This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
I’ve cooked over 5 pounds of brussels sprouts in my air fryer this week. I didn’t expect to, but as it turns out, the air fryer is a little tricky if you enjoy veggies that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
So, if you’re planning to toss the sprouts in olive oil and pop them in the air fryer, I hope you’ll read what I went through first.
It will save you some disappointment!
After a week of experimentation, I finally figured out a better method that doesn’t require too much extra effort. It’s not quite as easy as roasting Brussels in the oven, but if you’re hoping to keep your kitchen cooler in the hot summer months, the air fryer will help.
My Air Fried Brussels Sprouts Experiments
You might assume that you can toss Brussels sprouts in olive oil and salt and cook them in the air fryer. (It’s that simple if you plan on roasting them in the oven, after all.)
So, I thought I’d share what I tried before sharing my favorite method:
- Test Round 1: Cut the Brussels in half and toss them in a tablespoon of oil and season with salt. Pour them into the air fryer basket and cook at 350ºF for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, the outsides looked very crispy, but the middles were hard to bite through. I added 5 more minutes to the cook time, and at that point, the outsides were charred, and the insides still were NOT tender. It felt like I was biting into ultra-crispy, but also dry and burnt, chips with a miserably chewy center. (Like, chewing each piece for 4-5 minutes. Not fun.)
- Test Round 2: Maybe if I cut the Brussels smaller, they would cook faster? I tried cutting them into quarters this time, tossing them with olive oil and salt again. After cooking for 15 minutes at 350ºF, they were mostly crispy on the outside, and the centers were still miserably undercooked. Ugh.
- Test Round 3: This time, we’re cooking the Brussels sprouts whole. No cutting, so hopefully the insides will steam while the outsides get crispy. Olive oil, salt, and they go into the air fryer at 350°F for 15 minutes. They look nice and crispy on the outside, but needed 5 more minutes to cook the small pieces through. This was the best trial so far, but only the very tiny Brussels sprouts were cooked enough. Most were on the larger side, and still felt underdone. But if I cook them any longer, the outsides will just taste burnt.
- Test Round 4: I saw another recipe online that called for soaking halved Brussels in a bowl of water before cooking in the air fryer. The concept sounds okay, since clearly the Brussels need more moisture so they won’t burn in the air fryer before the middles get cooked. Unfortunately, I still had very similar results with this method. The soaking water must have evaporated quickly, because the outsides were still way too crispy before the insides were cooked enough.
- Test Round 5-6: I’ve lost my mind and tried blanching the Brussels sprouts for 8 to 10 minutes. The first time I dunked them in ice water to stop the cooking process, the second time I just drained them and immediately cooked them in the air fryer. I realize this is WAY TOO MUCH effort for someone who wants to cook Brussels in the air fryer, so we’re giving up on this method, even though the results are better.
- Test Round 7: Since we know boiling first makes the Brussels tender, what if I simply press the button on my electric tea kettle and pour boiling water over the Brussels sprouts to soak them? This helps a lot! Let the Brussels soak for 10 minutes in boiling water, then drain and cook. But, I realized I could help them not dry out by also tossing them in a sauce at the 10-minute mark. So, after cooking for 10 minutes, I toss them in the sauce and return them to the air fryer for 10 minutes. This is the best version yet! I tested this version 3 more times, but I won’t bore you with the details.
As you can see, cooking Brussels sprouts in the air fryer is not as straightforward as you might expect. But, I hope my kitchen smelling like Brussels sprouts for the past week will help you get better results in your kitchen.
how to cook brussel sprouts in air fryer
Step 1:
Cut the Brussels sprouts in half and add them to a large bowl. Cover them with boiling water and let them soak for 10-15 minutes. (I use an electric tea kettle to do this quickly—it holds about 7 cups of water, so that’s how much I use.)
When they are done soaking, drain the water using a fine-mesh strainer. Then return the drained veggies to the bowl.
Step 2:
Toss the Brussels sprouts with a tablespoon of olive oil and a 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Then transfer them to the basket of your air fryer. It’s okay if they overlap in the basket.
Cook at 350ºF for 10 minutes.
Step 3:
While you wait on the first cooking cycle, stir together the sauce. I like to use sriracha, honey, tamari, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger.
However, you can also toss these with your favorite salad dressing. You just want to add moisture and extra flavor to prevent the Brussels from drying out in the air fryer.
When the 10 minutes are done, transfer the Brussels sprouts back to the large bowl and toss them with the sauce. Then return them to the basket and cook for an additional 10 minutes at 350°F.
When the timer goes off, they should be tender. Let them cool briefly, then serve with your favorite main course. You can also season with extra salt or pepper, if needed at this point.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can be reheated in the air fryer at 350ºF for 5 minutes.
Brussels Sprouts (Air Fryer)
Ingredients
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts , halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Honey Sriracha Glaze
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- ½ inch fresh ginger , minced
Instructions
- For the best results, bring a kettle of water to a boil. (My electric tea kettle holds 7 cups of water, so I press a button on that while I slice the Brussels.) Once the Brussels sprouts are cut in half, transfer them to a large heat-safe bowl and cover them with the boiling water. Let them soak for 10 minutes.
- Drain the soaked Brussels, then return them to the bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt, then transfer them to the air fryer basket. It's okay if they overlap. Cook for 10 minutes at 350ºF.
- While you wait, mix the honey sriracha glaze in the same large bowl. Stir together the honey, sriracha, tamari, garlic and ginger. When the brussels are done cooking, add them to the bowl and toss well. Return them to the air fryer to cook for 10 more minutes at 350ºF.
- When the timer goes off, test the brussels sprouts for tenderness by poking them with a fork. They should be tender at this point, with crispy edges. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed, then serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
Love how bussels sprouts came out crisp can’t wait to make another batch
Perfect timing for Brussels sprouts. Usually I roasted them cut in half but in the Air Fryer I followed the recipe and cooked the whole and they were perfect! Thanks Megan
Thank you for this recipe looks amazing!!! I love new ways of using my Air Fryer. Can you use Frozen Brussels sprouts in this Recipe?
Oh, I’ve never thought to try frozen! My guess is that they wouldn’t turn out as crispy, but I think it’s worth a shot. They might need a few more minutes, but I’d check on them after 15 to see how they are doing. Let me know if you try it!