Steamed Brussels sprouts paved way for roasted Brussels sprouts, but I have to admit that these air fryer Brussels Sprouts are my new favorite way to consume this vegetable. It's a five ingredient, 20 minute recipe that you can eat as a side or throw in a salad. It's vegan, gluten-free and nut-free. What more can you possibly ask for?
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💭 Why you'll love this recipe
- Vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free: I love sharing healthy, wholesome and delicious dishes on this blog, and this is perfect example of that.
- Simple ingredients without compromising on flavors: This recipe just needs five ingredients, all of which you probably have at home!
- Brussels sprouts are super nutritious: I could talk for an entire page about how healthy Brussels sprouts are. Few calories, many nutrition benefits including vitamins A, K, C, B-6 and B-9 and potassium.
📋 Ingredients and notes
You'll need a pound of Brussels sprouts, avocado oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Oh, and of course - an air fryer or an oven with air-frying capabilities. If you don't have an air-fryer, I have instructions for an oven in the recipe notes as well.
Notes and Variations
- Picking Brussels sprouts: You want firm and dark green Brussels sprouts. Make sure to avoid ones that have worm holes. Try to use them up before they shrivel.
- Seasoning: This is a simple recipe but I've included variations in the serving suggestions
- Type of oil: I don't like to use olive oil in air fryer recipes because they have a low smoke point (375 to 400F). Instead, I use neutral oils with higher smoke point (e.g., avocado oil). If you use olive oil, keep the air fryer at 375F and cook a few more minutes for crispiness
📖 Step-by-step instructions
Prepare the Brussels sprouts
If you've never prepared Brussels sprouts before, it can seem daunting, but it's actually quite simple once you get the hang of it. Start by washing and drying them thoroughly.
Then, using a sharp knife, cut off the edges (i.e., the stem) and then peel any wilted outer leaves. Loose leaves that are green and fresh make the crispiest parts of the dish!
Then, cut the sprouts lengthwise, ideally into halves, but you can also chop them into quarters if you want to cook them faster!
Season the Brussels sprouts
Add the prepared Brussels sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with two tablespoons of avocado oil, followed by a teaspoon each of kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Toss to cover the Brussels sprouts well.
Throw them in the air fryer!
Then, dump the Brussels sprouts in the air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to cook them in a couple of batches. Air fry them at 400F for 10 minutes. Then, take the air fryer basket out and give it a good shake, and then air fry for 5 minutes.
Your air fryer Brussels sprouts are ready to be devoured!
👩🏽🍳Top tips for crispy Brussels sprouts
I often get asked about my top tips for making air fryer Brussels sprouts, so I've collected all of them together in one spot below, along with some common FAQs.
- Cut Brussels sprouts into even-sized pieces to ensure that they cook evenly. This makes a big difference in ensuring consistency in texture!
- Season the Brussels sprouts with wanton abandon and use a mixing bowl. I use avocado oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. You can also add parmesan cheese (vegan or vegetarian), other dried herbs, or even red pepper flakes if you wish. I know it's annoying to have to wash another dish, but using a mixing bowl ensures the seasoning disperses evenly!
- Coat your air fryer basket or tray with some spray or a bit of oil to ensure they don't stick to the bottom
- Try not to overcrowd them - layer them without overlapping in the tray to ensure they get as crispy as they can. If you have a tray of sorts, you can lay them flat side down to ensure they cook evenly as well. And if you do have to overcrowd (and hey, we get busy, I understand) - you might need to increase your cooking time by up to 5 minutes!
FAQs
YES. Resounding yes. Seriously, they're one of those vegetables where you get an insane bang for your buck (both in terms of cost and calories!) Studies suggest they're a rich source of many nutrients, rich in antioxidants, high in fiber, and have omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid overcooking them to retain health benefits!
