Are you planning to cook frozen Brussel sprouts in an air fryer? You laned in the right place. The easiest and quick way to cook the frozen Brussel sprouts is to air fry them. They turn out crispy from the outside and tender from the inside. Use your favorite spice to add the jazz to this super healthy and delicious veggie.
Some people find them bitter and unappetizing. That happens only when they are undercooked. In an air fryer, you can cook them to perfection and change your opinion about them.
Air fryer is the best kitchen equipment to cook frozen vegetables. It is efficient, quick, and easy to use. Brussel sprouts and frozen okra are my favorite frozen veggies to cook in an air fyer.
You might wanna check out these air fryer recipes:
- How to fry frozen okra in air fryer? Breaded and plain cut okra
- Air fryer spaghetti squash: Low Carb, Quick and simple!
- Frozen spring rolls in air fryer: Quick, easy, and crispy!
- Frozen potstickers in air fryer: The best way to make frozen dumplings
Let us get started.
Why do I choose frozen Brussels sprouts over fresh?
Look, nothing beats the fresh produce. If you can get your hands on the fresh Brussel sprouts, then grab them. But if you can not, then frozen is the only route to go. We are a vegetarian family and we eat veggies three times a day. So, whenever I am shopping, I get as many kinds of veggies as I can. I do not mind frozen Brussel sprouts. In fact, they have some pros over the fresh ones especially if cooking them in an air fryer.
- They are much uniform in size and cook evenly in an air fryer.
- The fresh ones need to be prepped. The frozen ones are just ready to go.
- And if you have ever prepped Brussel sprouts, you know how wastage must be there. The outside leaves and stubs make a large part of the fresh produce. In frozen brusssel sprouts, you pay for the actual weight of the produce.
What is the issue with frozen Brussel sprouts?
The only issue with frozen Brussel sprouts in that it is difficult to slice. And when we air fry, bake, or stir fry the whole Brussel sprouts, they remain mildly bitter from inside. Also, the core of the sprouts remains bland. For best taste and texture, slice them into haves or quarters. This way we get the crispy, fully cooked, evenly spiced, and delicious Brussel sprouts.
What are the various ways to make frozen Brussel sprouts?
Cook brussels sprouts ( frozen) in the oven.
I like to prep and cut them into halves for oven baking. In a big bowl mix them with oil and spices. Coat them well and spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 450 0F. Take them out. Take care to cut them into halves and place them back on the baking tray with the cut side facing down. Bake again for 15-20 minutes more or until fully done.
Stovetop cooking the frozen Brussel sprouts
To cook frozen brussels sprouts, first steam them in the bag as such for 3-4 minutes, just to tenderize them. Then, let them cool a bit and slice into halves or quarters. Then, heat a little oil in a pan and add the cut Brussel sprouts into it. Stir in the salt and spices of your choice and cook till fully cooked on medium heat. The roasted Brussel sprouts should have golden char on cut surfaces. You can also cook them in an Instant pot using the same method
.
Air fryer frozen Brussel sprouts
Before having an air fryer, I have been oven baking and pan-frying the Brussel sprouts. Both the methods have their own pros and cons. Let us talk about them briefly. The air fryer cooks the vegetables to great perfection. No more soggy veggies.
Ingredient required to air fry frozen Brussel sprouts
Frozen Brussel sprouts
We need a 12 oz bag frozen Brussel sprout for this recipe. You can perfectly cook the fresh Brussel sprouts in an air fryer.
Steamed vs raw frozen Brussel sprouts
When buying, frozen Brussel sprouts for air frying, either of the two will work. The steamed and raw Brussel sprouts both can be easily cooked in an air fryer. I get whatever I can get my hands on. There is a total differential of 4-5 minutes in cooking them.
Olive Oil
I have used a tablespoon of olive oil while making these air fryer frozen Brussel sprouts. You can use avocado oil or any vegetable oil of your choice.
Salt and spices
I have used salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and some chili lemon flakes for spicing the Brussel sprouts. You can choose the spices of your own.
Equipment
Yes, you are gonna need an air fryer for making this recipe.
How to cook frozen Brussel sprouts in air fryer? Instructions
To make frozen Brussel sprouts in an air fryer, you can use the steamed or totally raw ones. I am listing the instructions for both.
air fryer Frozen steamed Brussel sprouts:
In this recipe, I have used steamed Brussel sprouts. They cook faster than the raw ones. And since they are steamed and then frozen, they need to be air fried at a higher temperature than the raw ones, or else they will just turn out to mushy mass, and never be crispy. Preheat the air fryer to 400 0F. You do that by turning on the air fryer and setting the temperature to 400 0F and letting it heat with an empty basket for 3-4 minutes.
Then, empty the frozen Brussel sprouts into the air fryer basket and let them air fry for 8 minutes. Then, give them a shake and air fry for another 8 minutes or until done.
In a bowl, add olive oil, salt, and spices. Add the air-fried Brussel sprouts into the bowl and coat them evenly. Serve hot as a side dish. Alternately, slice them into halves when done. And then coat in spices. Slicing helps to get spices more evenly on the air-fried Brussel sprouts.
If you have the patience and the time, let them cool a bit after the first 8 minutes of air frying. Then slice them into halves and air fry for 7-8 more minutes.
Air fryer Frozen raw Brussel sprouts:
Air fry them straight out of the freezer at 380 oF for 10 minutes and then give them a shake. Air fry for 8-9 minutes more or until done.
How to serve?
Air-fried Brussel sprouts make an excellent side dish. I love to serve them for dinner alongside air fryer spaghetti squash. Goes great with pasta and curries equally.
Storage and reheating of frozen Brussel sprouts made in an air fryer
Store the left-over air fryer Brussel sprouts in an air-tight container. They can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in a refrigerator.
