Holiday Brussels Sprouts
Gone are the days of overcooked brussels sprouts that stink up your kitchen! This is a quick and simple just-how-a-holiday-side-dish-should-be preparation that shows Brussels in all their modern glory. Of course, you can make these whenever you want, but I encourage you to slide them into your holiday menu rotation because they are super easy and deliver top notch flavor. Laced with perfectly crisp edges while still maintaining an al dente bite (and their gorgeous bright green color), they really pop after a final squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Two important things to note: To ensure the sprouts get a good char, don’t overcrowd the pan. I make them in two batches to make sure they brown well. (They cook fast, so this won’t take long.) The other thing worth mentioning is that I don’t wash the sprouts before cooking because the excess moisture causes them to steam instead of crisp, and we don’t want that!
Holiday Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Place the Brussels sprouts in a medium mixing bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss together until all the sprouts are well coated.
- In a small bowl, add the vinegar and maple syrup and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high until very hot. Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then add half the Brussels sprouts, quickly turning them so their cut sides face down in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until charred and crisp, then flip over to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until browned.
- Drizzle about half the sauce over the vegetables and toss together one final time, making sure to coat everything evenly. Cook for another 30 seconds.
- Transfer the sprouts to a serving dish and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, Brussels sprouts, and sauce, then transfer the second batch to the dish with the first. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over them and serve immediately or cover loosely with foil to keep warm if you’re finishing a second batch in the pan.
Holiday Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Place the Brussels sprouts in a medium mixing bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss together until all the sprouts are well coated.
- In a small bowl, add the vinegar and maple syrup and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high until very hot. Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then add half the Brussels sprouts, quickly turning them so their cut sides face down in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until charred and crisp, then flip over to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until browned.
- Drizzle about half the sauce over the vegetables and toss together one final time, making sure to coat everything evenly. Cook for another 30 seconds.
- Transfer the sprouts to a serving dish and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, Brussels sprouts, and sauce, then transfer the second batch to the dish with the first. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over them and serve immediately or cover loosely with foil to keep warm if you’re finishing a second batch in the pan.