These air fryer brussels sprouts are next level. Thought you loved oven-baked brussels? Well, strap in because these are about to blow your mind and then some.

Using just a few simple and wholesome ingredients, you will have a healthy side dish or appetizer that pairs perfectly with just about any main. Did I mention these reheat amazingly? Meal-preppers rejoice!
Brussels sprouts are undeniably delicious, right? Well, they are also VERY good for you. Packed with nutrients and very little calories, these veggies always find their way onto my dinner table.
If you are already a friend of Momsdish, you probably are familiar with my air fryer recipes obsession. I love how little oil it uses, while providing such a great, “fried-like” texture! Plus, everything cooks in one pan and the clean-up is super easy.
What are The Best Foods to Cook in An Air Fryer?
There is literally no shortage of foods to air fry. I could go on-and-on here, but let me spare you the rambling by sharing some of my all-time favorite recipes:
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings: My Super Bowl party savior. Keep batches of fresh chicken wings coming…and quickly!
- Air Fryer Pork Chops: Pork chops are one of my go-to weeknight dinners. Making them in the air fryer gives them a nice outer crisp.
- Air Fryer Potato Chips: I have a chip obsession. But, I get it, they are terrible for me. These guilt-free chips are so close to the real thing, you won’t even miss the bagged stuff.
- Air Fryer Bacon: Okay, I know I put bacon at the bottom of this list, but make no mistake, it’s not because it’s my least favorite item to air fry. On the contrary, bacon is sooooooo tasty in the air fryer. Bonus: You don’t have to worry about grease popping on you!
Tips for Cooking Brussels Sprouts in an Air Fryer
- Cut Brussels sprouts into even-sized pieces. Brussels are dense veggies. Cut them in uniform pieces to make sure they cook evenly.
- Coat your air fryer tray. Before you pop your brussels in, make sure to coat the air fryer tray with cooking spray to prevent any sticking.
- Season thy brussels well! For me, a generous amount of oil, salt and pepper does the trick. But, garlic salt, parsley salt or your favorite seasoning salt works wonders too. Just make sure you don’t overdo it with the salt because you will be adding parmesan cheese as well!
- Hot tip: To perfectly coat each morsel, use a large mixing bowl to toss your Brussels sprouts with seasonings. Once they are well-coated, transfer them to the air fryer tray.
- Choose your cheese wisely. High-quality parmesan cheese makes a big difference. Skip the pre-shredded, bagged stuff. And, definitely forgo whatever comes in those “parmesan cheese” shakers and opt for a hunk of the good stuff that you will have to grate fresh. You’ll be happy you did when you sink your teeth into that perfect parmesan crust!
- Don’t overcrowd your Brussels sprouts. Layer your brussels evenly in the air fryer tray. If you want to get golden brown, super crispy brussels, you need to make sure they are exposed to the hot air circulating around them in the tray.
- If you overcrowd your brussels, get to shakin’. If you think you think you overcrowded your tray, don’t fret! Give the tray a little shake halfway through cooking to expose brussels that may have been covered up. You might have to increase your cooking time a bit to get them crispy and delicious!
Which Air Fryer to Use
I know, there are a ton of air fryers on the market. So, let me help cut through the noise:

- Gourmia 5 Qt Air Fryer: I have been using this air fryer for over a year and I love the functionality. It has a ton of presets for common foods (chicken, fries, steak, bacon, shrimp, etc.), which helps take the guesswork out of how long to cook certain things. It’s also super easy to clean, so no complaints there.
- Cuisinart TOA-60 Convection Toaster Air Fryer: I haven’t used this one, but I definitely have my eye on it. This is a toaster oven, convection oven and air fryer all-in-one! If any of you snag it, please let me know how you like it in the comments below! I mean, cooking is a team effort, right?
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb Brussels sprouts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup precooked bacon
- 1 tsp garlic parsley salt
Instructions
- Wash and cup Brussels sprouts into bite size pieces. Season it with olive oil, garlic parsley salt and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Toss everything together.
- Place Brussels sprouts into an air fryer basket. Set air fryer to 390 °F and cook for 12 minutes. At a 6 minute mark, take out the basket and shake the Brussels sprouts to ensure all sides get crispy.
- Add bacon to the Brussels sprouts and air fry them for another 5 minutes.
- Serve Brussels sprouts right away.
The Cuisinart TAO-60 that I bought is a colossal piece of junk! I hope mine is just a lemon. It never really heats up—I have tested it with 3 different oven thermometers. It barely reaches 300°. I can’t tell you how much food I have had to toss. Raising the temperature and increasing cooking time didn’t help, they only served to dry out the food. SAVE YOUR MONEY!
Out of warranty for a single day, the only thing Cuisinart offered me was a 20% discount on a new unit.
