Take your air fryer frozen brussel sprouts to a new level with minimal prep time & just 16 minutes of cooking! Coated in a honey balsamic vinaigrette, with a tiny kick from cayenne peper, they come out perfectly roasted with nice caramelization.
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Frozen veggies are a great staple to keep in the freezer. They're a great way to make sure you always have veggies with your meals - especially if you're like me and those fresh vegetables often go bad before you get to them
Add an air fryer and you really have NO excuse not to eat your veggies! For another great example, try these Air Fryer Bell Peppers.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's the best way to cook frozen brussel sprouts
- Quicker than roasting them in the oven - all done in 20 minutes
- Easy recipe with just a few simple steps
- The best taste - earthy, sweet & acidic - with a slight "kick"
- Honey adds sweetness and aids the caramelization
- Balsamic vinegar balances the flavors
- Cayenne adds a spicy kick
- A healthy side dish the entire family will LOVE
What you need to make them
Ingredient notes
- Frozen brussel sprouts are great for this recipe, but you can also use fresh brussel sprouts. The cook time will be about the same.
- Sea salt flakes: any type of salt flakes will do
- Liquid honey can be swapped for regular honey but microwave it for a few seconds to make it easy to mix with the rest of the ingredients.
- Olive oil can be swapped for another type of oil like canola oil
- Cayenne pepper can be skipped
How to make them
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C), then add in the frozen brussel sprouts. Air fry for 9 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start the vinaigrette by placing all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl
- Mix well
- Add in the brussel sprouts
- Mix well
- Place back in the air fryer and air fry for 6 minutes, shaking once halfway
- Test for tenderness by sticking a fork in the brussel sprouts. If you want them more roasted or they are not done, add a few more minutes.
- Transfer to a serving plate or bowl and sprinkle with sea salt flakes
Tips & tricks
- You can make this without the vinaigrette as well. Either air fry for 15 minutes straight away, shaking once halfway, or air fry for 9 minutes then add the seasoning of your choice and air fry for 6 more minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer for the very best results
- Don't defrost the brussel sprouts, cook them straight from frozen
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket - it's fine if there are layers, just don't fill up the basket completely
- For crispier brussel sprouts air fry them in a single layer
- Adjust cook time depending on how brown and crispy you want them
- Cook time can vary with different air fryers
- Add salt flakes just before serving to maintain their crisp
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer or microwave for 2-3 minutes
Recipe variations
You can switch up air fryer frozen brussel sprouts this recipe with various seasonings:
- Cheesy: Toss roasted brussel sprouts with melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
- Bacon: Air fryer brussel sprouts with bacon are a salty treat!
- Mexican style: After cooking 9 minutes, coat with olive oil and toss with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder and a dash of cayenne.
- Spicier: Add chili flakes as well
- Buffalo style: Coat roasted brussel sprouts with buffalo sauce
- Crunchy: Add roasted nuts or seeds of your choice - pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are all great options
- Sweet: Add dried fruit like raisins or cranberries, or drizzle with maple syrup
Recipe FAQ
Frozen veggies are never quite as good as fresh, but for brussel sprouts specifically there's not that much of a difference.
Yes, it's better not to thaw frozen brussel sprouts, cook them straight from frozen. The best way to do this is to cook frozen brussel sprouts in your air frier.
No, do not thaw frozen brussel sprouts. It's best to cook them straight from frozen!
Yes, frozen brussel sprouts can go bad, but they should be good for at least 8-12 months in the freezer.
To tell if your frozen brussel sprouts have gone bad, bring them out from the freezer and have a look. If you see any freezer burn, mold or discoloration it's safest to throw them away. If you catch any bad small from them this is also a sure sign they have gone bad.
More quick & easy air fryer side dishes
Looking for more quick & easy air fryer sides like these air fryer frozen brussel sprouts?
- Air Fryer Texas Toast
- Frozen Green Beans
- Frozen Broccoli
- Waffle Fries
- Sweet Potato Fries
- The Complete Guide to Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables
Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts
Print RateIngredients
- 1 lb frozen brussel sprouts
Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon liquid honey
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
To serve
- 1 teaspoon salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer by running it for 5 minutes at 390°F (200°C).
- Add the frozen brussel sprouts to the air fryer basket and air fry for 9 minutes at 390°F (200°C).1 lb frozen brussel sprouts
- Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette by whisking together all the vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl.1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon liquid honey, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Place the brussel sprouts in the bowl with the vinaigrette and mix well to coat.
- Place the brussel sprouts back in the air fryer basket and air fry for 6 minutes at 390°F (200°C), shaking the basket once halfway.
- Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and top with slightly crushed salt flakes just before serving. Enjoy!1 teaspoon salt flakes
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
- 1 Large bowl
Video
Notes
This air fryer recipe was created in a Philips HD9252/90 Air Fryer*. Cooking time can vary with your air fryer model.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Frozen brussel sprouts are great for this recipe, but you can also use fresh brussel sprouts. The cook time will be about the same.
- Sea salt flakes: any type of salt flakes will do
- Liquid honey can be swapped for regular honey but microwave it for a few seconds to make it easy to mix with the rest of the ingredients. It can also be skipped entirely.
- Olive oil can be swapped for another type of oil like canola oil
- Cayenne pepper can be skipped
Tips & tricks
- You can make this without the vinaigrette as well. Either air fry for 15 minutes straight away, shaking once halfway, or air fry for 9 minutes then add the seasoning of your choice and air fry for 6 more minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer * for the very best results
- Don't defrost the brussel sprouts, cook them straight from frozen
- Don't overcrowd your air fryer * basket - it's fine if there are layers, just don't fill up the basket completely
- For crispier brussel sprouts air fry them in a single layer
- Adjust cook time depending on how brown and crispy you want them
- Cook time can vary with different air fryers
- Add salt flakes just before serving to maintain their crisp
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat leftovers in the air fryer * or microwave for 2-3 minutes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Robin Fournier
I like your ingredients except for the frozen part. I think the flavor was really good and they were crispy on the outside but on the inside mushy so either it is the brand of the frozen brussels sprouts that I used or just frozen. It’s not working for me. I will try your ingredients with fresh brussels sprouts. I’m sure I’ll like it a lot better and really like your idea of cooking twice it really crisps them, thank you !
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Robin! Sorry to hear that. I haven’t had that experience when using frozen, so might be the brand. But of course, even better with fresh ones ☺️ /Emmeline