These sweet & spicy Hot Honey Brussels sprouts are hands down the best way to eat sprouts! Finished off with a sprinkle of feta, they make the perfect side dish to almost any meal.
I get it – sprouts aren’t everyone’s favourite. They’ve got a bit of a reputation, haven’t they? For many, the memory of soggy, overcooked sprouts with that strong cabbage smell still lingers.
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But trust me, this recipe will win over even the biggest sprout dodgers. These hot honey Brussels sprouts are roasted with hot honey and oil until they’re sweet, crispy, and utterly irresistible, then topped with a sprinkle of salty feta – they’re absolutely delicious!
I’ve included instructions for both oven and air fryer methods, so you can choose what works best for you!
They make an ideal side dish for lots of meals, we love to pair them with these crispy air fryer pork belly slices & hasselback potatoes, or with some fish like sea bass and air-fried roast potatoes.
Can’t get enough of sprouts? You will also love these pan-fried sprouts with bacon & garlic too!
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🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make these hot honey Brussels sprouts. To find out how to make them allergy-friendly, simply scroll down to the section below this one.
✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋
- Brussels sprouts - Give them a good wash, trim off any extra stalk, and remove any brown leaves. Fresh sprouts are best, but if you’ve only got frozen, check the FAQ at the bottom of the post for tips on how to use them.
- Hot Honey – You can buy this ready-made or easily make your own by mixing honey with red pepper (chilli) flakes – it’s so simple!
- Olive Oil – This is combined with the honey to coat the sprouts.
- Feta (optional) – I say optional, but adding feta will elevate your sprouts! The salty flavour brings a whole new dimension.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🥜 How Can I Make This Dish Allergy Friendly?
- ✔️ Make It Dairy-Free: The feta is optional so you can either leave it out or use a dairy-free option. Violife do a dairy-free Greek-style cheese that you can pick up in most major supermarkets.
⚡ Variations & Substitutions
🍯 Honey: This can be swapped out for maple syrup & the dish will then become vegan. (Providing you don’t add the feta cheese)
🧀Cheese: Not a fan of feta? Finely grated parmesan tastes delicious grated over the top before serving, whilst the sprouts are still hot.
✏️ How to Make Hot Honey Brussels sprouts
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: Start by preheating your oven to 200˚C Fan / 220˚C / 425˚F or your air fryer to 180˚C / 350˚F.
Step 2: Next, prepare the Brussels sprouts by removing any tough stalks and peeling off any brown or damaged outer leaves. Then, slice each sprout in half lengthways.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, a pinch of red pepper (chilli) flakes, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Add the sprouts to the bowl and toss until all the sprouts are evenly coated.
Step 4: To roast in the oven: Arrange the sprouts cut side down in a single layer on a non-stick or lined baking tray. This helps them caramelise and crisp up on the cut side.
Roast them for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through so they cook evenly and get nice and golden brown on the outside.
To air fry: Place the sprouts cut side down in the air fryer basket, in a single layer. If you have a smaller air fryer, you might need to cook them in batches for the best results.
Air fry for 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to help them crisp up evenly.
Step 5: Once cooked, sprinkle over the feta cheese while the sprouts are still hot, allowing it to melt slightly into the dish. Serve immediately and enjoy!
💡 Lauren's Tips
- ✔️ Spread Them Out: Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on the tray with the cut side down, leaving room between them so they’re not overcrowded. This will help them to crisp up nicely,
- ✔️ Adjust the Heat: If you're making the hot honey yourself, you can adjust the spice level to suit your taste. Add more chilli flakes for extra heat, or less for a milder version.
- ✔️ Drizzle After Cooking: For maximum flavour, save a little of the hot honey to drizzle over the sprouts once they are cooked.
🥡 Storage
The sprouts taste best when eaten straight away, as this is when they will be crispy but still have the stickiness of the honey coating them. However, you can store them and reheat them later if you need to, just don’t add the feta until after reheating.
Once cool, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. They are best reheated in either the oven for 5-8 mins or the air fryer for 3-5 mins at 170˚C/340˚F until warm and crispy. Reheating them in the microwave will make them turn soggy.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can, but fresh ones are definitely better if you can get hold of them. When I tested the recipe with frozen sprouts, the outsides browned and crisped up nicely, but the insides turned out a bit mushy – that’s down to the extra water in frozen sprouts.
Here’s a little tip: if you’re using frozen sprouts, cut them in half about halfway through cooking to help them crisp up more evenly.
Of course! Reduce or skip the chilli flakes in the hot honey and add a touch of lemon juice to keep the flavour balanced.
⚡ More Vegetable Side Dishes
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Hot Honey Brussels sprouts
Equipment
- Air Fryer optional
Ingredients
- 400 g ( 1lb) Brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoon Hot honey or use normal honey + chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon red pepper (chilli) flakes if using normal honey
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 50 g (¼cup) feta crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C Fan / 220˚C / 425˚F or air fryer (if required) to 180˚C / 350˚F.
- Remove any excess stalks and brown leaves from the sprouts, then slice each sprout in half lengthways.
- In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, honey, red pepper (chilli) flakes and salt & pepper.
- Add the Brussels sprouts and stir until they are all coated in the honey mixture.
To Roast In The Oven
- Place the sprouts cut side down in a single layer on a non-stick baking tray and roast for 20-25 minutes until they turn crispy on the outside. Flip the sprouts halfway through cooking, so they cook evenly.
To Air Fry
- Place face down in a single layer in the air fryer basket (cook in batches if necessary) and cook for 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking.
- Sprinkle over the feta cheese just before serving, while the sprouts are still hot.
Notes
- Spread Them Out: Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on the tray with the cut side down, leaving room between them so they’re not overcrowded. This will help them to crisp up nicely,
- Adjust the Heat: If you're making the hot honey yourself, you can adjust the spice level to suit your taste. Add more chilli flakes for extra heat, or less for a milder version.
- Drizzle After Cooking: For maximum flavour, save a little of the hot honey to drizzle over the sprouts once they are cooked.
Sandra says
I tried these with your pork belly cooked in the air fryer and it went down very well with my husband.
Lauren Woodger says
Glad to hear he loved them! The pork belly is one of my favourites too 🙂