If there’s in the future a 12 months when each equipment, each burner, and each oven rack is in use, it is Thanksgiving. Expectations are excessive, time is brief, and regardless of all of the speak about gratitude and togetherness, it is laborious to not stress over the meals. That is precisely why my dad deep-fries our turkey yearly—it frees up the oven and ensures crispy, golden perfection.

For a similar cause, I flip to the air fryer for greens. My go-to dish is crispy Brussels sprouts tossed in a sweet-tart pomegranate glaze. They’re easy to make, spectacular to serve, and among the many first issues to fade from the buffet.

Brussels sprouts are nice sautéed, roasted, and even deep-fried, however the air fryer provides you the very 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 earlier than serving, you may simply pop them again in for a minute to re-crisp earlier than glazing.

Listed here are my prime three suggestions for making them holiday-worthy.

3 Suggestions for the Greatest Air-Fryer Brussels Sprouts

1. Much less oil is definitely higher. When air-frying, about one tablespoon of oil per pound of Brussels sprouts is loads. Utilizing extra would not make them crisper—in actual fact, it will possibly trigger extra oil to drip, burn, and smoke earlier than the greens are even completed. That results in disagreeable smells, potential alarm beeps, and common Thanksgiving panic. A small quantity of oil, although, creates completely crisp, deeply caramelized sprouts with nutty, toasty notes.

2. Costume with a pomegranate glaze for distinction. Thanksgiving tables are sometimes crammed with creamy, wealthy, and salty dishes like mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, candy potatoes, and gravy. A brilliant glaze brings steadiness not simply to the sprouts however to the meal as a complete. The nutty caramelization of the sprouts meets the sweet-tart zing of pomegranate molasses, which cuts by the richness and brightens the palate.

3. Glaze your sprouts proper earlier than serving. As soon as your Brussels sprouts are completely crispy, do not rush to glaze them. Wait till simply earlier than serving so as to add the glaze, so the sprouts keep crunchy and shiny and don’t flip soggy. A closing sprinkle of contemporary pomegranate seeds provides extra sweet-tart taste, a crunchy texture, and delightful shade.

With crisp edges, a shiny glaze, and brilliant, tangy taste, these Brussels sprouts are a holiday-worthy facet that may come along with weeknight-level effort.