These Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with Bacon are easy to make in just 20 minutes, and loaded with flavor. Salty, crunchy & sweet, with some acidity from balsamic vinegar it's the perfect side dish for the holidays - or any time of year.
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Brussel Sprouts and Bacon is a great flavor combo - and so easy to make in the air fryer. It's definitely the best way to make roasted brussels sprouts!
Balsamic vinegar adds sweetness & acidity to balance the salty bacon, and a pinch of cayenne gives your air fryer brussel sprouts just a touch of heat.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's easy with just a few simple steps
- It's quick and all done in 20 minutes
- It's hands-off with just 5-10 minutes of active cooking
- Easier and healthier than in the oven - low carb and lower in fat as most of the bacon fat will drip off
- Amazing flavor combo with salty bacon, sweet & sour balsamic vinegar, earthy & crispy brussels sprouts & just a touch of heat from cayenne pepper
- Perfect texture: tender brussel sprouts, crispy leaves and even crispier bacon
- Delicious the next day as well - you will be happy to have leftovers!
What you need to make them
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Fresh brussel sprouts: I cut them in half, but if they are very big I recommend cutting them in quarters instead. You can also use frozen brussels sprouts.
- Olive oil can be swapped for another type of oil, like canola oil
- Cayenne pepper: The amount here gives it just a tiny edge, and you can skip cayenne entirely to avoid this. Or add more for a larger kick!
- Salt is not needed as the bacon will add enough saltiness to the dish
Do I need to soak or blanch brussel sprouts before cooking?
Short answer: no, you don't!
Soaking brussel sprouts is usually done when serving them raw, to make the leaves less tough. Since we are roasting them, there is no need for this.
Some chefs recommend blanching and shocking (basically, boiling brussel sprouts for a few minutes and then placing them in ice water to cool quickly) the brussel sprouts in salted water before cooking. The point of this is to reduce the bitterness and allow the sprouts to keep their vibrant green color, as you then need to roast them for less time.
For some recipes soaking or blanching and shocking may be a good idea, but for this recipe I do not recommend it. We want the crispy roasted leaves which anyway will require a longer cook time. We also add sweetness to the sprouts, which will balance any bitterness.
How to make them
- Start prepping the brussel sprouts by removing the bottom stem
- Remove any outer leaves that are damaged, not bright green, or look a bit wilted
- Cut the sprouts in half
- Repeat until you've cut all the brussel sprouts in half, then place them in a bowl
- In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, black pepper and cayenne pepper
- Pour it over the brussel sprouts
- Mix well
- Chop the bacon
- Bring out your pre heated air fryer basket and place the bacon on one side, and the brussel sprouts on the other. If there's any balsamic mixture left in the bowl you can save this to add later.
- Air fry for 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C), mixing gently halfway without mixing in the bacon with the brussel sprouts
- After 10 minutes, toss everything together and air fry for 5 additional minutes at 390°F (200°C), until bacon is a bit crispy
- All done! Transfer to a serving platter, and - if you want to - top with the remaining balsamic mixture. Serve!
Tips & tricks
- To chop bacon easily, first place it in the freezer for a few minutes
- For crispy bacon - air fry the bacon and brussel sprouts separately to start
- For even crispier bacon air fry it alone for 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C) before pushing to one side and adding the brussel sprouts
- Don't overcrowd the basket - a thin layer is best, cook in batches if needed
- Cook time may vary depending on your air fryer model
- Adjust cook time depending on how much you're making and the size of your air fryer. The more layers, the longer it will need.
- Store in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 300°F (150°C) or in the microwave in 30 second increments, until heated through
Recipe FAQ
This recipe is a pretty healthy choice. It has loads of brussel sprouts which are 100% good for you - and a lot of the bacon fat is reduced by air frying. We also add just a tiny bit of oil.
I find 350°F (180°C) to be the best temperature for air frying brussel sprouts. If you want the leaves to crisp up, raise the temperature to 390°F (200°C) for the last 5 minutes (as instructed in this recipe).
Yes, you can definitely reheat brussels sprouts. Reheat them in the air fryer at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes or in the microwave in 30 second increments.
More quick & easy air fryer sides
Looking for more quick & easy air fryer sides?
- Air Fryer Carrot Fries
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
- Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower
- Frozen Veggies in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with bacon
Print RateIngredients
- ½ lb brussel sprouts cleaned, bottom removed, and cut in half
- ¼ lb bacon chopped
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- â…› teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer by running it for 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
- In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, black pepper and cayenne pepper.2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, â…› teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- Place the brussel sprouts in another bowl, and pour over the balsamic vinegar mixture. Mix well.½ lb brussel sprouts
- Place the brussel sprouts in one half of an air fryer basket, and place the chopped bacon in the other half. If there is any balsamic mixture left over you can save this to pour over before serving.¼ lb bacon
- Air fry for 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C), then remove the air fryer basket and mix the brussel sprouts and bacon gently - still keeping them on separate sides of the air fryer.
- Air fry 5 more minutes at 350°F (180°C), then remove the air fryer basket and mix the bacon and brussel sprouts together. Air fry for 5 minutes at 390°F (200°C), until bacon is a bit crispy.
- If desired, pour over any remaining balsamic mixture from the bowl, then serve!
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Video
Notes
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Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Brussel sprouts:Â I cut them in half, but if they are very big I recommend cutting them in quarters instead
- Olive oil can be swapped for another type of oil, like canola oil
- Cayenne pepper: The amount here gives it just a tiny edge, and you can skip cayenne entirely to avoid this. Or add more for a larger kick!
- Salt is not needed as the bacon will add enough saltiness to the dish
Tips & tricks
- To chop bacon easily, first place it in the freezer for a few minutes
- For crispy bacon - air fry the bacon and brussel sprouts separately to start
- For even crispier bacon air fry it alone for 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C) before pushing to one side and adding the brussel sprouts
- Don't overcrowd the basket - a thin layer is best, cook in batches if needed
- Cook time may vary depending on your air fryer * model
- Adjust cook time depending on how much you're making and the size of your air fryer *. The more layers, the longer it will need.
- Store in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer * for 5 minutes at 300°F (150°C) or in the microwave in 30 second increments, until heated through
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Anya
I made this air fryer brussel sprouts with bacon as a side to the Duck a l'orange (which is another recipe on this blog you have to check out). Making this side was so effortless and great to use the air fryer while my oven was being used to cook the duck. This is such an easy and quick side but doesn't skimp out on flavor. Also such a fun way to eat veggies!