Instant Pot Air fryer brussel sprouts are my new favorite way to make brussel sprouts. They come out so crisp and cook much faster than in the oven. Even skeptics will be converted when they try this crispy brussels sprouts recipe. If you don’t have an Instant Pot air fryer or air fryer lid, you can use a traditional air fryer or bake them in the oven.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
I love my Duo Crisp air fryer and have been trying out lots of different recipes lately. My favorite things to make in my air fryer are roasted vegetables like these air fryer roasted potatoes and desserts like air fryer pound cake. Pound cake in the air fryer, you ask? You need to try the recipe – it’s one of my favorites!
I normally roast brussels sprouts in the oven but find the air fryer to be so much more convenient. The brussels sprouts come out much crispier and cook faster than when I make them in the oven. This recipe has Asian flavors that complement but don’t overwhelm the vegetables.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot air fryer or air fryer lid, you can use a traditional air fryer. The recipe works just as well. I’ve also provided instructions in the recipe card on how to make roasted brussels sprouts in the oven too.
Here are some other Air Fryer Recipes you might enjoy:
– Instant Pot Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
– Instant Pot Air Fryer Chicken Wings
– Frozen Texas Toast in the Air Fryer
Tips and Substitutions
How to prep the brussel sprouts
Cut off the stem of the brussel sprout first. If the brussel sprouts are large, I quarter them. If they’re medium-sized, I halve them and if they’re small, I leave them whole. This allows for even cooking. Try and buy similar-sized ones if possible. Find out more details about how to prep brussel sprouts.
Flavor variations
I make brussels sprouts with different seasonings. Sometimes I just add salt, pepper, and paprika if I have a main dish that is very flavorful. But these Asian brussels sprouts are my favorite.
If you feel that the spices aren’t enough or too overpowering, please adjust the quantity of the spices next time you make the recipe. I like things spicy and even add some extra sriracha sauce. You can also substitute sambal oelek, chili garlic sauce, or gochujang for the sriracha.
You can make the air fryer brussel sprouts with maple syrup instead of honey.
Another way to change up the recipe is to squeeze a little lime juice on the brussel sprouts after they’re done cooking. It gives the recipe an extra zing. I increase the quantity of honey if I plan on adding lime juice.
You can use pomegranate molasses or a balsamic glaze and omit the lime juice and honey. They’re two of my favorite ingredients when I roast veggies.
To make the air fryer brussel sprouts with bacon, precook the bacon and chop into small pieces. Add the bacon to the brussel sprouts before the last minute of air frying.
Tips to Prevent Sticking
I’ve found the best way to prevent food from sticking to the basket is to coat the basket with oil. I use a refillable sprayer (not the aerosol cooking spray cans which can ruin the coating on the basket) or I soak a paper towel with oil and coat the basket with oil.
Using my hands to apply the oil to the brussel sprouts is the best way to get maximum coverage. Just be sure to wash your hands really well afterwards!
FAQS
No, you can stack them in the basket but make sure they are evenly spread out. Also, make sure you don’t overfill the basket so air can circulate.
These brussel sprouts come out pretty tender with a slight chew, just the way I like them. But if you want them to be softer on the inside, you have a few options.
You can air fry them for an extra minute. You can also soak the brussels sprouts in cold water for 10 minutes before air frying. Make sure you drain them and dry them before adding the spices.
Since every air fryer model is different, be sure to check on them after about 12 minutes to make sure they’re not burning. Also, shake the basket partway through the cooking time. You can do this multiple times if you’re concerned about them burning.
Sometimes the loose leaves burn while the remaining pieces are cooked fine. To keep the brussel sprout leaves from burning, separate the loose leaves from the brussel sprouts at the beginning and add the loose leaves about 6 minutes into the air frying process.
I’ve never had an issue with the brussels sprouts sticking to the basket. But just to be safe, I spray the basket with a light spritz of oil – you don’t need too much. Don’t use the canned oil spray, but instead use an oil spray mister that can be filled with oil. [Read More: Go to the section Air Fryer Tips in my guide on how to use the Instant Pot Duo Crisp]
Yes, you can use frozen but you’ll need to increase the cooking time by about 5 minutes. Although you can use frozen brussel sprouts, they’re not my favorite because I find that they end up less crispy and more cooked on the inside than fresh brussel sprouts. They’re still pretty good though, in a pinch.
Yes, you can use the same timing and temperature to make these Instant Pot roasted brussel sprouts using the air fryer lid.
Yes, the timing and temperature should work with other brands of air fryers such as a traditional air fryer or a Ninja Foodi. You may need to add or subtract a minute or two. Keep an eye on the food.
Yes, you can reheat the brussel sprouts in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2 to 3 minutes.
I don’t preheat the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + air fryer before roasting. Please note that the Duo Crisp has a built-in preheat time.
When I make two batches, I do notice that the second batch cooks faster since the air fryer is quite hot. It’s best to follow the instructions of the manufacturer.
Overcrowding the air fryer can result in soggy or undercooked food. It depends on the capacity of your air fryer. Some air fryers can accommodate more food.
If you need to air fry double the quantity, you can do it in two batches. Once both batches are done, combine the brussel sprouts and air fry them for about a minute to heat them all the way through.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.
