Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Chipotle-Lime Aioli

Use your air fryer to cook perfectly crispy-tender Brussels sprouts every time. We love to cook Brussels sprouts in the air fryer because it’s a no-mess, healthy, and delicious way to cook a favorite veggie that results in the perfectly crunchy exterior that everyone loves to devour. Our recipe for Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts comes with the best dipping sauce – a limey, slightly spicy, and creamy aioli sauce for dipping each crispy Brussel.

 

perfectly Crisp Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Cook Brussels sprouts in the air fryer to get that restaurant-quality crispness and flavor at home. But you don’t need a big pot of oil or deep-fat fryer to achieve the crunchy fried texture that makes Brussels sprouts so good. That’s why we love using the air fryer for uses just like this. Simply toss the quartered or halved Brussels sprouts (and any loose Brussel sprout leaves) with some oil, toss them into the air fryer basket, and let them sizzle away. The hot, enclosed, circulating air within the air fryer is what makes each Brussel perfectly crisp.

Ingredients to make air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

You don’t need much to make these delicious Brussels sprouts. Here are the basic ingredients:

For the Brussels Sprouts:

• Brussels sprouts – you’ll need 1 pound of fresh Brussels sprouts; look for small to medium-size Brussels, as they tend to have better flavor. Any larger Brussels can be cut into quarters.
• Oil – use avocado oil or olive oil
• Salt – we prefer to use coarse sea salt in the recipe

For the Chipotle-Lime Aioli

• Mayonnaise – use regular mayonnaise (we like the avocado oil mayo from Primal Kitchen); to make this recipe egg-free or vegan, use a vegan mayo (we also love the Primal Kitchen vegan mayonnaise for the best flavor)
• Lime – you will use both the zest and juice from 1/2 of a fresh lime
• Garlic – you’ll need 1 teaspoon (approximately 1 clove) of minced garlic
• Chipotle powder – we call for chipotle powder so you can get that spicy-smoky flavor without needing to open a whole can of chipotle peppers; you can sub smoked paprika for the same smoky flavor without the heat

How to make brussels sprouts in the air Fryer

Cooking Brussels sprouts air fryer method is one of the easiest and fastest ways to prepare this nutritious vegetable. Here are the quick steps:

1. Set the air fryer to 375 degrees and allow it to preheat. 
2. Trim the stem ends from the Brussels sprouts and cut each Brussel into quarters (cut very small Brussels only in half). Save any loose Brussels sprout leaves because you can use those, too. 
3. In a medium bowl, toss the Brussels sprout quarters, halves, and loose leaves with oil and salt. Once the air fryer is preheated, transfer the Brussels into the air fryer basket. Air fry for 7 minutes. 
4. When the Brussels have cooked in the air fryer for 7 minutes, remove the basket and shake to stir the Brussels a little. Return the basket and air fry for another 8 minutes (15 minutes total cooking time). 

Aioli: The perfect sauce for Brussels Sprouts

Aioli is the name for a mayonnaise-based sauce. This aioli features zest flavors from fresh lime juice and zest, as well as smoky flavors from chipotle powder or smoked paprika (use whichever you have on hand). We think this creamy sauce with lime hints is a great complement to cooked Brussels sprouts, but it’s also good with so many other foods. Try it with:

• roasted turkey or grilled chicken
• sliced grilled steak
• roasted broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans
• baby roasted potatoes or carrots
• cooked shrimp
• hard-boiled eggs
• raw veggies: cucumber slices, grape tomatoes, endive leaves, blanched green beans

are Air Fryer brussels sprouts good for you?

When you use an air fryer versus frying foods in traditional methods, you use 75 percent less cooking fat while still achieving a crispy result. Air frying Brussels sprouts is a wonderful way to serve this nutritious veggie, making them appealing to people who may not normally add this veggie to their plates. No matter how Brussels are prepared, they are an excellent source of fiber and fat-soluble vitamins A, C, and K (which is why it’s great to serve them with a little fat, like you get in the olive oil and aioli). Some studies show that cruciferous veggies like Brussels sprouts can help balance blood sugar when consumed at meals.

When to serve Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

These Brussels sprouts are so quick to make that they can easily be added to weeknight meals for that perfect veggie side dish everyone will eat. But as easy as they are to make, they’re also great for dinner parties, holiday gatherings, romantic dinners for two, and as a fun appetizer, too.

Can you store brussels sprouts cooked in the air fryer?

Air fryer Brussels sprouts are best served right after they are prepared. Plus, they’re so easy to make, that we recommend you make them right before the meal or occasion when they’ll be served. If you do have some leftovers, store the air-fried Brussels and the aioli sauce in separate containers in the refrigerator. You can reheat the Brussels quickly in a skillet on the stovetop.

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