You absolutely can. It just takes a while longer. If you want to do this in an oven, I suggest seasoning the sprouts and then laying them out in an even layer, neatly spaced apart on a baking sheet, and roasting at 425F for about 30 minutes. Check after 15 minutes and see if you want to turn them over so both sides can cook
Typically, I recommend slicing off the stems of the Brussels sprouts since they're rather dense, don't cook well, and can be quite bitter if not cooked properly.
Technically, yes. They could work but you'll want to make sure that they're fully thawed before you throw in the air fryer, and ideally also pat them dry with a towel before you season to get rid of any excess moisture.
🍴 Serving and storage suggestions
This recipe can be stored in an air tight container for a day or two in the fridge. To reheat them, you can add them to a lightly oiled baking sheet and then warm them up in the oven at 350F for 5 minutes, until heated through. It likely won't be as crispy though, sadly.
Air Fryer or Roasted Brussels Sprouts Variations
I've suggested a very simple recipe here, but the possibilities are endless when it comes to flavor combinations for air fryer Brussels sprouts.
- Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and finish off with some red pepper flakes or grated vegetarian parmesan (if you're not vegan)
- Drizzle some sesame seed oil for a delicious Asian-inspired version
- Add some red pepper flakes and squeeze a lemon wedge over the cooked sprouts to give them a really tangy, spicy flavor
- Add warm spices like zaatar or serve with harissa for a Middle-Eastern take (this makes for an amazing pita sandwich base!)
Ways to use up leftover air fryer Brussels sprouts
Air fried Brussels sprouts are amazing with so many things - especially with creamy dishes. I love adding them as a nutritious crunchy element to pastas, sandwiches, toasts, or even scrambled eggs.
- Add them to your favorite pasta - I've topped my spicy alfredo and my leek and mushroom pasta with crispy Brussels sprouts (after chopping them a bit)
- Add them to avocado toast - seriously, the creaminess of the avocado along with crispy sprouts makes for a killer combination. I usually add some red pepper flakes here too.
- Add them to almost any salad to make it instantly heartier - I sometimes even add these air fryer Brussels sprouts to my vegan Caesar salad instead of the roasted chickpeas!
If you like this recipe, check out my other healthy side recipes:
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Please leave a comment and a star rating and let me know how it went! We love hearing from you, thank you so much
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts!
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Oven with Air-Fry Capabilities
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil, for coating air fryer
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, optional garnish
Instructions
- Start by washing and drying a pound of Brussels sprouts. Cut off the stem edges, and remove any wilted outer leaves. Cut the sprouts lengthwise, into halves. If they're particularly large, cut them into quarters to get to roughly even-sized pieces.
- Preheat the air-fryer to 400°F as needed. Add the Brussels sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with two tablespoons of avocado oil, and a teaspoon each of kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Toss to cover the Brussels sprouts well.Note: I like seasoning the sprouts in a mixing bowl versus on the baking sheet because I find that it seasons more evenly this way. However, if your air fryer has a sheet-style rack, you can also just season the sprouts directly to avoid washing additional dishes!
- Coat your air fryer basket or tray with a teaspoon of avocado oil. Then, place the Brussels sprouts in the air fryer basket or tray and roast for 10 minutes. Then, take them out, shake them up, and roast for at least another 5 minutes. Note: I use a Breville Smart Oven and it takes roughly 15 minutes for a batch to be done roasting. However, depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to cook them in a couple of batches and/or increase the timing!
- Add extra salt and pepper to your taste as needed. You can also squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top, or add some vegetarian parmesan cheese for additional flavor if you're not vegan. Then, devour those Brussels sprouts!
Notes
- Make sure to cut Brussels sprouts into even-sized pieces so they cook evenly!
- In addition to the seasoning used, you can add nutritional yeast or vegetarian parmesan (if you eat dairy), other dried herbs, or even red pepper flakes. To make an easy balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts, just drizzle some balsamic vinegar!
- Try not to overcrowd the sprouts and instead, layer them without overlapping.
Nutrition
Psst. If you're wondering whether they're Brussel sprouts or Brussels sprouts, it's the latter. They're named after the city of Brussels in Belgium, so there you go.
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