Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts {Light and Crispy!}

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts recipe are an irresistible crispy and savory vegetable side dish made in a fraction of the time as any other method, and end up even crispier!

If you love Brussel sprouts as much as we do, you’re going to want to also try my Brussel sprouts with bacon and pecans!

Air fryer brussels sprouts on a plate with salt and pepper in bowls nearby.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients for Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
What Does an Air Fryer Do To Vegetables?
How to Cook Brussels Sprouts in Air Fryer
Optional Add-In’s and Variations
Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
FAQs
What to Serve with Brussels Sprouts?
Storage Tips
More Air Fryer Recipes to Try
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe

When you air fry Brussel sprouts you take once slightly bitter veggies and turn them into a tender, deliciously crispy side dish that can be made salty, spicy, savory, or cheesy! This recipe uses creamy dijon and lemon juice to bring a tangy savory element to every crispy bite.

This irresistible and undeniably addicting side dish no longer needs to be reserved for special occasions and holidays. They’re so easy to make and pair well with all kinds of main dishes, that I enjoy making them for any weeknight meal!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Seasonings: Switch up the flavors with different seasonings and create an entirely different side dish!
Healthy: Low carb, gluten free, and keto friendly side dish that’s high in vitamin A, K, antioxidants, and fiber.
Extra crispy: The circulating convection heat of the air fryer makes Brussel sprouts extra crispy.
Heavy lifting: Without taking up space in the oven, it does all the work to make this side dish, which makes life so much easier, especially when serving a larger meal.
Effortless: You toss the sprouts into the air fryer basket, and other than shaking once, it’s hands-off.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts: Wash and drain them. Peel off the outermost leaves if you find them wilting or off-color.
Olive oil: A neutral tasting oil that is needed to help the air fryer do its job. Since there is no deep-frying a little bit of oil goes a long way.
Lemon juice: A bright acidic ingredient that adds a zing in terms of flavor but also cuts the bitterness of the Brussel sprouts themselves.
Garlic cloves: Garlic and lemon pair so well together and I love anything garlicky!
Dijon mustard: A creamy, tangy, and pungent mustard.
Salt & pepper: A sprinkling of both for added seasoning to taste.

Smaller brussels sprouts? You can leave them whole if preferred. Be sure to cut any large ones in half.

Brussels sprouts, lemon, olive oil, garlic, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

What Does an Air Fryer Do To Vegetables?

Quick preheat: The air fryer preheats in a few minutes and cooks a batch in a fraction of the time as parmesan roasted brussels sprouts.
Versatile recipes: The air fryer works on all kinds of veggies from cruciferous vegetables to root vegetables and everything in between.
Crispy without the grease: Healthy versions of crispy veggies give us a deep fried texture without the heavy oils.
Life hack: When you can make veggies this simple and delicious it’s so much easier to add more veggies into your meals.
No heating up kitchen: This is HUGE, especially in the summertime, also why I love making summer Instant Pot recipes!

How to Cook Brussels Sprouts in Air Fryer

Make ahead! Coat them with the seasoning mixture, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 24 hours until you’re ready to cook them.

Prep: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Use a paring knife and trim the ends of the Brussel sprouts, removing the outer leaves that will naturally fall off. Cut them in half.
Add seasoning: Transfer the Brussel sprouts to a large bowl and add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir everything making sure each sprout is coated evenly.

Trim and cut in halves brussels sprouts on a cutting board.

Mixing brussels sprouts with seasonings in glass bowl.

Air fry: Pour out Brussel sprouts into the air fryer basket and spread them out into a single even layer. Air fry for 10 minutes, shaking once halfway.
Serve: These are best served immediately on the side of any main dish!

Optional Add-In’s and Variations

Glaze: Using a balsamic vinegar reduction to make a balsamic glaze will add a lovely sweet and savory element to your Brussel Sprouts.
Heat: Toss in some red pepper flakes for added heat.
Cheesy: Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese for that bit of salty, crispy, cheesy flavor.
Seasoning: Different seasoning variations like garlic powder, regular or smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and lemon pepper would all be great.
Sweet: Finish off your brussels sprouts with a drizzle of honey before serving for some added sweetness.
Holidays: Air fry with dried cranberries and slivered almonds for a festive holiday side dish.
Savory: Baked bacon and onions are always a popular addition to brussels sprouts.

Not looking for gluten free or low carb? Sprinkle them with a bit of breadcrumbs for a fun extra crunchy addition.

Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

My air fryer size: I use a large 5.8-quart Cosori air fryer. If yours is smaller, fit as many ingredients as you can, as long as they are in a single layer.
Cook in batches. If you’re doubling or tripling the recipe (or have a smaller air fryer) work in batches so they don’t end up overcrowded and soggy.
If you like softer Brussel sprouts throughout, you can microwave the Brussels for a few minutes before air frying. You can also soak them for 10 minutes in water beforehand.

Air fried brussels sprouts on white plate and salt and linen towel nearby.

FAQs

Should you cut brussels sprouts in half before cooking?

If you’re looking for an overall crispy texture, cutting them in half is great for this. Larger Brussel sprouts will have a better chance of getting the inside cooked in time for the outside to get crispy because they are exposed. Keeping them whole is a possibility when you’ve got many smaller sized sprouts.

Do I need to spray the basket before cooking the brussel sprouts?

You don’t. There is already enough oil coating the Brussel sprouts, you don’t need to add any additional cooking spray.

Can I use frozen brussels sprouts?

If your brussels sprouts are frozen, I do recommend thawing them first to ensure they end up nice and crispy. If you’re not concerned about that, then by all means use them frozen, keeping in mind the texture may be soggy and they will take a little longer in the air fryer.

Why are my brussels sprouts burning?

This can happen either because you’ve left them cooking too longer under high heat (not with this recipe, though!) or you’ve trimmed them to the point where there is so little left that they easily become overcooked.

What to Serve with Brussels Sprouts?

For holidays and special occasions: On the side of sirloin tip roast, air fryer turkey breast, boneless leg of lamb or turkey stuffed acorn squash.
Weeknight dinner ideas: Chicken breast in air fryer is also quick to make before the sprouts and keep warm under foil. Also baked honey garlic chicken flavors pair nicely with cabbage.

With salmon: Whether it’s grilled salmon, Thai salmon, or canned salmon cakes, Brussel sprouts are always a good pairing. You can even air fry salmon and brussels together!

Need other sides to pair with? When planning to feed a crowd sometimes we need more than one side dish! Try these: Air fryer cauliflower, air fryer broccoli, garlic green beans, or healthy mashed potatoes.

Storage Tips

Store leftovers: Cooked Brussels sprouts can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days when covered in an airtight container.

To reheat: This time at just 300 degrees F for 3-4 minutes until warmed through.

More Air Fryer Recipes to Try