Easy Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Why You Need This Recipe

This is a quick and easy stovetop side dish. It’s always great to have sides that don’t require the oven because so often other dishes also need to roast. You can wait until the rest of the meal is almost finished before you make these brussels sprouts.

They have so much flavor! The combination of honey, whole grain mustard and balsamic vinegar gives the brussels sprouts this wonderful mix of savory with a hint of sweet. There’s no need for butter or bacon. They have a lot of personality, but you can serve them with all sorts of different main dishes.

The Ingredients

This is what you need:

• Brussels sprouts are members of the Brassica family along with cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kale. Fresh sprouts have tightly packed green leaves without any yellow or brown spots.
• Honey adds something sweet to balance out the savory flavors. If you are vegan, you can substitute with maple syrup.
• Mustard: My preference is whole grain mustard that isn’t stoneground. I like the texture and being able to see the actual mustard seeds.
• Balsamic vinegar adds its tart taste while giving the sauce acid and helping it glaze the sprouts.
• Olive oil: Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
• Garlic: You just need 1 minced clove in this recipe.
• Red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper season the brussels sprouts.
• Parsley: For fresh herbs, I garnish the sautéed sprouts with chopped parsley.
• Parmesan: I also finish the brussels sprouts with grated Parmesan cheese, which adds umami flavor. Vegans can sprinkle on nutritional yeast instead.

Optional Additions & Recipe Variations

Nuts: You can add toasted nuts such as pine nuts, chopped walnuts or almonds. Add them with the Parmesan and parsley at the end.

Lemon juice: This recipe is a great starting point. If you want to do something different than the honey mustard vinaigrette, you can skip making it, and squeeze fresh lemon juice on the sprouts when they are sautéed.

How To Trim Brussels Sprouts

To prep the brussels sprouts, first pull off any loose or wilted outer leaves. Then use a sharp knife to trim the rough part off the stem end. Slice them in half lengthwise. If you end up with some larger brussels sprouts, cut them lengthwise into thirds instead of just halves.

How To Make Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk the honey, mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Put the brussels sprouts cut side down in the skillet. Wait to do this until the oil is hot and shimmering. Cook the brussels sprouts for 5-7 minutes until they brown and caramelize. Don’t touch or move the sprouts.

4. Flip them over and stir them around. Continue sautéing for another 5-7 minutes until the brussels sprouts are tender.

5. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in the final 30 seconds to 1 minute of cooking.

6. Remove the skillet from the heat and drizzle in the honey mustard vinaigrette. Stir everything together. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

Serving

These brussels sprouts are best served warm right after you finish cooking them. Pair them with my Dry Rubbed Turkey Breast or other proteins like salmon or steak. I also love them stirred into pasta or cooked grains like barley, farro and brown rice.

Leftovers & Storing

If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container up to 4 days. Either eat them cold in a salad or warm them in skillet over medium heat. They won’t have as much bite or crisp edges as when you first cooked them. Another way to rewarm them is in a 350-degree F oven.