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Overhead shot of air fryer brussels sprouts with bacon in a white bowl next to parmesan cheese.
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5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Bacon

Ready in less than 25 minutes, these crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon will be your new favorite way of cooking this vegetable! Soft on the inside, and crisp on the outside, laced with crunchy almonds, bacon, and a hint of honey, this is the perfect side dish for all occasions. Serve them at your next holiday meal or even with a quick weeknight family dinner. Perfect for picky eaters!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Air Fryer
Cuisine: British
Keyword: air fryer, bacon, brussels sprouts, christmas, easter, family dinner, holidays, side dish, thanksgiving, vegetable side dish
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 145kcal
Author: Bethany Galloway

Ingredients

  • 500 g 1.1lbs brussels sprouts
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 36 g 1/4 cup almonds, halved or slithered
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, keto brown sugar substitute
  • 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese grated (optional)
  • A squeeze of lemon juice optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 200 degrees C/400 degrees F.
  • Boil water in a kettle or add hot water to a medium pot on the stove and begin to heat it up.
  • Prepare the sprouts: Wash the brussels sprouts thoroughly and then trim them by slicing off the end with a sharp knife and removing any discolored outer leaves. Slice each brussels sprout in half from top to bottom (vertically) and not through the middle (horizontally). See post for more details.
    A brussels sprout sliced in half on a wooden chopping board with a knife.
  • Add the brussels sprouts to the hot water on the stove, and when the water reaches boiling, boil them for 5 minutes.
    Boiling brussels sprouts in a pot on the stove.
  • Drain the cooked brussels sprouts and carefully pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, squeezing out any excess moisture. Caution: they will be scalding hot.
    Patting the brussels sprouts dry with a kitchen towel.
  • Dice the strips of bacon.
  • Slice the almonds in half if you're using whole almonds.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the chopped bacon, almonds, salt, pepper, garlic powder, balsamic vinegar, honey, and olive oil.
    Ingredients including almonds and bacon in a metal bowl.
  • Add the brussels sprouts and mix well.
    Mixing brussels sprouts with spices and oil.
  • Add the brussels sprouts to the air fryer basket in a single layer (it's okay if they overlap just a little) and air fry them for 5 minutes.
    Brussels sprouts with bacon in an air fryer.
  • After 5 minutes, stir the brussels sprouts and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
    Stirring the brussels sprouts with bacon in the air fryer with a wooden spoon.
  • If after 5 minutes you would like the brussels sprouts to be even crispier, cook them for another 1-2 extra minutes.
  • Remove the brussels sprouts from the air fryer and sprinkle parmesan cheese over them and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
    Overhead shot of air fryer brussels sprouts with bacon in a white bowl next to parmesan cheese.

Notes

  1. Air fryer brands: Different brands of air fryers will yield results and require different cooking times. For reference, I used a Tower 4.3L air fryer.
  2. Size matters: The size of the sprouts can make a difference in cooking time. If they are larger sprouts, I recommend quartering them instead of slicing them in half.
  3. Keto: To keep these crispy air fryer brussel sprouts as low carb as possible, skip the maple syrup/honey/
  4. Paleo: For a paleo version, skip the parmesan cheese.
  5. Whole30: To make this air fryer brussels sprouts recipe whole30 compliant, skip the maple syrup/honey and the parmesan cheese.
  6. Vegan: Use maple syrup and skip the parmesan cheese or use a dairy-free alternative.

Store

  • Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
  • Reheat: Reheat the brussels sprouts in the air fryer until they are heated through and crispy again. You can also reheat them in the microwave but they won't be crispy.
  • Freeze: Freeze these mini cabbages in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 4 months. Thaw completely before reheating.

    • Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 434mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g