How to saute Brussel Sprouts

Delicious Stove top Brussel Sprouts

As my blog is taking form, I find that my passion for food and writing about the foods I love is what's driving it right now. We simply love brussel sprouts made SO many different ways. This particular post is how to saute in a pan on the stove (there are times the oven is in use at a different temperature and I want to do these on the stove real quick). The only brussel sprouts that taste awful or are a severe disappointment are the ones that are not cooked through.

These are the basics and you can really do a variety of little tweaks to give it a different twist. If you are a fan of bacon - adding a small amount of bacon bits is one good idea. For this post I am keeping it vegetarian and vegan but feel free to experiment slightly. You can also optionally add a small amount of balsamic vinegar at the end, that gives a nice sweet tangy taste. I admit I love them in all variations including on the cleaner plain side with simply garlic, salt and pepper as well.

Unfortunately EVERY time I buy brussel sprouts they are different sizes, so you are going to have to use a little bit of judgement on the cook time. I would say I made this batch with about medium sized veggies but have encountered some pretty large ones at other times.

As you are preparing your brussel sprouts, trim of the ends which will allow the outer, loose leaves to fall out. (I'm remembering I need to post a "brussel sprouts chips recipe" made from the loose leaves that I used to make for my son when he was 2) Cut the brussel sprouts into halves.

Trim ends and cut brussel sprouts in halves

Heat a flat wide pan with the oil on medium heat and make sure to arrange the brussel sprouts in a single layer with the cut side down. Add the salt, pepper, garlic and water and allow the water to cook off without turning them over or mixing. The goal is to cook the brussel sprouts slightly and then brown that cut side. You can peep at one a few minutes after the water has cooked off to see that it has browned. Once the underneath has browned you start to flip and mix them to get other sides to roughly brown and cook until desired softness. We prefer them cooked through but still a bit crunchy - cook for longer times or add a little more water if you prefer them softer. If you opt to add the balsamic vinegar then drizzle this over the brussel sprouts at the end.

Single layer brussel sprouts browning the cut side first

This can be served as a side to many dishes - we had this specific batch on the side of oven baked salmon wrapped in foil.

How to saute Brussel Sprouts

Yield ~ 3 side servings

Prep Time ~ 5 min

Cook Time ~ 17 - 20 min

Ingredients

• 12 oz brussel sprouts (ends trimmed and cut in halves)

• 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 2 clove garlic (crushed or pressed)

• 1/8 cup water

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

Method

1. Heat a wide flat non stick pan on medium heat and add the olive oil.

2. Add brussel sprouts in a single layer with the cut side of the halves facing down (see pic above)

3. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic and add water

4. Allow the water to cook off and the brussel sprouts to start browning underneath ~10 min -12 min. Feel free to flip one over and check.

5. Flip the brussel sprouts and allow to cook for another 4 min - 5 min until fully cooked through and desired softness is reached. This will depend on the size and the brussel sprout itself, so you have to check. Mix occasionally.

6. Once cooked, drizzle with balsamic vinegar as an option and serve. (Or serve without balsamic vinegar if you would like a cleaner taste)

*This is a base saute recipe - have some fun experimenting with bacon bits, parmesan etc.

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