Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts

These Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts are the most delicious crispy bites to serve as a light side dish or healthy dinner.

Plus, they are keto friendly and vegan, made with 6 simple ingredients.

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You know by now how much I love air fryer recipes and last time I shared with you my Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts Chips Recipe.

So time to show you how you can air fry Brussel sprouts – much faster than oven-roasted Brussel sprouts for a busy healthy dinner idea during the week.

Plus, Brussel sprouts are fantastic low-carb vegetables and perfect as a low-calorie healthy keto side dish to any meat or seafood.

Why Is Cooking In An Air Fryer Better?

The main difference between an air fryer and a regular oven is that the fan makes the heat circulate in a very precise and controlled way.

This air circulation combined with their size smaller than an oven and the use of a wire basket makes air fryers much faster at cooking the food than a classic oven, even when using the fan-forced mode.

So cooking in an air fryer is much faster than in an oven. But is it healthier?

Air Frying is definitely healthier than deep frying for obvious reasons. The comparison with regular ovens is more balanced.

You would typically use about less oil with air fryer recipes, making them marginally healthier than the equivalent oven-baked recipes.

How To Cook Brussel Sprouts In Air Fryer

It’s super easy to cook your Brussel sprouts in the air fryer.

There are only a few ingredients needed and a few tips to make them crispy every time.

Ingredients

First, let’s see the ingredients you need to make these crispy air fried Brussel sprouts

• Brussel Sprouts – The trick is to trim and cut the Brussel Sprouts in half vertically. Read my full guide on how to cut Brussels Sprouts.
• Olive Oil or avocado oil – You need to use an oil with a high smoke point oil to avoid smoke and deliver the best texture and crispiness.
• Salt and Pepper
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Paprika

Preparation

First, trim the Brussel sprouts, discard feet and cut halfway as seen in the picture below. Or pick one of the two ways to do so in my Brussels sprout cutting guide.

If some outer shells fall out, keep these to make Brussel Sprout Chips later.

Place the Brussels sprout halves in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top, crushed garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Stir to combine then place the Brussel sprouts in the air fryer basket in a single layer.

Air fry for 5 minutes in the air fryer preheated to 395°F (200°C). Open and shake the basket to evenly rotate the sprouts.

Return for 5 more minutes in the air fryer.

Check the texture by inserting a toothpick or knife in the center of the vegetables to check their tenderness.

It should go through easily but still be firm and golden brown on the outside.

If needed keep air frying for an extra 2 to 5 minutes until it reaches your favorite texture.

Serving Cooked Brussel Sprouts

You can eat this side dish straight out from the air fryer, with no add-ons, or play with flavors by adding sauce or herbs and spices as suggested below.

Serving With Sauce

Now you can play with flavor and some add-ons on top of the air-fried Brussel sprouts.

• Asian Flavors – Cook my 3-ingredient stir fry sauce and drizzle on top.
• Italian Flavors – Add Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction on top of the warm sprouts.
• Creamy Sauce – You can smother the cooked Brussel sprouts in Keto Alfredo Sauce or Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce or dip them in keto ranch dressing.
• BBQ Style – Drizzle my 3-ingredient BBQ sauce on top.
• Indian Flavors – Add a pinch of turmeric, curry powder, or Garam masala on top.

Serving With Herbs And Flavors

You can also just add a pinch of the following on top of the cooked vegetables to keep it flavorsome and simple:

• Freshly Chopped Parsley or Basil.
• Chili Flakes
• Spring Onions
• Bagel Seasonings

Best Meals To Pair With Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts are best paired on the side of a high-protein meal like:

• Cast-Iron Chicken Breast
• Lemon Pepper Chicken Tenders
• Almond Flour Chicken Tenders
• Keto Chicken Nuggets
• Baked Pork Chops
• Steak Marinated in my 3-Ingredient Steak Marinade and cooked at your desired Steak Cooking Levels.

Did you try to cook Brussel sprouts in your air fryer and love it? Share a comment or review below.