how to cook Brussel sprouts (2)

5 ways of cooking Brussel sprouts

Brussel sprouts are healthy little cabbages you have probably seen in the market but didn’t want to experiment with cooking. Whether you don’t know how to cook Brussel sprouts or you want to make your sprouts less bitter or soggy, here are the main ways to cook them:

  • in the oven
  • on the stove
  • pan fried
  • on the grill
  • on the stalk

How to cook Brussel sprouts in the oven

I will share with you my favorite way of cooking Brussel sprouts in the oven. This is what you need to do:

Trim and chop Brussels sprouts, then remove any dry or woody stems at the bottom of the sprouts. Then, cut the larger ones in halves and keep the smaller one’s whole. If you buy Brussel sprouts of similar size, you don’t need to cut them.

Spice up the sprouts. Drizzle some olive oil and a healthy amount of salt and pepper.

Lay Brussel sprouts on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Make sure you place them with their cut sides facing down. This way you will get a nice brown color on the cut sides of the sprouts.

Then it is time to bake them. Let the oven heat up to 425F, then put the sheet pan into the oven and bake for around 25 minutes, until the Brussel sprouts are golden brown around the edges. 

How to cook Brussel sprouts on the stove?

You can make several types of dishes with Brussels Sprouts such as soup, grilled veggies, salad, boiled, or fried and roasted.

Put Brussel sprouts in the pot and sprinkle a pinch of salt in the pot, pour boiling water over it, cover with the lid, let it boil, and cook for about 5-10 minutes. When you try to cut them and the knife passes easily, but they still feel firm to the touch you can take them out.

Fried or roasted Brussels Sprouts– you can roast Brussels Sprouts for the main dish as well as a side dish or salad. Usually, as ingredients, you can use bacon, parmesan, vinegar, carrots, potatoes, and garlic.

How to Steam Brussels Sprouts in pot with Steamer Basket

Get a few liters of water to a boil in the bottom of a pot and place the steamer over Put cleaned and cut brussels sprouts in your steamer basket, let it boil, cover, and steam until tender to the touch, it takes time about 5 minutes.

How to cook frozen Brussel sprouts on the stove?

Frozen brussels sprouts are just as nutritious as fresh and they are best when they’re crispy and not soggy, they give you a lot more flexibility with your meal planning!

First of all, put the frozen Brussel sprouts on a pot lined with baking paper (it is very important not to defrost them first!) Drizzle with oil and some spices you prefer and bake in the oven or pot until crispy. 

How to cook Brussel sprouts in a pan?

Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts (Sautéed Brussels Sprouts – Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts)

 All of these terms refer to the same way of cooking the Brussels sprouts with oil in a larger skillet and over high heat. There are basic ingredients, the recipe preparation is very straightforward, and the results can be exceptional.

 That is an easy and quick way to make with just a few ingredients, preparing the Brussel sprouts in a pan creates just as beautiful a taste and excellent texture. The sprouts get crispy and caramelized on the outside while getting and jet fully cooked and tender on the inside

Directions on cooking Brussel Sprouts in pan on right way

  1. To start, you need to prep by washing the sprouts. You can cut Brussel sprouts by first cutting off the stems and then slicing them in half.
  2. If you make some plans in advance, recommend doing this step 2-3 days before you start to cook.
  3. You can use both olive oil and butter
  4. Add the sliced garlic and pan fry the garlic just enough to  get a golden brown color (garlic will be used to garnish the dish)
  5. Prepared Brussel sprouts and place them cut-side down on the pan
  6. You must stir frequently and be careful not to overcook

How to cook Brussel sprouts on the grill

You’ve decided to use a grill to prepare Brussel sprouts? Good for you! This way they won’t just be super delicious and juicy but they will also keep all the vitamins and minerals you need.

Of course, eating fresh fruits and vegetables is always the best option but if you prefer them cooked, then choosing a grill is a smart idea. 

Here are some benefits of grilling vegetables:

  • You will use less fat
  • Vegetables will be more nutritious
  • You will get tastier vegetables

I know many people who claimed that they can’t stand Brussel sprouts but they didn’t try to grill them. Guess what? After preparing them this way, they changed their mind. 

Is cooking brussel sprouts on the grill a long and demanding process? Not at all! Check these simple steps:

  1. Wash them
  2. Get them blanched in salted water
  3. Spice them up
  4. Throw them on the grill

When you blanch, make sure that you are really blanching and not cooking them because you don’t want them to fall apart while grilling. This process shouldn’t last more than 4 minutes. After blanching, vegetables will keep their natural color and texture. 

Talking about spices is a little bit of an ungrateful topic since the choice of spices mostly depends on personal preferences. For me, olive oil, salt, and pepper are a must. But you can also add onion and garlic powder.

The grill should be well-heated previously and it will take about 10 minutes to be done. Once it’s done, you can serve it as a side dish to pork chops or chicken.

How to cook Brussel sprouts on the stalk

Have you ever wondered how those “mini cabbages” grow? The Brussel sprouts plant actually looks weird. There is a central stalk with mini cabbage heads in the axils of the leaves. It reminds me of a short version of palm trees. Sprouts are grouped in clusters along the stalk. 

Did you know that you can cook it on the stalk? Sounds attractive, doesn’t it? Besides having a different, better taste, Brussel sprouts will also look more decorative when you serve them in this unusual way. 

The largeness of the stalk may make you think that it is complicated to prepare it this way but in fact, it is even simpler because you won’t need to trim each sprout separately.

brussel sprouts on a stock

The first step would be to rinse and dry the whole stalk. After cleaning, place it on a baking sheet. You can cut it into pieces if it doesn’t fit. Before putting it in the oven, add some olive oil, salt, and pepper.   

Cooked this way, brussel sprouts taste sweeter since they age slowlier when they arrive on the stalk. You can serve it without cutting, just place the whole stalk at the center of the table. Pretty cool, isn’t it?

How to shop Brussel sprouts

You can find them on farmer’s markets, mostly available on the stalk. Look for bright green heads, smaller ones, firm and heavy for their size. Avoid brussels sprouts with yellow leaves or black spots.

How to store Brussel sprouts

If you buy Brussel sprouts on the stalk, cut them off before storing them. Put the Brussel sprouts in an uncovered bowl in the refrigerator. Brussel sprouts will be at their best within the first few days, but they can last a few weeks if you keep them in the refrigerator.

How to make Brussel sprouts less bitter

Before I share with you how to make Brussels sprouts less bitter, you need to know a few things about them. 

This vegetable is full of nutrition, it is full of vitamin C, iron, B-vitamins, and fiber, but it can taste a bit bitter. That bitterness makes this vegetable less popular than other vegetables. 

Brussel sprouts are very easy to cook, and there is a way to cook this dish so it will be less bitter. Here are three tips how to make brussel sprouts less bitter:

Cut sprouts in half – Most of the bitterness is released during the cooking process, and since it is concentrated in the middle of the sprouts cutting it in half will release that bitterness.

Add a little bit of brown sugar and wine – Just add brown sugar while cooking it and splash it with white wine, that will reduce the bitterness.

Boil the sprouts – This is not my favorite method, because boiling vegetables will destroy a large amount of all good in sprouts, but if you can’t tolerate bitterness use this method. 

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