I spent too many years not eating Brussels sprouts because for too many years before that, I was eating baaad Brussels sprouts.ย Brussels sprouts are essentially tiny cabbages.ย They’re nutrient dense and very farty – a vegetable to be respected.
There was a time maybe seven years ago when Brussels sprouts had their glow up.ย We were collectively obsessed and collectively shocked by our obsession.ย This was the time before we were turning cauliflower into both rice and steak. Listen, every hot veggie gets their time.ย But Brussels sprouts, most notably restaurant Brussels sprouts had more of a chokehold on my food brain than I care to admit.ย There was some wizardry that restaurant kitchens performed to get crispy, bright and aggressively salted sprouts.ย Now I realize that wizardry was actually just a deep fryer and of course we love tiny cabbages if they’re fried tiny cabbages!
The offering today, since we’ve reached sweater weather, is how to cook Brussels sprouts that taste as good as deep fried restaurant sprouts without the deep fry or the restaurant.ย We’re making the best home Brussels inspired by The Splendid Table.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the very best Brussels sprouts at home:
โขย a pound of Brussels sprouts, edges trimmed and sliced in half.
โขย 4 tablespoons of olive oil
โขย sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
โขย an acid like lemon juice, red wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar.
โขย parmesan cheese
โขย fresh parsley
โขย extras include: dijon mustard, and brown sugar mixed with your acid.
This recipe for how to cook Brussels sprouts is all about technique.ย The cliffnotes: use a cold pan with a lid and lots of oil to steam and brown the sprouts all at once.
No need to roast or bake the sprouts in the oven. We’re keeping it simple.
First: Trim the stem ends of the sprouts and cut them in half.ย The cut side will create more space for that glorious browning and it’s always nice to see how Mother Nature made a whole ass cabbage to tiny and cute. Admire all the inner layers because vegetables are actually so cool.ย All the little outer leaves that fluff off once the end is trimmed? Save those we’ll cook those, too.
Second: Grab a skillet – a pretty big one with a lid that fits cozy.ย Nonstick isn’t important and I haven’t tried this recipe in cast iron though I suspect it works just fine.ย Pour oil into the cold pan.ย It will feel like a lot of oil and you might be tempted to use less oil but don’t.ย Trust me on this one, ok?ย Add the halved Brussels sprouts to the pan with oil, cut side down in a single layer.ย Sprinkle the little leafy bits on top.ย Put the lid on the pan.
Third: Place the cold pan with oil, Brussels, and the lid over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.ย Don’t lift the lid. Don’t shake the pan – just let it all go. This is where the magic happens.ย The Brussels sprouts will create steam as they cook and that lid is helping them steam to tender all while the oil is heating and browning those little babies to golden.ย After 5-7 minutes, remove the lid, shake the pan around and allow the Brussels to pan fry uncovered for another 5 minutes.ย Test with a fork to ensure the inside is tender.
Fourth: Remove the pan from the heat and toss in salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Be generous. Be very cheffy about it.
I’ll leave the recipe below so you can print it though it’s mostly just folding the technique into your dinner plans.ย This dish is a great veggie side to a chicken dinner but I also eat them on their own over buttery rice.
Friends, let me know if this stovetop technique changed your life like it has mine.ย Dramatic, yes – but sometimes the little things are the big things and I’m still not done celebrating the Brussels Sprout glow up.
Oh wait! If you’re down with the intensity of raw Brussels sprouts, try this Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with pineapple poppy vinaigrette! I mean the fiber alone – we’re healthy and wealthy.
Print
Hereโs How To Make Restaurant Quality Brussels Sprouts At Home
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: Makes 2 large or 4 small portions 1x
- Category: dinner
- Method: baking
Description
The perfect crisp and tender Brussels sprouts. Perfect as a side dish with roasted chicken but also delicious on their own with buttery rice.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and sliced in half
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- juice of half a lemon or splash of red wine vinegar
- chopped fresh parsley
- grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Trim the ends of the sprouts and cut them in half.ย The cut side will create more space for that glorious browning and it’s always nice to see how Mother Nature made a whole ass cabbage to tiny and cute. Admire all the inner layers because vegetables are actually so cool.ย All the little outside leaves that fluff off once the end is trimmed? Save those we’ll cook those, too.
