fried. But cooking with less oil in the air frier can certainly help you eat healthier.

Hope you enjoy this recipe for air fryer brussels sprouts and our collection of other brussels sprouts recipes over the years.  here’s another great batch to try.  Enjoy!

-diane and todd

What is the Best Air Fryer?

We have 15 different air fryers, all different brands and we definitely have our favorites.

Here’s our extensive write up on Air Fryer World’s Best Air Fryer Guide. There’s so many on the market now. You just need to research and find the ones that fits your needs, capacity and style. We group the basket style air fryers into 2 main size groups: 3-4 qt. range & the 5-6 qt. range.  There’s oven style and basket style. With so many to choose from, we highlight the ones that are most popular for small to medium sized families. Here’s our favorites:

Good Mid-Sized Air Fryers

Cosori 3.7 qt. Digital Air Fryer
Cosori 3.7 qt. Digital Air Fryer

The non-stick basket style (non-wire base) & smoothness of the basket tray is great for clean up. Easily cooks 2-3 servings of fish & meat.

Ninja 4 qt. Digital Air Fryer

Great ceramic coated basket for easy clean-up. Super powerful fan that often cooks food hotter & faster than other air fryers.

Good Larger Air Fryers

Gourmia 8qt Air Fryer
Gourmia 8 qt. Air Fryer

One of our favorite larger basket style air fryers. Great basket size for about 4 servings. Clean up is great. It has become one of our kitchen favorites.

Instant 10qt. Vortex Air Fryer
Instant 10 qt. Vortex Air Fryer

Instant Pot Brand makes air fryers. The Vortex plus 9-in-1 is beyond the conventional air fryer. Broil, Bake, Dehydrate, Rotisserie, Roast and Re-heat.

More Great Brussels Sprouts Recipes 

  1. Here’s Our Collection of Best Brussels Sprouts Recipes 
  2. Brussels Sprouts Gratin Recipe: this is the magical recipe that has transformed so many brussels sprouts haters into lovers. The result is an addicting, creamy and tender brussels sprouts and cheese combo that can easily satisfy anyone craving mac and cheese. And it’ll be a low carb version. Not low calorie, but definitely low carb!
  3. Easy Roast Brussels Sprouts Recipe: this was one of our very first recipes in 2009 and it’s continually our go-to recipe for every craving we have.
  4. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Parsley Dressing Recipe: another everyday favorite that’s bright with an awesome lemon dressing. Make double the amount because they’re so delicious, you might have it as a full meal.
  5. Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce and Lime Recipe: Yes, it might sound odd– fish sauce?! Try it, the umami flavor in each bite is incredible.
  6. Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots Recipe: An oldie but goodie because who doesn’t love bacon? and the shallots adds awesome flavor.
  7. Cheesy Baked Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Onion – a popular rendition of our sweet onion crack dip, but with a few brussels sprouts thrown in!
     Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha and Mint Recipe: A spicy sauce for all you sriracha lovers. And it’s flowing over a ton of brussels sprouts. Yum.
  8. Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Mom’s Chili Fish Sauce– a recipe with a Vietnamese twist to delicious fried brussels sprouts. To die for!
  9.  Teriyaki Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe: We love sauce, can you tell? Here’s a fabulous teriyaki glazed beauty to make these veggies amazing.
  10. Shaved Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Bacon and Pecans: a raw take on the brussels sprouts and it’s a wonderful salad with salty bacon and crunchy pecans.
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe @whiteonrice