Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Balsamic (Easy Side Dish)
Need a quick, healthy side dish? These crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts are flavorful, and ready in just 10 minutes! Tossed with parmesan and balsamic, they make a perfect veggie side for busy weeknights.
Save This Recipe!
Enter your email below & I’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes every week!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Learn How to Track Macros
with this step-by-step guide when you sign up for our emails
Airfryer Brussels Sprouts With Parmesan and Balsamic
Can you air fry brussels sprouts? My dear friend, you can air fry anything (or it’s at least worth a try).
I love a good air fryer recipe. Our family often uses an air fryer to make potatoes, pizza, tofu, and I love using it for frozen french fries and frozen veggies.
The fact that I love using my air fryer is known (especially if you watch my Instagram stories) but I have very few healthy air fryer recipes here on the blog. So that is going to change.
If you love crispy Brussels sprouts, then you’ll go nuts for kalettes. Try this Easy Roasted Kalettes recipe.
Why These Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Are a Must-Try
Ingredients Needed
The ingredients needed for these crispy air fryer Brussels sprouts are common. You probably have everything you need in your pantry already.
This recipe is also gluten free, and a great option for a side dish for the holidays.
- Brussels sprouts. These crisp up beautifully in the air fryer. Simply wash and slice them in half.
- Olive oil. You can also use avocado oil if you prefer it.
- Garlic powder. You can use fresh garlic if you would like but I like how garlic powder coats the Brussels sprouts evenly.
- Salt and Pepper.
- Parmesan cheese. It’s best if you use fresh cheese and shred it yourself but use what you have on hand. A vegan option is nutritional yeast.
- Balsamic vinegar. I have made this with both balsamic vinegar and glaze. Both are delicious, the glaze is sweeter.
I add the seasonings and sprouts to a bowl and toss them to coat before adding them to the air fryer basket.
These air fryer balsamic Brussels sprouts use balsamic vinegar, but you could finish it with a balsamic glaze if you would like.
That will enhance the sweetness (and the glaze will be a little thicker). This will slightly alter the nutritional information but just by a bit.
Variations & Customizations
- Sweet & Tangy: Add honey or maple syrup for a caramelized finish.
- Spicy Kick: Toss with red pepper flakes or hot honey.
- Extra Crunch: Top with crispy bacon or toasted almonds.
- Dairy-Free: Swap parmesan for nutritional yeast.
Air Fried Brussels Sprouts Leftovers Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
You could meal prep this for an easy vegetable side dish or you could use the leftovers by throwing them in your salad for lunch (or try a brussel sprouts salad with a honey or creamy dressing).
They are not as crispy when re heated in the microwave, so if you want them crisped up toss them back in the air fryer.
I do this often and it’s a great way to get in more veggies in a tasty (and portable) way.
Equipment Needed
All you need is an air fryer and a bowl.
Whether it’s the Ninja Foodi air fryer, using the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid, or an air fryer from Amazon, it should all work for this recipe.
You just need it to get to 400F.
How long to air fryer brussel sprouts at 400? 10-12 minutes, depending on the size.
Can you air fry brussels sprouts frozen? Yes, but you will need to add extra time. I haven’t done it myself, so I’m not sure how much longer you need.
Nutrition Information
This tasty air fryer side dish makes four servings, so what I like to do is quarter the air fryer basket and scoop the brussels sprouts out like that.
Is it super accurate with the calories and macros listed below? No
Am I going to weigh it all on a food scale raw, then again cooked? Also no.
As I tell my clients when it comes to following macros, it’s about sustainability. If you find you are carrying a food scale with you everywhere, it’s not sustainable.
Yes, it’s more accurate to weigh everything (especially if you’re meal prepping) but it’s vegetables. The variance will be small.
Macros
1/4 of this parmesan brussels sprouts recipe has:
- 107 calories
- 5g of protein
- 13g of carbohydrates
- 5g of fat
- 4g of fiber.
The fact that a veggie side recipe has five grams of protein and gives you 4 grams of fiber for your day makes me want to sing from the rooftops.
Protein and fiber are some of the key factors I have my clients and members of Food Freedom, Your Way focus on.
How to make Crispy Brussels Sprouts in the Air Fryer
Prep the Brussels Sprouts – Wash, trim, and slice them in half.
Season – Toss with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Air Fry – Cook at 400°F for 7-8 minutes, shaking halfway.
Add Parmesan – Sprinkle the Brussels sprouts with parmesan and cook a little longer in the air fryer.
Drizzle with balsamic – Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or glaze before serving.
Pro Tip: For extra crispy Brussels sprouts, don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket!
Tips & Tricks for Easy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
The brussels sprouts used in this recipe were a small-medium size. If you have large brussels sprouts, you may need to increase the cooking time by a few minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. I like to judge the tenderness by sneaking a bite while they cook (careful, they’re hot).
If your air fryer is on the smaller side, you make have to do this recipe in small batches.
The brussels sprouts turn out best when it’s cooked in a single layer. This helps with the airflow. The details are in the instructions below.
Don’t forget to sprinkle some parmesan over top.
Serving Suggestions
These crispy Brussels sprouts pair perfectly with lemon chicken, salmon, pork made with this Asian pork marinade, or even a simple pasta dish.
They’re also great alongside a holiday meal, try serving them with mashed potatoes and turkey!
FAQs
Looking for more easy air fryer recipes? Try these next:
- 30+ Air Fryer Meal Prep Recipes
- 20+ Easy Air Fryer Appetizers
- Easy Air Fryer Salsa
- Air Fryer Lemon Chicken
Did you make this recipe? Let me know in the comments or tag me on Instagram @randanutrition—I’d love to see your creation!
Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Balsamic
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts rinsed and cut in halves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese plus more for topping
- 1 – 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
- Make sure your brussels sprouts are rinsed and cut in half. Place them in a large bowl.
- Add the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Once the air fryer has preheated, add the brussels sprouts to the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the basket from the air fryer, toss the brussels sprouts, and add the parmesan cheese on top. It’s ok if some of it falls through the grate.
- Return the basket to the air fryer and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes or until desired crispness.
- Remove the basket, serve warm with additional parmesan on top and a drizzle of balsamic.
Notes
Variations & Customizations
- Sweet & Tangy: Add honey or maple syrup for a caramelized finish.
- Spicy Kick: Toss with red pepper flakes or hot honey.
- Extra Crunch: Top with crispy bacon or toasted almonds.
- Dairy-Free: Swap parmesan for nutritional yeast.
Nutrition
Get the cheat sheet to BUILD A BETTER SALAD
that will keep you full for hours.
*Updated Feb 10, 2025.
Yum! My daughter and I LOVE brussels sprouts and can’t wait to give your recipe a try! I am so excited to feature your post at the Tuesday Turn About Link Party this week. Thank you for sharing!