How To Finally Stop Burning Your Brussels Sprouts In The Air Fryer

Brussels sprouts are a green that when cooked right, can be a truly delicious dish. There are many ways to jazz them up, like serving sprouts on flatbread with pancetta, or adding cacio e pepe flavors to roasted Brussels sprouts. But one small mistake can quickly lead to mushy or just plain burnt greens — and that's no fun, especially for those of us holding onto a few bad Brussels sprouts memories. Air-frying your sprouts is a great trick to get them crispy, but how do you avoid them getting burnt? The answer is simple: Keep your Brussels sprouts in a single layer when you cook them.

As with many other foods, overcrowding and layering the sprouts on top of each other is a recipe for a burnt disaster in the air fryer. This is because some pieces will be too close to the heating coil, while others underneath will not be exposed to the hot air that cooks as it circulates. It's an error that will leave you with a mix of burnt and undercooked sprouts. 

Air frying them in one single layer might mean you have to cook them in batches, but it's a small price to pay for evenly crisped pieces — plus they'll cook faster, too. Don't be afraid to check on them regularly, and turn down the temperature if necessary.

If you're washing your Brussels sprouts before air-frying, make sure to dry them well before coating in oil. The oil won't adhere to wet sprouts, which means they have a bigger risk of burning. This brings us to our next point: Always coat your sprouts in oil. You'll need a lot less than you would if you were oven roasting, but a light coating helps them get crispy instead of burnt. It's one of the basic rules for using your air fryer to the fullest, and either olive oil or vegetable oil work well with the sprouts. For those who want to skip the oil, however, make sure you turn down your air fryer temperature to prevent the veggies burning.

Another trick to stop your sprouts from burning is to shake the basket halfway through, which helps encourage even cooking. Try to group each batch of sprouts by size, so that you're not left with some pieces cooking faster than others. And if you're using frozen Brussels sprouts, there's no need to thaw them first. Air frying them frozen can actually make them crispier, but they may need a few minutes extra to get there. 

If you want to give your crispy sprouts a flavor boost, add some maple syrup to the seasonings for a sweeter kick. Alternatively, you can top the finished sprouts with a balsamic glaze, your favorite grated cheese, or some chopped roasted nuts for extra crunch.