Air Fryer Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
Halved Brussels sprouts roast in the air fryer until the outer leaves turn deep golden and shatter-crisp, then get tossed with sweet-tangy balsamic glaze and a snowfall of Parmesan. Ready in about 25 minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 16 min
- Total
- 26 min
- Makes
- About 4 cups (4 side-dish servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Pat the sprouts completely dry after washing; surface moisture makes them steam instead of crisp.
- Choose sprouts of similar size (about 1 to 1½ inches / 2.5 to 4 cm long) so they cook evenly; halve or quarter larger ones.
- Use balsamic glaze (thick, syrupy), not thin balsamic vinegar. If you only have vinegar, see Substitutions.
- This recipe is sized for a 5 to 6 quart (4.7 to 5.7 L) basket air fryer; cook in two batches for smaller models.
Preheat air fryer
- Set the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and preheat for 3 minutes while you prep the sprouts.
- Preheating gives the sprouts an immediate sear so they crisp rather than steam.
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Ready when: Display shows 400°F (200°C) or the preheat signal ends
Tip: Skip this only if your model has no preheat; add 1 minute to the first cook time instead.
Trim and halve sprouts
- Rinse the Brussels sprouts and dry them thoroughly with a towel.
- Trim off the stem ends and pull away any yellow or loose outer leaves.
- Cut each sprout in half lengthwise through the stem, and quarter any that are larger than 1½ inches (4 cm).
- Keep the pieces roughly the same size.
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Ready when: Sprouts are dry to the touch and uniform in size
Tip: Any leaves that fall off are a bonus: they turn into extra-crispy chips, so toss them in too.
Season the sprouts
- In a large bowl, toss the sprouts with the olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder until every piece is lightly and evenly coated with no dry spots of seasoning.
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Ready when: Sprouts glisten lightly, with seasoning clinging evenly
Tip: Don't add more oil than listed; too much makes them greasy and can cause smoking.
Air fry first roundOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the sprouts in the preheated basket cut-side down in a mostly single layer (a little overlap is fine).
- Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 8 minutes without opening the basket.
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Ready when: Outer leaves are starting to darken and the cut sides are lightly golden
Tip: Cut-side down means the flat surface contacts the hot basket and browns deeply.
Shake and finish crispingOven 400°F / 205°C
- Pull out the basket and shake it firmly or stir with tongs to redistribute the sprouts.
- Return it and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 5 to 7 more minutes, checking at 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Deep golden brown with dark, crisp leaf edges; a knife tip slides easily into the thickest part of the stem end
Tip: Dark brown leaf tips are desirable flavor, but black and bitter-smelling means they're overdone. Pull them out right away.
Toss with Parmesan
- Immediately tip the hot sprouts into the large bowl.
- Sprinkle with the Parmesan and the red pepper flakes, if using, and toss for 10 seconds so the cheese melts slightly onto the sprouts.
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Ready when: Cheese looks softened and clings to the sprouts
Glaze and serve
- Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the sprouts and toss gently just until coated.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Transfer to a serving dish and serve right away while the edges are still crisp.
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Ready when: Sprouts are shiny with a thin, even coat of glaze
Tip: Glaze right before serving; sitting in the glaze softens the crisp leaves within about 10 minutes.
Good to know
Tips
- Dry sprouts and a single layer are the two biggest keys to crispiness; crowding causes steaming.
- For extra-crispy results, choose smaller sprouts and let loose leaves fall into the basket.
- Add 1 to 2 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon or toasted pecans at the end for crunch and richness.
- Air fryer models vary; start checking at the 5-minute mark of the second round.
Make ahead
Trim and halve the sprouts up to 2 days ahead and store them dry in a covered container in the fridge. Season just before air frying.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 1 hour (best crispness). Fridge: store undressed or glazed leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: not recommended, as they turn soft. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 3 to 4 minutes until hot and re-crisped.
Substitutions
- balsamic glaze → 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar simmered with 1 tsp honey. Simmer in a small pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until reduced by about half and syrupy; cool slightly before using.
- Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. Saltier and sharper; reduce the kosher salt to ¼ tsp.
- extra-virgin olive oil → avocado oil. Higher smoke point with a neutral flavor, good if your air fryer runs hot.
- garlic powder → 2 small garlic cloves, finely grated, tossed in during the last 2 minutes. Fresh garlic burns if added at the start.