NO !
Hi Miss Pixel, Thank you for taking the time to share your review. I personally do not use this air fryer, and always want to know what others think about it! I hope you find one that works for you!
I have the Cosori Air Fryer/Toaster Oven/ Rotisserie and I LOVE it. I barely use my oven anymore. I’m going to use your recipe to go with Prime Rib and twice baked potatoes for New Years Eve
Hi Margarita, I am so thrilled to hear that! I absolutely love my air fryer as well! Good luck with the NYE meal, it's going to be great!
Excellent recipe. Only deviation was that I used a little of my bacon fat in with the avocado oil. It came out great!!
Hi Chris, That sounds absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing, enjoy!
This is a good start or base method . However, even with tiny Brussels sprouts sliced into even smaller pieces (say, the size of two women’s pinkie finger tips to give you an idea), and after upping the cooking time by a third to 18 minutes, they were still not done. Some of the outer leaves had color and crispness, but the interior portions were hard and remained uncooked. So, as a solution, I would recommend parboiling or steaming maybe 2-4 minutes in the microwave before seasoning and placing in the air fryer. I also recommend adding the cheese after they have cooked, as it will melt just fine with their residual heat.
Hey Ally, yes, you want a softer center, this is a great tip. Thank you for sharing.
15 pages of nonsense for a 5 ingredient recipe?
Hi A - You're welcome to jump to the recipe using the button at the top of the page if you're not interested in the detailed content. Thanks for your feedback!
Don’t have garlic parsley salt… can I sub garlic powder only or garlic power plus some parsley flakes?
Hey Carrie, yes, that combo will work great. You probably want to add salt to the mix as well. Enjoy
Can I use grated parmesan
Hi Mary, yes, as long as you love the flavor. Enjoy
I've heard you are not supposed to use aerosol spray in an air fryer--it damages the lining.
Hey Sharon, we havent had any issues with our air fryer.
Hello are the Brussel Sprouts Frozen or fresh for cooking in the air fryer thanks for all your great recipes I am loving my new Air fryer I have a Power Air Fryer XL. 5.3 Quart Thanks. Veronica
Hey Veronica, I use fresh Brussels Sprouts for this recipe. Enjoy
This recipe did not turn out as expected. I used 2 lbs of fresh sprouts, and followed the directions to a T. It burned the cheese and the bacon. The sprouts were very dry when they came out (and I coated the air fryer with butter). Olive oil turns into a trans fat under high heat, so I always substitute peanut oil and it comes out fine. This recipe easily needs twice as much oil as it calls for with 2 whole pounds of sprouts. The cheese and bacon should not be added til the very end-maybe when there are 2 or 3 minutes left overall. Very disappointed, as I am taking this dish for Christmas Day lunch to my parents house tomorrow.
Where did you find that high heat turns olive oil into a Trans fat?
The only oils we can heat are avocado oil, coconut oil, grapeseed, and ghee. They are high temp safe. All other oils turn rancid in heat.
“ Olive oil turns to trans fat only when repeatedly reused and heated to very high temperatures.”
https://www.livestrong.com/ar…
https://www.aboutoliveoil.org…
Use a high-quality EVOO (not grocery store). I get mine at Hearty Olive, can go up to 450 degrees.
Hey Esther, what type of air fryer do you own? Is it a basket?
Can all of these recipes be cooked in toaster air fryers using the same temperature and time settings?
Hey Hasan, I think so but I haven't tested it. I would suggest keeping an eye on them. Enjoy
I have the Cusinart air fryer/oven and we use it everyday some times multiple times a day! I LOVE IT!
Amy, I am with you. I am obsessed with my air fryer also. So glad you love yours.
Could frozen Brussels work with this recipe?
Hey Ocean, Frozen Brussels could work if they are fully thawed. But, I haven't tried using frozen Brussels, so I would love to hear the feedback.
I love brussels sprouts but usually roast them. How do these compare in terms of texture!??
Cathy, they are similar but I would say this one has more of the crispy outer layer. We roast brussels sprouts as well for a large party but for our family, I typically air fry them.
I love making my brussels sprouts in the air fryer! This recipe is fantastic!
Katerina, thank you! Glad you loved the recipe.
This Air fryer Brussels Sprouts looks delicious and so easy to make! !
Erin, thank you! Yes I love a quick easy meal 🙂
Absolutely delish! I can’t believe how good it comes out on the air fryer!
Thank you Chrissie! So glad you loved them!
Love, love, love making these in an air fryer! So crispy and perfect!
Demeter, I am so glad I am not alone!:)
Another great recipe for my Air Fryer! These will make a great side dish with dinner tonight; delish!
Sara, this is awesome! So glad to hear.