Pro tips
- There is no need to thaw the frozen Brussel sprouts before air frying or even oven baking. Thawing can make them soggy.
- If you have the patience and the time, let them cool a bit after the first 8 minutes of air frying. Then slice them into halves and air fry for 7-8 more minutes with cut sides facing up for perfectly crispy and delicious tasting Brussel sprouts.
- The ideal air fryer temperature for cooking raw frozen Brussels sprouts is 380 0F. Taking it beyond that may cause the outer leaves to char or burn, and the core to stay hard and raw.
- There will be some differences in the total air frying time across all air fryers. The first time you air fry Brussel sprouts, pull out the air fryer basket a few minutes ahead of the suggested air frying duration so that you can see how much longer it needs.
FAQs regarding air fryer frozen Brussel sprouts
It is not necessary to add oil at all. Unlike stovetop cooking where frozen vegetables stick to the pan if cooked without oil, air fryers are capable to cook your vegetables without any oil.
A little oil doesn’t hurt. Adding oil makes food more appetizing and helps in the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients. Oil also helps the spices adhere to the food. You can always reduce the quantity and choose healthy oils.
Yes. If not better, the frozen Brussel sprouts are equally good. And if you cook them as stated in the recipe, you will love them even more.
There is no need to thaw the frozen Brussel sprouts before air frying or even oven baking. Just spray them with a cooking spray and air fry them.
To prevent them from burning, do not use very high temperatures to air fry them. For cooking the raw frozen Brussel sprouts, the air fryer temperature of 380 0F is optimum. If you go beyond that, the outer leaves will char or burn and the core might remain hard and raw.
I do not suggest adding too much oil. If you are making Brussel sprouts for the first time, pull out the air fryer basket a few minutes before suggesting the air frying time to check how much more time it actually needs. All air fryers are different, there is going to be some difference in the total air frying time.
If you let the Brussel sprouts thaw, they will turn out soggy on air frying and never be crispy. The best way is to air fry the frozen Brussel sprouts straight out of the freezer. Also using lower temperatures of less than 3500F will make them mushy and soggy.
Another thing to avoid is overcrowding. There should be ample space for the air circulation if you want them to turn out crispy.
If you had some leftover air-fried Brussel sprouts and looking to reheat them. Just air fry them at 380 0 F for 3-4 minutes and they will be ready to be served.
The undercooked whole Brussel sprouts might taste bitter sometimes. They are usually not as bitter as a supertaster will taste. But yes, they might taste bitter if left undercooked. That is why I have suggested cutting them and cooking them thoroughly to get rid of all bitterness.
More air fryer recipes that might interest you
- Make frozen burgers in air fryer (Frozen veggie burger)
- How to cook frozen pizza bites (veggie pizza rolls) in air fryer
- Best way to cook frozen garlic bread in air fryer
- Air fryer spaghetti squash: Low Carb, Quick and simple!
I hope you enjoy the frozen Brussel sprouts in air fryer. And I hope air frying becomes your go-to method to cook frozen vegetables. Share it with friends if you find it helpful.
Till then,
Make it quick and delicious!
Recipe card to make frozen Brussel sprouts in an air fryer
Frozen Brussel sprouts in air fryer
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 12 oz frozen Brussel sprouts I used steamed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon lemon chili
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
Instructions
Instructions for air frying steamed frozen Brussel sprouts
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 0F by turning on the air fryer and setting the temperature to 400 0F and letting it heat with an empty basket for 3-4 minutes.
- Then, empty the frozen Brussel sprouts into the air fryer basket and let them air fry for 8 minutes. Give them a shake and air fry for another 8 minutes or until done.
- In a bowl add olive oil, salt, and spices. Add the air-fried Brussel sprouts into the bowl and coat them evenly. Serve hot as a side dish. Alternately, slice them into halves when done. And then coat in spices. Slicing helps to get spices more evenly on the air-fried Brussel sprouts.
- If you have the patience and the time, let them cool a bit after the first 8 minutes of air frying. Then slice them into halves and air fry for 7-8 more minutes with cut sides facing up, followed by coating in oil and spices.
Instructions for air frying raw frozen Brussel sprouts
- If using raw frozen Brussel sprouts, empty the pack into the air fryer basket.
- Air fry them at 380 0F for 10 minutes. Then open the air fryer basket and rotate them by giving them a shake or individually flipping them.
- Then air fry them further for 8-9 minutes or until done.
- For best results slice them into halves after the first 10 minutes of air fryer and let them air fryer with the cut sides facing up. Air fry for 8-9 minutes or until done.
- In a bowl add olive oil, salt, and spices. Mix everything well and transfer the air-fried Brussel sprouts into the bowl. Coat them evenly and transfer them to a serving plate. Enjoy hot as a side dish!
Notes
- There is no need to thaw the frozen Brussel sprouts before air frying or even oven baking. Thawing can make them soggy.
- If you have the patience and the time, let them cool a bit after the first 8 minutes of air frying. Then slice them into halves and air fry for 7-8 more minutes with cut sides facing up for perfectly crispy and delicious tasting Brussel sprouts.
- The ideal air fryer temperature for cooking raw frozen Brussels sprouts is 380 degrees F. Taking it beyond that may cause the outer leaves to char or burn, and the core to stay hard and raw.
- There will be some differences in the total air frying time across all air fryers. The first time you air fry Brussel sprouts, pull out the air fryer basket a few minutes ahead of the suggested air frying duration so that you can see how much longer it needs.
Nutrition Facts
Tammy
I choose to slice the Brussels sprouts into halves after air frying for 8 minutes. You need to wait it out, guys. They were hot... 5 minutes or so.
But I am glad I waited. Slicing them was worth it. The spices adhere better and the core was not at all bitter.