Brussel Sprouts Side Dish
Why is it that brussel sprouts side dishes at restaurants are always so much better than the ones I make at home? Maybe it’s because they are mostly flash fried, a task I haven’t ventured to attempt in my kitchen. Either way, I’m on a mission to make a comparable brussel sprouts side dish, and this is the closest I have come. Sure, brussel sprouts are good and all, but what makes the side dish stand apart at so many different restaurants are the additional ingredients and toppings. I personally love to combine my favorite fall flavors with this in season vegetable, so I added apples, pecans, and some maple syrup to bring some extra love to this dish. It is the perfect addition to a dinner spread, especially Thanksgiving. Personally, I’m attending a vegetarian Friendsgiving and this will be my addition to the party.
This dish also doesn’t require a ton of time or effort, making it my favorite type of Thanksgiving recipe. To make, you will need one key piece of kitchen equipment. My end all be all favorite tool I own: the cast iron skillet. This tool is incredibly useful for this recipe because it gives the brussel sprouts that nice char and then is equipped to pop right in the oven to finish off the cooking. No one, and I mean no one, likes a soggy and soft brussel sprout. Those are the ones from the 70s that my mom grew up on and the obvious reason why everyone hated them. With the reinvention and popularity of this vegetable, one thing is clear: they must have some crisp to them. With that being said, here is how we’re going to get that result.
First, cut off the stems of your brussel sprout and then slice them into quarters, or halves if they are not too large. Chop the apple into small ¼ inch pieces and place them in a bowl with the chopped brussel sprouts. Add some maple syrup (I used vanilla bourbon maple syrup for this recipe and it was an incredible addition) and avocado oil to this mixture and season with salt and pepper. Combine this mixture well and place your cast iron skillet over high heat. Once the skillet is hot (extremely important!!) add in the mixture. Allow the ingredients to sear on the skillet by cooking over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, resisting the urge to toss. Begin to toss the ingredients and sauté a bit while chopping up the pecans. Add the pecans on top of the mixture and remove it from the stovetop. Now that the exteriors are nicely charred, you are going to utilize the oven to cook the remainder of the brussel sprouts.
Personally, this is the type of instance I prefer to use my countertop toaster oven. It heats up extremely fast, is small enough to get the cooking done at a quicker pace, and large enough to fit my skillet. Pop the skillet in the toaster oven at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes and allow the brussel sprouts to fully cook through. Remove from the oven and serve hot alongside your Thanksgiving spread!
To fully walk you through this process and to show you how simple this dish is to make, I created an IGTV episode with a full cooking tutorial.
Brussel Sprouts and Apples Side Dish
ingredients:
- Brussel sprouts (4 cups)
- Pink lady apple (1)
- Pecans (1/2 cup)
- Maple syrup (2 tablespoons)
- Avocado oil (1 tablespoon)
- Salt
- Pepper
instructions:
How to cook Brussel Sprouts and Apples Side Dish
- Cut of the stems of the brussel sprout and cut into quarters
- Cut the apple into ¼ inch pieces
- Toss the chopped apple and brussel sprouts in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, and salt and pepper
- Add the mixture to a hot skillet
- Allow the ingredients to sear and char on the skillet by cooking on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, resisting the urge to over toss
- Chop the pecans and place on top of the mixture
- Place the skillet in the oven at 425 degrees for around 10 minutes to allow the mixture to fully cook through
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Soy Free
- Vegetarian
- Vegan