Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (2024)

  • Vegetable Sides
  • Frying
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Thanksgiving Side Dishes
  • Christmas Sides

By

J. Kenji López-Alt

Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (1)

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated August 30, 2018

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Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • Deep frying Brussels sprouts is a sure-fire cooking technique that brings out the best flavor with a crispy outside.
  • Not overcrowding the fryer and maintaining oil temperature ensures crisp and tender Brussels sprouts, not greasy or undercooked.

Before you continue reading, may I kindly suggest you do the following in order to save yourself some time in the future: Drop what you are doing right now, and shoot an email to all of your Thanksgiving guests informing them of the menu change you are about to make. This year, you will be frying your Brussels sprouts.

I apologize for the imperative tone of the first paragraph of this post—normally I'd strongly suggest or heartily endorse a recipe. In this case, however, the results are incredible enough that not only do I think you should try it, I insistthat you do. I take full responsibility if you aren't completely blown away by how tasty the results are.

Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (3)

The first time I tried deep fried Brussels sprouts was in Austin, Texas. First in the form of asalad sopped with aromatics and a fried steam bunat Paul Qui'sEast Side King, shortly followed by the awesomely addictive and well-lovedfried Brussels sprouts with lemon chili at Uchi.

Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (4)

When you fry them, Brussels sprouts become everything you love about Brussels sprouts with none of their downsides: the nutty aroma, the mildly sweet flavor, the just-tender-but-still-crisp interior. Couple that with the crisply frizzled edges and tiny pockets perfect for coating in a sweet-tart sauce, and you've got the perfect recipe for a Thanksgiving flavor-bomb.

Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (5)

The key to perfectly fried Brussels sprouts is to use enough oil,and to work in batches. The goal is to get the exteriors to brown and frizzle just as the interiors barely finish cooking. If you try and add too many sprouts at once or you don't use enough oil, the temperature will drop and your sprouts will end up overcooking by the time they crisp properly, leaving you with soft, greasy centers. Here's some additional information on how to deep fry at home without a deep fryer.

But honestly, it's a pretty foolproof technique, especially compared to other stove-top methods like searing or pan-roasting, which require a careful eye and constant attention to ensure that they're cooking at the right rate. With deep fried sprouts, all you gotta do is heat your oil, dump your sprouts in, and wait.

Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (6)

A few minutes later, they emerge.Crisp, golden brown, and glistening.Want to get extra fancy? Throw a few sliced shallots in there with' em. They frizzle up in about the same time, becoming as sweet and aromatic as the best onion ring. You can eat everything as-is with just some salt and pepper, but I like tossing them in the followinghoney and balsamic vinegar.

The best part is that deep-frying conforms perfectly to my philosophy of using as many different cooking methods as possible on Thanksgiving day (or any other big meal) in order to make sure that food isn't fighting for oven or pan space. The sprouts fry up easily in the time it takes the turkey to rest.

Recipe Details

Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe

Active20 mins

Total20 mins

Serves8to 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons honey

  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

  • 2 quarts vegetable, canola, or peanut oil

  • 3 poundsBrussels sprouts, stems trimmed, outer leaves removed, split in half

  • 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Combine honey, balsamic vinegar, and parsley in a small bowl and set aside.

  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels. In a 14-inch wok or 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil to 400°F. Add half of Brussels sprouts and half of shallots. Oil temperature will drop to around 325°F. Adjust heat to maintain this temperature. Cook, stirring and agitating with a metal spider (a small metal strainer that has a long handle) until Brussels sprouts are deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheet. Reheat oil to 400°F and repeat with remaining sprouts and shallots.

    Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (7)

  3. Transfer sprouts and shallots to a large bowl and add dressing. Toss to combine, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Special Equipment

deep fryer, 6-quart Dutch oven, or 14-inch wok, spider

This Recipe Appears In

  • The Food Lab: My Favorite Brussels Sprouts Recipes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
210Calories
15g Fat
18g Carbs
4g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8to 10
Amount per serving
Calories210
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g19%
Saturated Fat 3g13%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 126mg5%
Total Carbohydrate 18g7%
Dietary Fiber 4g15%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 88mg439%
Calcium 58mg4%
Iron 2mg11%
Potassium 502mg11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Fried Brussels Sprouts With Shallots, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to boil brussel sprouts before frying? ›

However, it's not always necessary but we think it works here to create a soft middle and crisp exterior in the pan. It also allows for good flavour as the salted water in which they are boiled seasons them and the pan frying in butter gives delicious nutty buttery flavour, of course.

