Why It Works
- Preheating the air fryer basket ensures the sprouts start cooking immediately, boosting browning and flavor.
- Air-frying the Brussels sprouts in batches prevents overcrowding and promotes even crisping.
- Adding the glaze just before serving creates a glossy, flavorful finish while preserving the sprouts’ crisp texture.
If there’s one day a year when every appliance, every burner, and every oven rack is in use, it’s Thanksgiving. Expectations are high, time is short, and despite all the talk about gratitude and togetherness, it’s hard not to stress over the food. That’s exactly why my dad deep-fries our turkey every year—it frees up the oven and guarantees crispy, golden perfection.
For the same reason, I turn to the air fryer for vegetables. My go-to dish is crispy Brussels sprouts tossed in a sweet-tart pomegranate glaze. They’re simple to make, impressive to serve, and among the first things to vanish from the buffet.
Brussels sprouts are great sautéed, roasted, or even deep-fried, but the air fryer gives you the best of all worlds with deep caramelization, tender interiors, shatteringly crisp edges—and no messy clean-up or crowded sheet pans. Plus, if the sprouts cool before serving, you can just pop them back in for a minute to re-crisp before glazing.
Here are my top three tips for making them holiday-worthy.
Serious Eats / Deli Studios
3 Tips for the Best Air-Fryer Brussels Sprouts
1. Less oil is actually better. When air-frying, about one tablespoon of oil per pound of Brussels sprouts is plenty. Using more doesn’t make them crisper—in fact, it can cause excess oil to drip, burn, and smoke before the vegetables are even done. That leads to unpleasant smells, potential alarm beeps, and general Thanksgiving panic. A small amount of oil, though, creates perfectly crisp, deeply caramelized sprouts with nutty, toasty notes.
2. Dress with a pomegranate glaze for contrast. Thanksgiving tables are typically filled with creamy, rich, and salty dishes like mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, and gravy. A bright glaze brings balance not just to the sprouts but to the meal as a whole. The nutty caramelization of the sprouts meets the sweet-tart zing of pomegranate molasses, which cuts through the richness and brightens the palate.
3. Glaze your sprouts right before serving. Once your Brussels sprouts are perfectly crispy, don’t rush to glaze them. Wait until just before serving to add the glaze, so the sprouts stay crunchy and glossy and don’t turn soggy. A final sprinkle of fresh pomegranate seeds adds more sweet-tart flavor, a crunchy texture, and beautiful color.
With crisp edges, a glossy glaze, and bright, tangy flavor, these Brussels sprouts are a holiday-worthy side that can come together with weeknight-level effort.
