Okay, okay. I know I’ve said this before, but THIS is probably my favorite of all the recipes we’ve created. This recipe recreates one of our favorite dishes at one of our favorite Philly spots, using one of our favorite ingredients and one of our favorite kitchen gadgets. So, it’s no wonder I’m obsessed with this recipe.

If you live in or anywhere near Philadelphia and haven’t experienced Sampan‘s Brussels sprouts—stop reading right now and get yourself there! Actually, wait until 4-7 PM, when you can experience their amazing happy hour, when their Brussels are only $5!! Two orders for me, plz.

Below is our preferred method for recreating these Asian-inspired Brussels sprouts from home. But honestly, this recipe is pretty flexible. If you don’t have fish sauce on hand or just aren’t about that fish sauce life, you can sub with more coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce. If you don’t like spicy, definitely go easy on the Sriracha.

One thing that is not flexible about this recipe is the cook time and temp on the Brussels sprouts. The crispiness is essential to nailing this recipe and getting the full (delicious) effect. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can roast the Brussels sprouts in the oven at 400ºF for 60 minutes, tossing every 20 minutes, with about 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Don’t let not having an air fryer keep you from experiencing these Brussels!

Sampan Copycat: Air Fried Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, outer leaves removed, and halved
• 2 tbsp fish sauce; we used Red Boat Vietnamese Extra Virgin Fish Sauce.
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or reduced sodium soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp Sriracha (or less if you don’t like spicy)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• extra virgin olive oil spray

Instructions:

1. Add prepared Brussels sprouts to the basket of your air fryer in a single layer, and lightly spray with olive oil spray.
2. Air fry Brussels at 400ºF for 20 minutes (trust us), tossing every 5 minutes.
3. When Brussels have about 5-10 minutes remaining, add remaining ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Allow sauce to reduce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add fried Brussels to a large mixing bowl. Pour sauce over Brussels and toss until evenly coated.

Yield: 2-4 servings

91 calories per serving • Fat: 0.6g • Carbohydrates: 18.9g • Protein: 4.9g
*Nutrition information based on 4 servings.