Air Fried Sesame & Honey Brussel Sprouts

These sprouts are coated with sweet honey, nutty sesame oil and a bit of hot sauce to leave your mouth wanting more after each bite.

Brussel Sprouts have been having a moment. I feel like they were the most dreaded vegetable as a kid that you were forced to eat. To be honest, I don’t think I ever disliked them, it was just the smell of them that was a major turn off. I can’t make them smell any better with this recipe, but the key to gaining fans of this pungent cruciferous vegetable is roasting and flavoring them.

Cruciferous vegetables, like these sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower to name a few contain glucosinolate, which is a sulfur containing phytochemical that is responsible for the their distinctive (and sometimes offensive) smell and bitter flavor.

Roasting cruciferous vegetables breaks down the glucosinolates allowing them to absorb other flavors, release a natural sweetness and present a lightly toasted-nutty flavor. The nutty sesame oil and honey in this recipe enhance their natural sweet and nutty flavor and make these brussel sprouts a tasty side dish or addition to salads. Try them with this Thai Peanut Chicken Salad.

What you need to make these Brussel Sprouts

2 cups fresh brussel sprouts
1 tsp sesame oil
1 TB olive oil
1 TB honey
1 TB Sriracha (or other hot sauce)
Salt & pepper

How to make these Brussel Sprouts

Start by cutting the base of each sprout. This will cause some of the leaves to naturally fall off. Discard the bases and the wilted, super green leaves.
The sprouts I had were pretty large. I cut most of them in half, but some needed to be quartered.

Put halved sprouts to a mixing bowl and add honey, sesame oil, olive oil, sriracha, salt & pepper. Mix until all sprouts are well coated.

Next, place the coated sprouts into the air fryer basket. I used these Air Fryer liners for easy clean up. (I should mention, it was easi-ER clean up, as some of the honey did ooze through the holes. But thankfully the nonstick material still makes for a quick clean up.
Air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, checking and stirring the basket halfway.

Good for you ingredients

Brussel Sprouts

These “mini cabbages” are great source of nutrition. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber and are a great addition to a healthy diet. These vegetables are harvested from fall to spring and are a great way to get vitamin C and other nutrients through the fall and winter months.

Surprising to most, brussel sprouts are high in vitamin C. Foods high in vitamin C are important for the fall and winter seasons as colds are more prevalent. Vitamin C stimulates the production of white blood cells and reduces your chances of getting sick.

Brussel sprouts also contain glucosinolates which help regulate the body’s inflammatory response. Sprouts and other cruciferous foods like broccoli and cauliflower can help reduce inflammation in the body when eaten regularly and as part of a well balanced diet.

How to store leftovers

To store: Store leftovers in a glass container in the refrigerator. Eat within 2-3 days.
To freeze: Place in a well sealed container and freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat: Reheat sprouts on the stove top on medium heat until warm; in the oven at 350 degrees or pop them back in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes.