Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Balsamic

brussels sprouts with bacon on a blue plate

Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Balsamic

These Air Fryer Brussels 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 any dinner.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 308kcal

Author Emmeline Kemperyd

Equipment

Ingredients

½ lb brussels sprouts cleaned, stem removed, and cut in half
4 oz bacon chopped small
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper

US Customary - Metric

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, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 pinch cayenne pepper
Place the brussels sprouts in another bowl, and pour over the balsamic vinegar mixture. Mix well.
½ lb brussels sprouts
Place the brussels sprouts in one half of an air fryer basket, and the chopped bacon in the other half. If there is any balsamic mixture left over you can save this to pour over before serving.
4 oz bacon
Air fry 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C), then remove the air fryer basket and mix everything together.
Air fry 5 more minutes at 390°F (200°C), until bacon and the edges of the brussels sprouts are crispy.
If desired, pour over any remaining balsamic mixture from the bowl, then serve!

Video

Notes

This recipe has been tested in the following air fryer models (affiliate links): Philips HD9252/90 Air Fryer, Ninja DZ401 DualZone XL Air Fryer and Cosori Pro II. Cooking time can vary with your specific model.

You can make this with fresh or frozen brussels sprouts. I cut them in half for this recipe, but if they are very big you can cut them in quarters instead. You can keep them whole as well, but they won't end up as crispy.

If you're using frozen brussels sprouts they will take about the same time to cook. However, they will not end up as crispy.

For crispy bacon, do keep the sprouts and bacon separate to start. You can skip this, but you will then not get as crispy bacon.

For even crispier bacon, air fry just the bacon first. Air fry 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C), then push to one side, add the brussels sprouts to the other side, and cook according to the recipe card instructions.

Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. If you overcrowd it neither bacon nor sprouts will end up crispy. You can have layers, but do not fill the basket. If needed, cook in batches.

Leftovers: You can store leftovers and eat another day, but they will not be as crispy as they are straight out of the air fryer.

Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezing: I do not recommend freezing leftovers as the texture will not be the same.

Reheating in the air fryer: Air fry for 5 minutes at 300°F (150°C), until heated through.

Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 30-second increments, mixing between each segment, until heated through.

Nutrition