These delicious Air fryer Brussels sprouts with bacon and maple syrup are like no other. The air fryer makes these mini cabbages turn out so crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. This easy side dish cooks in the air fryer in less than 15 minutes! Made with fresh Brussels sprouts, bacon, onion and sweet maple syrup, the whole family will gobble these up!
We eat a lot of veggies at my house, and I love preparing them in a variety of ways to change things up a bit. This recipe is a winner for sure!
Why You Will Love This Recipe:
- It’s quick - The air fryer makes it possible to have these done in less than 15 minutes. You can have roasted Brussels sprouts in half the time that it would take in the oven.
- It’s easy - All you need to do is prep a few ingredients and place them in the air fryer. It makes Brussels sprouts taste amazing! Brussels sprouts can have a bitter taste but this recipe solves that problem. The bacon, onion, and maple go so well with the Brussels sprouts.
Watch How To Make This Recipe Here!
Q&A:
Steak, roasted chicken, salmon, Salisbury steak
Potatoes, carrots, corn, sweet potatoes
No, you do not need to.
Yes, you can make these ahead of time. You can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes. You can also heat them up in the oven. To reheat in the oven, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, place Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 5-10 minutes until warm.
For this recipe, I did not do a preheat because it was easier for me to add the ingredients without the basket being hot. It took my air fryer about 3 minutes to reach 350 degrees. If you do a preheat before adding the ingredients, keep in mind that it will cook 2-3 minutes faster. Check on them at the 5-minute mark.
Equipment Needed:
- Air Fryer
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts - I used bagged Brussels sprouts and they came pre-washed.
- Bacon - I used thick cut bacon.
- Maple syrup - I used 100 percent pure maple.
- Yellow onion - White or sweet onion would work too. I only used a quarter of an onion and stored the rest in the refrigerator in a Ziploc bag to use later.
- Olive oil - Avocado oil works great too.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
Instructions:
1. Trim stems and cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise.
2. To a medium bowl, add the Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir Brussels sprouts until well coated.
3. Place the Brussels sprouts into the air fryer basket, then top with sliced onions and cut bacon.
4. Air fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes until the Brussels sprouts are crispy and dark brown on the outside and the bacon is crispy. Be sure to check on the Brussels sprouts halfway through the cooking process at the 6-minute mark.
5. Once done, transfer the Brussels sprouts to a serving dish and drizzle with maple syrup. Then enjoy!
Recipe Variations And Substitutions:
Here are a variety of ideas that you can try to switch things up:
- Try it with some apple cider vinegar: Toss in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to this finished recipe. It adds a nice apple flavor (my mom loves it this way).
- Air fryer Brussels sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic: Instead of using maple syrup, use 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or drizzle 1 tablespoon of balsamic glaze over the cooked Brussels sprouts with bacon.
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon: Leave out the maple syrup.
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan: Leave out the maple syrup and sprinkle on some parmesan cheese instead.
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Honey: Instead of maple syrup, drizzle two tablespoons of honey over the cooked Brussels sprouts with bacon.
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Sriracha Honey: Instead of using maple syrup, mix 1 tablespoon of sriracha sauce with 1 tablespoon of honey and toss it with the cooked Brussels sprouts with bacon. Before adding the sriracha honey mixture to your Brussels sprouts, I recommend tasting the mixture first and adjusting it to your liking. If it’s too spicy, you can add more honey and if you would like it spicier then add more sriracha sauce.
If you are looking to cut back on sugar, reduce the amount of maple syrup or omit it all together - it will still taste delicious!
Storage And Reheating Instructions:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes. To heat it up in the oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, place Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 5-10 minutes until warm. You can also reheat these in the microwave, however, they won’t be crispy.
Pro Tips:
- Put the bacon and onions on top. This ensures that the bacon and onions cook evenly and don't end up at the bottom of the air fryer basket.
- Pour maple syrup over the Brussels sprouts while they are hot, this will warm up the maple syrup.
- The outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts get really crispy in the air fryer. I recommend leaving them on.
- Be sure to check on your food halfway through the cooking process. This is something that I always do when using the air fryer, especially when trying out a new recipe.
- I used my Instant Vortex Plus 6 quart to test this recipe. Since every air fryer is different, it is important that you adjust cooking time as needed and always check on your food halfway through the cooking process for doneness.
What To Serve With Brussels Sprouts With Bacon And Maple:
Easy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting Board
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts (trimmed and cut in half lengthwise)
- ¼ cup yellow onion sliced
- 2 strips bacon cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Trim stems and cut Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise.
- To a medium bowl, add the Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir Brussels sprouts until well coated.
- Place the Brussels sprouts into the air fryer basket, then top with sliced onions and cut bacon.
- Air fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes until the Brussels sprouts are crispy and dark brown on the outside and the bacon is crispy. Be sure to check on the Brussels sprouts halfway through the cooking process at the 6-minute mark.
- Once done, transfer the Brussels sprouts to a serving dish and drizzle with maple syrup. Then enjoy!
Brandy
FINALLY I made brussels sprouts that my kids ate! The maple syrup was key to cutting the bitterness that they don't tolerate very well. I normally roast them, but the extra crispiness on these from the air fryer and bacon fat made these an irresistible dish!
Ivory
Yay! So glad you enjoyed! My kids love these too! Thanks so much for taking the time to review.
Jim
Try a bit of molasses in with the maple syrup. Preheat the two together in a small saucepan. Sometimes I cook the whole dish in a cast iron skillet on the stove or on the grill outdoors. Great side dish with a ribeye. The molasses really adds to the richness of red meat.
Ivory
Sounds delicious! I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Tracie
can you use frozen brussel sprouts?
Ivory
Yes, frozen Brussels sprouts can be used as well.