Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Halved Brussels sprouts and chopped bacon air fried together until the leaves are crispy, then tossed with a quick honey balsamic drizzle.
Ingredients
Ingredients for servings
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Original recipe serves 4. Ingredient amounts adjust automatically. Cooking times and pan size may need adjusting separately.
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 4 slices bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Steps
Step 1: Toss the Brussels sprouts with the oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the bacon pieces and toss again.
Step 2: Spread in the air fryer basket in a single layer, cut-sides down as much as possible.
Step 3: Air fry at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes, until the sprouts are deeply browned and tender and the bacon is crispy.
Step 4: Whisk the balsamic and honey. Toss with the hot sprouts and bacon.
Step 5: Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
Swaps
- No bacon: Skip it and add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Change the protein to veggie.
- Drizzle: Hot honey, or a squeeze of lemon instead of balsamic.
- Nuts: Toss in toasted pecans at the end.
Tips
- Pick small to medium sprouts of similar size. Huge ones should be quartered.
- The loose leaves that fall off get extra crispy, like chips. Fight for them.
The story
HAM Cooking. Let’s fire it up.
If you grew up on boiled Brussels sprouts, you probably have a grudge against them. That’s fair. Boiled sprouts are gray, mushy and smell like a gym bag. Roasted ones are a completely different vegetable.
Brussels sprouts contain sulfur compounds that get stronger and more bitter the longer they’re boiled. High, dry heat does the opposite. It browns the sprouts and caramelizes their natural sugars, turning them nutty and sweet. Cutting them in half gives each one a flat side to brown, and the outer leaves crisp up like chips. Cooking them with bacon means the bacon fat bastes them as it renders. That’s not a side dish anymore. That’s a reason to show up.
The honey balsamic at the end adds a little sweet and tangy finish that balances the salty bacon. Even sprout haters have been converted with this one.
HAM out.
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