Sweet & Spicy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts

Name: Sweet & Spicy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 teaspoon sriracha (or any hot sauce, to taste); 1/4 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste); 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste); 1 lb brussel sprouts; 3-4 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)

By Manali Singh

5 from 2 votes

Nov 24, 2021, Updated Nov 15, 2022

Air fryer Brussel Sprouts are tossed with an easy sweet and spicy sauce in this easy side dish! It's also vegan, nut-free and gluten-free.

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This Sweet & Spicy Brussel Sprouts comes together easily in the air fryer. The crispy Brussel sprouts are tossed with a sauce made with olive oil, maple syrup, sriracha. Makes a quick, easy and vegan side or appetizer!

roasted brussel sprouts served in a pink color plate

Ever since I got my air fryer, I have been air frying tons of vegetables in it. I always thought I loved roasting veggies in my oven (and I still do) but the air fryer has completely replaced it for this purpose.

The fact that it’s small compared to the oven, heats up so quickly and gets the job done in no time makes it my go for cooking vegetables these days. Brussel sprouts is one such vegetable which I air fry a lot. It’s the easiest way to cook it and you can flavor it in so many ways.

Brussel sprouts in the air fryer turns even better than in the oven. They are crispier in the air fryer because of the circulation of air. So, if you love crispy Brussel sprouts then you have to try cooking them in your air fryer.

My latest favorite way to devour them is by tossing them in this sweet and spicy sauce. It’s a really simple recipe but the addition of the sauce really takes the flavors a notch up.

Air Frying Temperature for Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts cook super quickly in the air fryer. I remember burning quite a few batches when I first started air frying them. Each air fryer is different and so you have to see what works for yours.

After a lot of trials, 360 F is the temperature that works best with my Gourmia air fryer. They don’t burn quickly at this temperature and also get cooked in the 15 minute time frame. A higher temperature than this and the outer layers crisp and burn and the inside still remains uncooked.

But like I mentioned, this is what works with my air fryer, it might be different for yours so you should adjust accordingly.

Tips To Get It Right!

While roasting Brussel sprouts in the air fryer, here are few tips which might help!

pat dry the Brussel sprouts: after washing them, I like to use a kitchen towel to pat dry them completely before air frying.
choose similar size of Brussel sprouts: this will ensure that they cook evenly and take the same amount of time to cook. Also try and choose medium size of Brussel sprouts, they work best for this recipe.
air fry in a single layer: as with most air fryer recipes, it’s always a good idea to air fry in a single layer. This way air circulates well which ensures even cooking. The veggies also crisp up well when lined in a single layer. If you have a very small air fryer, you might have to air fry in 2 batches for this recipe.
shake the basket in between: while air frying the Brussel sprouts, shake the air fryer basket after every 5 minutes or so. This will ensure that they crisp up evenly.

roasted brussel sprouts placed in air fryer

This Sweet & Spicy Brussel Sprouts

makes a great vegan and gluten-free side.
requires few ingredients!
gets done very quickly in the air fryer.
has the perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors.

I love sweet and spicy flavors together and if you are like me, then this one is a must try. The Brussel sprouts are first tossed with the sauce (and we reserve some of it to drizzle later), then air fried and then drizzled with some of that remaining sauce before serving. It is highly addictive, I can tell you that!

Ingredients

Brussel sprouts: choose fresh medium size Brussel sprouts for this recipe. If they are too small, they might burn quickly in the air fryer. If using bigger ones, cut them into quarters and then use.

Garlic: adding garlic is optional but recommended. Adds a nice flavor. Remember to add the garlic only towards the last 5 minutes else it will burn and taste bitter. You can also add some ginger.

Sauce: the sauce for this recipe is made with olive oil, sesame oil, maple syrup and sriracha. Adjust the amount of maple syrup and hot sauce to taste. Honey can be used in place of maple syrup.

Step by Step Instructions

1- To a glass jar or bowl, add all the ingredients for the sauce- olive oil, sesame oil, maple syrup, sriracha (or any hot sauce), salt and pepper.

2- Using a wire whisk, mix until it’s all well combined. Set this aside.

3- Now, wash and pat dry the brussel sprouts using a clean kitchen towel. Then trim off the end and remove any brown outer leaves. Cut each brussel sprouts in half. If they are very big, you can also cut them in quarters. Transfer them to a large bowl.

4- Add the prepared sauce, reserving around 3/4 tablespoon of it which we will add at the end.

step by step picture collage of making brussel sprouts in air fryer

5- Mix until the Brussel sprouts are coated with the sauce. Pre-heat your air fryer according to manufactures instructions. My gourmia air fryer has default pre-heat mode which pre-heats for 3 minutes.

6- Transfer the Brussel sprouts into the air fryer in a single layer.

7- Air fry at 360 F degrees for 10 minutes, pull out the air fryer basket and shake every 5 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, add the sliced garlic. Continue to air fry 5 more minutes.

8- So the total time for air frying was 15 minutes. If you want extra crispy brussel sprouts you may increase the temperature to 400 F and air fry 2 more minutes. This is optional and I didn’t do it. Transfer brussel sprouts to serving plate and drizzle with the reserved sauce. Serve immediately!

Storage & Re-heating

Store in an airtight container and they should be okay in the refrigerator for 3 days.

To re-heat, place them back in the air fryer. Re-heat at 300 F degrees for 10 minutes or use the re-heat setting on your air fryer.

You can also re-heat in the oven at 350 F degrees for around 15 minutes.

Tips & Notes

You can add chopped green onions to these before serving. Pomegranate will also be a really nice addition.
To spice it up add more of sriracha or you can also add some sliced jalapenos.
To make them extra crispy, you can air fry at 400 F for 2 minutes at the end (optional).

a fork picking up a roasted Brussel sprout from a plate

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