Recipe This | Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts With Bacon (2024)

FAQs

Does bacon make a mess in the air fryer? ›

In just nine minutes, you can have hot bacon ready to serve. The best part about the air fryer is that the grease collects underneath the basket in the drawer, so there's no grease splatters in the kitchen and the grease is a cinch to discard (simply tip the drawer to pour off).

Roast the Brussels Sprouts at high heat

If you don't hear them crisping up in the oven, add a little more oil and roast them for a few more minutes until your desire crispiness is achieved!

Don't soak sprouts before cooking them, they don't need it. Rinse before cooking, and if you want to store them ready-prepped but them in a reusable bag or container in the fridge.

Peel off one or two layers of leaves and then trim the stem. Lightly steam or gently boil until tender and then slather them with salted butter. I recently had roasted Brussels sprouts and they were remarkably edible. Some olive oil and garlic definitely helped with the larger ones.

Place bacon in air fryer

If you're using an oven-style air fryer, you'll want to put the bacon on an air-fry basket (basically a mesh rack) with either a solid pan or a piece of aluminum foil folded up on the edges underneath to catch any bacon grease drippings.

The combination of techniques, searing then roasting, is what gives restaurant Brussel Sprouts the upper hand on the until-now pathetic homemade variety.

To maximize the flat areas, which get the most crispy surface area, cut your Brussels sprouts in half. If your Brussels sprouts are very small, you can leave them whole (and if they are very large, quarter them).

Why did my brussels sprouts burn in the air fryer? If you don't shake the air fryer basket throughout the cooking process, you risk the sprouts burning before they are fully cooked. Can I air fry brussels sprouts without oil? While air-frying sprouts without oil will cook them, they won't be soft in the middle.

Air fry and serve: Place the Brussels sprouts in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. Return the basket to the fryer and cook at 375°F until the sprouts are tender and the outside leaves are crisp and golden brown in spots, about 12 minutes, tossing halfway.

Eating a lot of Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous veggies may help protect against cancers of the stomach, lungs, kidney, breast, bladder, and prostate. Crunchy veggies like Brussels sprouts may also help you stave off other health issues, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.

Can you eat too much brussel sprouts? ›

Although a healthy vegetable, consuming too many Brussels sprouts can be unsuitable for people on anticoagulants since it contains vitamin K, which results in blood clotting. Another issue with consuming Brussels sprouts excessively is that it can lead to gas and bloating.

Over the last twenty years, farmers have mellowed the "unpleasant" flavor of Brussels sprouts by breeding a vegetable that contains fewer bitter compounds or glucosinolates. So, Brussels sprouts just taste better than they used to when we were kids. The rub is that glucosinolates help protect sprouts against pests.

Because PTC is prevalent in Brussels sprouts, these so-called "Supertasters" perceive them as intensely bitter. This is all connected to a taste-related gene called TAS2R38, which has a variant called AVI and one called PAV.

Without oil, Brussels don't brown and soften—they dehydrate. Its also possible that they simply need more time in the oven. Cooking times vary depending on their size. A cooked Brussels sprout should be pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife.

Remember to preheat your air fryer before filling it with food. A slice of bread in the bottom of your air fryer can help collect grease without making a mess.

Add water to the drawer when cooking fatty foods

Or using a liner specifically designed for air frying to prevent the mess.

Since the splatter is contained inside the kitchen appliance, air frying doesn't make nearly as much of a mess in your kitchen as a deep fryer. Yet, food particles and burnt-on bits can easily build up in the nooks and crannies inside of the main unit and air fryer basket.