In the test kitchen, we have not been quiet about our air fryer appreciation. It’s been a few years, but the air fryer is still our favorite new-fangled appliance, and we’ve made everything from donuts to French fries, elote, and fried fish with it. Everytime we try something new, we say to each other, “This! This is why we have the air fryer.” Well, Brussels sprouts might be IT!

We also share the opinion that Brussels sprouts are really at their best with a tiny bit of char adorning their wee leaves. So what we do here is coat the sprouts in olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and slide them into the fryer for a handful of minutes — just to get them tender. Then we sprinkle on breadcrumbs and Parm, and return them to the air fryer. In the second “fry,” their leaves develop a light char, and the breadcrumbs and cheese crisp up beautifully.

What a tasty bite! Nutty, cheesy, and full of crunchy fried goodness (without all the oil). We could eat them by the bushel. They’ll make a terrific side for just about any main, but we’d also serve them as a stand-alone happy hour appetizer — they’ll go down great with bright hoppy beer or a vibrant prosecco.