Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts...so healthy yet not a whole lot of people like them. I personally love it but do not like the smell it leaves my home. It does not stop me from cooking it because of its health benefits. Brussel sprouts belong to the same family of cauliflower, kale, and mustard greens. The Brassicaceae family (Cruciferous vegetables) is rich in nutrients and can prevent illnesses. The cruciferous vegetables contain a group of substances called glucosinolates which are sulfur-containing chemicals, responsible for their pungent smell.

Also read: Air Fry Crispy Fried Chicken

Cruciferous vegetables are rich in carotenoids, Vitamins (E, C, K), Folate, Manganese, and other minerals. (Cancer.gov) Regardless of its pungent smell that can be remedied by open windows, candles, or diffusers, serving Brussel sprouts along with other cruciferous vegetables several times a week will benefit your family. I love serving it with baked fish, air-fry crispy fried chicken, and pork chops. My family also enjoys them shredded sauteed with shredded carrots and ground beef. You can enjoy them steamed, oven-roasted, or much better...use an air-fryer! This by far is my family's favorite way of eating them. The recipe below comes with option 1 and option 2. You can either air fry them with the parmesan cheese or toss it when the Brussel sprouts are done cooking. Other people will use panko breadcrumbs along with Parmesan cheese to give it an extra crunch. You can also coat them with melted butter. I use extra virgin olive oil. Try it and let me know how it goes with your family!

Ingredients:

1 lb Brussel Sprouts

3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Prepare your Brussel sprout by removing any discolored leaves, cutting the stems, cutting them in halves, and washing them. Lay it on top of a towel to dry so it will not sag. You can also pat them dry.

OPTION 1: Toss the Brussel sprout with all the ingredients but only use half of the Parmesan cheese.

OPTION 2: Toss all the ingredients with the Brussel sprouts except for the Parmesan cheese. You will toss the Parmesan after the Brussel sprouts had been cooked. This is what I did.

If your air-fryer needs preheating, preheat it as I think this gets you the right crisp.

Air-fry the Brussel sprouts at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. You will need to stir halfway through cooking. My air-fryer, Cosori beeps as a reminder to "shake" the food inside the basket. This makes sure even cooking and will prevent burnt food. I lined my air fryer with aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray for easy cleaning but you do not have to do this.

This is my Cosori Air-Fryer. In the beginning, I thought it was too big since I do not have a lot of kitchen counter space. But as I use it more, I love how big the basket is!