- General Instant Pot Instructions for Beginners
- Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
- Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts – Ingredients
Ingredient quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
How to make roasted brussel sprouts in the air fryer (Step by step instructions for Duo Crisp model)
- Season the brussel sprouts
- Place in air fryer basket
- Program the air fryer
- Remove lid to turn the brussel sprouts partway through cooking
- Shake the basket and continue cooking
- Remove lid after cooking is complete
- Transfer to serving dish
Season the brussel sprouts
- Wash, rinse, and dry the brussel sprouts. Trim off the ends and cut them in half.
- Mix together onion, garlic and pepper powders, soy sauce, sriracha, honey and oil in a small bowl.
- Transfer the brussel sprouts to a medium bowl and coat them with some of the seasonings, making sure all surfaces are covered.
Place in the air fryer basket
- Spray the air fryer basket liberally with vegetable oil.
- Transfer the brussel sprouts into the air fryer basket.
- Put on the air fryer lid.
Program the Air Fryer
- Press the Air Fry Button.
- Press Temp + or – until the temperature says 375F.
- Press the Time + or – until the time says 00:14.
- Press Start.
- The display will say On, and once it has heated up, it will start counting down from 00:14 to 00:00.
Remove lid partway through cooking to turn the food
- Partway through air frying, the Instant Pot will beep and the display will say Turn Food.
- Lift the air fryer lid and place it on the protective pad.
Shake the basket and continue cooking
- Use a nonstick spatula to gently turn the vegetables or using silicone mitts, lift the basket by the handles and shake the brussel sprouts up a couple of times.
- Close the lid.
- Cooking will automatically continue.
Remove lid after cooking is complete
- When the timer runs down, the Instant Pot will beep and the display will say End.
- Lift the air fryer lid and place it on the protective pad.
- If the food’s not cooked to your liking, program the Instant Pot to air fry for another few minutes.
Transfer to serving dish
- Transfer the roasted brussel sprouts to a serving dish and coat with remaining seasoning. Squeeze some lime juice over the top, if desired.
- Serve as a side dish with any main dish such as coq au vin blanc or short ribs.
Oven Instructions for Roasted Brussel Sprouts
To make this recipe in the oven:
- Prep the brussel sprouts and season.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Coat the aluminum foil with oil.
- Spread brussel sprouts in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the brussel sprouts are cooked through.
See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Instant Pot Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb brussel sprouts uniform size
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil vegetable oilolive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey or to taste
- ½ teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 1 fresh lime optional
Instructions
- Trim the ends off the brussel sprouts and cut them in half. *
- Soak the brussel sprouts in water for about 15 minutes. Drain and dry with paper towels. Place the brussel sprouts in a large bowl and set aside.
- Mix the onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, 2 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon honey.
- Place the brussel sprouts in a large bowl and pour in the seasonings. Coat evenly until every surface is covered.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Place the air fryer basket in the air fryer and coat with oil. You can either use a paper towel soaked with oil or an oil sprayer. Don't use canned aerosol oil as that can harm the coating of the air fryer basket.
- Transfer the brussel sprouts to the basket and make sure they're evenly spread out.
- Close the lid and air fry for 14 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you are using an Instant Pot air fryer, partway through cooking, the display says turn Food. If you are using an air fryer without this feature, set a timer to turn the brussel sprouts 9 minutes into the cooking process.
- Open the lid and using silicone mitts, lift the basket and shake the contents so the brussel sprouts are tossed well. Close the lid and continue cooking.
- When the cooking time is up, open the lid and check to make sure the sprouts are cooked to your liking. Toss the sprouts again and air fry for another 2 minutes, if desired.
- Stir together remaining soy sauce, honey, sriracha sauce, and olive oil.
- Transfer the brussel sprouts to a serving dish and drizzle reserved seasoning to coat. Squeeze lime juice over the top, if desired.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat the foil with oil.
- Spread the brussel sprouts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Roast, stirring once halfway through, until tender, golden brown, and slightly charred in parts, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the brussel sprouts to a serving dish. Squeeze lime juice over the top, if desired.
Notes
- * Pick brussel sprouts that are about the same size. If they’re different sizes, you might need to cut some of the larger ones into quarters, medium ones into halves and leave small ones whole.
- Cooking time can vary based on the air fryer model and the size of the potato cubes. At the 12-minute mark, check the brussel sprouts to see if they’re done to your liking.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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Instant Pot Duo Crisp Manual
Sandy says
I made these in my air fryer. They were delicious with a wonderful balance of flavor and perfect texture! My husband has never been a fan of brussel sprouts but devoured these.
Neena Panicker says
Sandy, thank you for commenting. I love hearing about brussel sprouts converts because I have a few in my house, lol!
Esseldee says
This is delicious, thank you!
Neena Panicker says
Yay, thank you for commenting!
Sharon says
I want to do this for dinner for 14 is this possible in the Instapot air fryer
Or is it to large of a quantity. I’m just using my support for the first time. I do use my insta potS all the time
Neena Panicker says
Sharon, I would say that it’s going to take you numerous batches for 14 servings. Do you have the option of using the oven?
Michelle says
Thank you so much!!! This recipe is amazing and easy!!! Perfect for combo for me!!!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you, Michelle! I’m glad you liked the recipe.
Lorraine says
Great flavor. I added some lime juice but I don’t think it was necessary. Next time I’ll probably do without. I used less sriracha too.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hi Lorraine – thank you for your comment. I’m so glad to hear you liked the recipe. You can adjust all the ingredients to your taste and the lime juice is definitely optional. I sometimes make brussel sprouts with just salt and pepper and paprika.