Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts were always an oven vegetable — forty minutes, a big sheet pan, results that depended on the mood of the roasting gods. The air fryer changed the math in our kitchen. Fifteen minutes of circulating heat gives you caramelized cut sides, tender centers, and those loose outer leaves that cook into dark, shattering chips. It is the fall side we now make more than any other in the Air Fryer collection.

Two decisions decide the result before the basket even heats. The sprouts are halved so the flat cut side can sit against the hot basket and caramelize — whole sprouts steam in their own jackets and never really crisp. And they go in dry, genuinely dry, because a wet sprout in hot air is just a steamed sprout with ambitions. Pat them down like you would the zucchini in our Air Fryer Zucchini Fries and the fryer can do its work.

Finish them plain with flaky salt, or take the optional last step: a shower of Parmesan in the final two minutes, which melts into lacy, salty patches on the leaves. A squeeze of lemon at the table wakes the whole bowl up.

Cut side down, single layer, no exceptions

Halved sprouts crisp where they touch the heat. Arrange them cut side down in one layer with a little air between each piece, even if that means two batches in a smaller basket. A crowded basket traps steam, and trapped steam is the whole enemy — the sprouts come out olive-green and soft instead of bronzed and crisp. The loose leaves that fall off during tossing are not scraps: throw them in too. They cook into the darkest, crispiest chips in the basket, and people pick them out first.

Dry sprouts, and oil in the bowl — not the basket

Wash the sprouts early if you can and let them air-dry, or pat them thoroughly with a towel right before cooking; surface water is the difference between roasting and steaming. Toss them with the oil and seasonings in a bowl rather than spraying them in the basket, so every cut surface gets an even film. The cut side is where the caramelization happens, and it needs its share of the oil to get there.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts (450 g), trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (22 ml)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (4.5 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (1.5 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.75 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (0.75 g), optional
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan (11 g), optional
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
• Flaky sea salt, to finish

Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Prep the sprouts. Trim the dry stem end from each sprout and peel away any yellowed or loose outer leaves — but save the clean loose leaves that come off as you work; they crisp into chips. Cut each sprout in half lengthwise through the stem so the halves hold together. Pat everything very dry with a clean towel.
2. Season in a bowl. Put the sprouts and loose leaves in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt, garlic powder, black pepper and smoked paprika, if using. Toss for a full minute, rubbing the oil over the cut faces with your hands so every surface is filmed.
3. Preheat the air fryer. Heat the air fryer to 390°F (199°C) for 3 minutes. Brussels sprouts hitting a fully hot basket start caramelizing on contact instead of slowly warming up in their own steam.
4. Air fry, cut side down. Arrange the sprouts in a single layer in the basket, cut sides down, with a little space between pieces. Scatter the loose leaves over the top. Cook for 8 minutes without opening the basket, so the cut sides can take on deep golden color undisturbed.
5. Shake and finish. Shake the basket well or turn the sprouts with tongs. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the cut sides are deeply caramelized, the centers are tender when pierced, and the loose leaves are dark and crisp. If you are using the Parmesan, scatter it over the sprouts for the final 2 minutes so it melts into lacy patches instead of burning.
6. Serve hot. Tip the sprouts into a warm serving bowl, finish with a pinch of flaky salt, and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over. Sprouts wait for no one — the leaves lose their shatter within about fifteen minutes.

Nutrition estimate

Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.

Storage & reheating

Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, though the crisp edges soften overnight. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 3 to 4 minutes and they come back respectably crisp; the microwave returns them as plain steamed sprouts, which nobody asked for. Do not freeze the cooked sprouts — they thaw limp and watery. For a head start, trim and halve raw sprouts up to 2 days ahead and keep them in a sealed container in the fridge, then season and cook at serving time. Nutrition figures are estimates from standard ingredient data and vary with brands and substitutions, and include the optional Parmesan.

Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Recipe by Shahid Imran, FryDaily editor · Published 18 October 2026

Caramelized centers, shattering leaves, 15 minutes in the air fryer.

Yield: 4 servings  ·  Scale: 1x2x3x

Prep10 minutes

Cook15 minutes

Total25 minutes

Servings4 servings

Calories110 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts (450 g), trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (22 ml)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (4.5 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (1.5 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.75 g)
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (0.75 g), optional
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan (11 g), optional
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve
• Flaky sea salt, to finish

Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.

Instructions

1. Prep the sprouts. Trim the dry stem end from each sprout and peel away any yellowed or loose outer leaves — but save the clean loose leaves that come off as you work; they crisp into chips. Cut each sprout in half lengthwise through the stem so the halves hold together. Pat everything very dry with a clean towel.
2. Season in a bowl. Put the sprouts and loose leaves in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the kosher salt, garlic powder, black pepper and smoked paprika, if using. Toss for a full minute, rubbing the oil over the cut faces with your hands so every surface is filmed.
3. Preheat the air fryer. Heat the air fryer to 390°F (199°C) for 3 minutes. Brussels sprouts hitting a fully hot basket start caramelizing on contact instead of slowly warming up in their own steam.
4. Air fry, cut side down. Arrange the sprouts in a single layer in the basket, cut sides down, with a little space between pieces. Scatter the loose leaves over the top. Cook for 8 minutes without opening the basket, so the cut sides can take on deep golden color undisturbed.
5. Shake and finish. Shake the basket well or turn the sprouts with tongs. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the cut sides are deeply caramelized, the centers are tender when pierced, and the loose leaves are dark and crisp. If you are using the Parmesan, scatter it over the sprouts for the final 2 minutes so it melts into lacy patches instead of burning.
6. Serve hot. Tip the sprouts into a warm serving bowl, finish with a pinch of flaky salt, and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over. Sprouts wait for no one — the leaves lose their shatter within about fifteen minutes.

Calories: 110 kcalProtein: 4 gCarbohydrates: 11 gFat: 6 gSaturated fat: 1 gSodium: 320 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 3 g

Recipe by Shahid Imran · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.

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