Grab a skillet – a pretty big one that has a lid that fits cozy.ย Nonstick isn’t important and I haven’t tried this recipe in cast iron though I suspect it works just fine.ย Pour oil into the cold pan.ย It will feel like a lot of oil and you might be tempted to use less oil but don’t.ย Trust me on this one, ok?ย Add the halved Brussels sprouts to the pan with oil, cut side down in a single layer.ย Sprinkle the little leafy bits on top.ย Put the lid on the pan.
Place the cold pan with oil, Brussels, and the lid over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.ย Don’t lift the lid. Don’t shake the pan – just let it all go. This is where the magic happens.ย The Brussels sprouts will create steam as they cook and that lid is helping them steam to tender all while the oil is heating and browning those little babies to golden.ย After 5-7 minutes, remove the lid, shake the pan around and allow the Brussels to pan fry uncovered for another 5 minutes.ย Test with a fork for doneness.
Remove the pan from the heat and toss in salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. Be generous. Be very cheffy about it. Optional extras: a spoonful of dijon mustard and brown sugar are glorious additions to the acid.
23 Responses
Just tried this. Amazing results! So much better than roasting. Dijon and brown sugar added another level. This will be my go to recipe for Brussels sprouts!
Another addition after the initial five to seven minute time in the skillet is a coarsely chopped tart apple. So yummy!
I’m absolutely trying that next time I make those sprouts! Thank you, Sharon!
So simple, elegant and flavorful. I used white balsamic vinegar with a little Dijon and brown sugar at the end. Topped it off with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese! This method is genius!
Oh my goodness! This is how to make brussles sprouts. My husband…for the first time ever…loved my brussle sprouts. Will be saving this technique for future. Thank you!!!!
So very good
This dish is amazing and so enjoyable. It is fast and simple for a great weeknight vegetable option.
Enjoy!
Best Brussels sprouts Iโve ever made ! I followed the recipe exactly. Amazing.
The instructions will not print out on this recipe when using the “Print” button. Could this be fixed please? Thanks.
i copied and pasted the recipe to Word, then printed it from there.
Would this recipe travel well? Thinking of making as dish for Thanksgiving but will need to make ahead. Thanks
Delightful!! Made these tonight! Added mustard and since I didnโt have any red wine vinegar or lemon, I subbed a dash of rice vinegar and fish sauce. Weird but got the job done!! Will be making on repeat!!
Currently in my kitchen making this – I never comment on posts but I felt the need to today – this is the best simple brussel sprouts recipe i’ve ever made!! Not surprised since it comes from Joy, but it is stellar!
Made these tonight in a cast iron skillet and they were fabulous! Would use medium heat rather than medium-high only because it heated up so quickly that the smallest Brussels were the smidgiest of smidges burned. Stuck the cast iron in the freezer for 10 minutes before putting it over the heat because I was feelin zesty and it was good af. So tasty! Been following since 2011โthanks for the delicious food over the years through my 20โs.
great, love Brussells and really appreciate not having to deep fry them, or really anything, so thank you!
So happy to know this method! I made these tonight for dinner and they were perfect and delicious! So easy. And faster than roasting. Thank you!!! ??
Ok you posted about this method of making Brussels sprouts on Instagram like a loooong time ago and it changed the way I think about this veg! So happy to have it in a blog post with some extra details so I can share it with everyone I know!
Yeah welcome to the enjoying Brussel Sprouts crowd! Honestly adding cheese to anything will make it more tasty. Or bacon. Bacon, butter, seasonings and cheese are the ways to enjoy a great pan fried Brussel Sprout I think.
Yes! Iโve been making brussel sprouts this way and they are so easy and delicious! I mix the salt with lemon juice and pour on when the sprouts come off the heat. Havenโt added parsley yet, will try soon!
It SOUNDS fabulous. Unfortunately, whenever I try to print it, and I’ve tried several permutations, the instructions do NOT show up. Not helpful. How can this be fixed, please and thank you.
No, I haven’t made these yet, BUT, I can tell they are going to be fabulous. I will be adding the sprinkle of brown sugar with the generous squeeze of lemon juice. The technique sounds amazing. Thank you!!!
Another fabulous easy recipe! Joy, do you know how I could make these with this cooking method but changing the flavor up with balsamic to get a sweeter version too? Thank you!
Yes! Joy!! A couple years (??) ago you posted something very similar to this on Instagram and it has been my go-to way to make Brussels since then. In that post, I believe you suggested putting salt in lemon juice and tossing the sprouts in it and they were oh-so-delicious. Thank you for memorializing this recipe in an official post with additional suggestions.