Why won't my brussel sprouts get crispy? ›

Roast the Brussels Sprouts at high heat

If you don't hear them crisping up in the oven, add a little more oil and roast them for a few more minutes until your desire crispiness is achieved!

What gives brussel sprouts a better taste? ›

Over the last twenty years, farmers have mellowed the "unpleasant" flavor of Brussels sprouts by breeding a vegetable that contains fewer bitter compounds or glucosinolates. So, Brussels sprouts just taste better than they used to when we were kids. The rub is that glucosinolates help protect sprouts against pests.

Do you need to soak brussel sprouts before cooking? ›

Don't soak sprouts before cooking them, they don't need it. Rinse before cooking, and if you want to store them ready-prepped but them in a reusable bag or container in the fridge.

Do you need to blanch brussel sprouts before frying? ›

In order to get the crispiest possible Brussel sprouts, you should blanch them quickly and then let them dry before frying them. As you know, oil and water do not mix. If you flash fry a wet Brussel sprout, you will have the oil spitting at you like crazy.

Should you cut brussel sprouts in half before cooking? ›

To maximize the flat areas, which get the most crispy surface area, cut your Brussels sprouts in half. If your Brussels sprouts are very small, you can leave them whole (and if they are very large, quarter them).

Why are restaurant brussel sprouts so good? ›

Brussel sprouts are roasted in lots of oil, then topped with pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and honey. It's that sweet, fatty, cheesy combo that makes it taste good!

What season is best for brussel sprouts? ›

A slow-growing, long-bearing crop, Brussels sprouts should be planted in early spring, or mid- to late summer for a crop that matures in the fall. The small heads mature best in cool and even in light frosty weather. Spring planting is also fine in cooler climates.

Do you cook brussel sprouts face up or down? ›

You cut the sprouts in half, toss in olive oil, salt and pepper, and then arrange them cut-side-down on the hot-hot sheet. Use tongs! Move fast. Then they'll roast for 20-25 minutes, until deeply browned.

Why do brussel sprouts taste bad sometimes? ›

Because PTC is prevalent in Brussels sprouts, these so-called "Supertasters" perceive them as intensely bitter. This is all connected to a taste-related gene called TAS2R38, which has a variant called AVI and one called PAV.

What pairs well with brussel sprouts? ›

When we think about which meats go with Brussels sprouts, bacon usually comes to mind first. Upgrade that to prosciutto, add poultry and fish to the list, and leave room on the menu for steak.

What does brussel sprouts do for your body? ›

Eating a lot of Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous veggies may help protect against cancers of the stomach, lungs, kidney, breast, bladder, and prostate. Crunchy veggies like Brussels sprouts may also help you stave off other health issues, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.

Can you eat too much brussel sprouts? ›

Although a healthy vegetable, consuming too many Brussels sprouts can be unsuitable for people on anticoagulants since it contains vitamin K, which results in blood clotting. Another issue with consuming Brussels sprouts excessively is that it can lead to gas and bloating.

Why do my brussel sprouts smell bad before cooking? ›

Brussel sprouts normally only smell after you cook them, so toss out any that have any strong odors while they're still raw. When you cook brussel sprouts, it's normal if they have a slight scent of sulfur. Compounds breaking down in the leaves during cooking release the smell.

Can we have sprouts without boiling? ›

Your body might not be able to absorb all the nutrients of the seeds in raw form. So, its advised to cook sprouts as it makes the nutrients more accessible to the body.

Do we need to boil sprouts? ›

Boiling them renders them easier to digest, making the nutrient-rich sprouts more tolerable for sensitive digestive systems. Additionally, the boiling process significantly reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses associated with raw sprouts, ensuring safer consumption.

Should you boil brussel sprouts before grilling? ›

First, you blanch the sprouts in boiling salted water, and then you coat them in a mixture of olive oil, celery salt, onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper before charring them lightly on the grill. Another toss in the seasoned oil, and they're ready to eat.

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