Crispy air-fried Brussels sprouts seasoned with balsamic vinegar and bacon make a crave-worthy side dish! This air fryer Brussels sprouts recipe makes a gluten-free, keto-friendly side dish you'll want to make again and again!
This Air Fryer Balsamic Brussels Sprouts recipe may soon become your new favourite way to eat sprouts. I know it's definitely one of mine.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Crispy on the outside, yet tender inside, these Brussels sprouts with bacon cook quickly in an air fryer. You'll end up with perfectly cooked sprouts using very little oil. This recipe makes a gluten-free, keto-friendly side dish you'll want to make on repeat!
If you prefer, pancetta to bacon, you'll love this recipe for Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta.
Love using your air fryer to make healthy side dishes? You might like these recipes for
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash with Feta and Sage
- Air Fryer Roasted Carrots with Pistachios and Feta
- or Sesame Miso Air Fryer Asparagus.
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🛒 Ingredients
Before we get to the full recipe for air fryer Brussels sprouts in the recipe card below, here are a few notes about the ingredients.
Brussels sprouts: you'll need up to a pound, but you can use less if that's all you need. One pound of Brussels sprouts measures about 4 cups. You can decide how many portions this would make, depending on what other vegetables you're serving or your family members' appetites.
oil: a teaspoon is plenty. I use avocado oil or olive oil in this recipe.
balsamic vinegar: a teaspoon is enough here, too.
bacon: two slices, or three if you love it! There are lots of options for nitrate-free, hormone-free bacon available.
salt and pepper
🔪 Instructions
- Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts first. Trim the tough stem ends and remove any damaged leaves. Pat them dry.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F. for 3 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, toss the sprouts with oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Cut bacon slices into one-inch pieces.
- Add the sprouts to the air fryer basket and top with the bacon pieces.
- Air fry for 16 - 18 minutes, shaking the basket at least once partway through the cooking time.
- Check for doneness with a fork and add a minute or two more frying time, if needed.
👍🏼 Helpful Tips
When selecting sprouts, try to choose sprouts the same size so they'll cook at the same rate.
If the sprouts you choose are particularly large, you may want to cut them into quarters instead of in half.
Don't crowd the basket too much. The air needs to circulate around the food to cook it properly. You may want to cook the sprouts in two batches, depending on their size.
The sprouts I used in this photo were small, so the bacon was cooked and crispy once the sprouts were done. If you find your bacon is not as crisp as you like, remove the sprouts to a serving dish to keep warm and cook the bacon for another minute or two.
❓Readers' Questions
I experimented with using different temperatures while testing this recipe. I found that 380°F. was the ideal temperature. When I used a hotter temperature, they became too crisp on the outside and were not fully cooked through. Using a lower temperature resulted in sprouts that were not as crisp as I like them.
I use a Ninja air fryer. As with any air fryer recipe, cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer and on the size of the Brussels sprouts.
While leftover sprouts are not as good as freshly cooked, you can reheat them in your air fryer at 350°F. for 8 - 10 minutes or until heated through.
Have you ever been confused about the correct spelling of these mini cabbages? I called them Brussel sprouts for years, leaving off the "s" at the end of the word until I googled it! This healthy cruciferous vegetable is actually named after the city of Brussels in Belgium, so it has an "s" at the end.
🔁 Possible Variations
You can adapt this air fryer Brussels sprouts recipe to make it your own!
After removing from the air fryer to a serving dish, sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese if you'd like.
Use pre-cooked crumbled bacon bits instead of cooking the bacon with the sprouts.
Brussels sprouts make a healthy side dish
Brussels sprouts are low in calories but high in fiber, minerals, and vitamins, especially Vitamin C which is important for iron absorption. Sprouts are cruciferous vegetables with impressive antioxidant content. Try them raw in this Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Cranberries and Pecans.
Discover how they could help improve your diet in this article 10 Ways Brussels Sprouts Benefit Your Health.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- These Air Fryer Balsamic Brussels Sprouts will make a delicious side dish with many of your favourite meals. Try them with any of the following:
- Easiest Chicken Saltimbocca
- Cranberry Rosemary Boneless Chicken
- Easy Baked Lemon Chicken
- Maple Garlic Glazed Chicken
- Easy Baked Maple Dijon Chicken
More popular air fryer recipes
Equipment
This is the air fryer I use. I like it because it's not too big to store in my kitchen, it works well, and it's incredibly easy to clean. (affiliate link)
When you make these Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ to 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 slices bacon, nitrate-free
- 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts first. Trim the tough stem end and remove any damaged leaves. Pat them dry.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F. for 3 minutes
- In a medium bowl, toss with oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Cut bacon slices into one-inch pieces. Add the sprouts to the air fryer basket and top with the bacon pieces.
- Air fry for 16 - 18 minutes, shaking the basket at least once partway through the cooking time.
- Check for doneness with a fork and add a minute or two more frying time, if needed.
Lara
This is a great way to cook sprouts. I made them to go with your Cranberry Rosemary Chicken. A perfect meal for the fall. Loved them.
Elaine
These would be a great side for Cranberry Rosemary Chicken--thanks for sharing that idea!
Mackenzie
Definitely making these for Thanksgiving this year! I made them on the weekend and we really liked them. Adding bacon is brilliant!
Elaine
Thanks. Agreed, the bacon really adds flavour to this recipe and can convert sprout-haters!
Paula
These have so much flavor! I made them to go with your Easy Baked Lemon Chicken. Such a great meal!
Flavour & Savour
Great idea to have them with the Lemon Chicken! Thanks for commenting!
Elise
As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew it would be something we liked--and it was! So much flavour and such a great way to cook Brussels sprouts.