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

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

If you want your roasted Brussels sprouts to be seriously crispy, you need to crank up the heat. Roasting at a low temperature won't allow them to brown properly, so you want to get that oven nice and hot before tossing in your baking sheet. Follow this tip: Roast Brussels sprouts at a minimum of 400°F.

What takes the bitterness out of brussel sprouts? ›

The sweetness works with the bitterness, and the sugar helps to caramelize the sprouts and bring out their own sweetness. A bit of brown sugar will also work. Acid can be useful as well. A splash of lemon juice, or even apple cider vinegar, works wonders on bitter sprouts.

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 do you soak brussel sprouts before cooking? ›

The soak time tenderizes the sprouts so the middles are softer. Don't worry, they won't be soggy! I would never do that to you. If, like me, you don't mind some chew to your sprouts, you don't need to soak the Brussels sprouts prior to cooking.

How does Rachael Ray cook brussel sprouts? ›

Season with salt and pepper. Cook Brussels sprouts 2 to 3 minutes to begin to soften, then add broth. Bring broth to a bubble, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 10 minutes, until tender.

Should brussel sprouts be blanched 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.

When not to use brussel sprouts? ›

If any of the leaves have brown spots or are yellowing, it's a sign of early spoilage. If you remove the blemished leaves and the interior looks OK, you can still use the sprout. However, if the interior leaves are also showing blemishes or yellowing, it's best to toss it (or compost it, if you can).

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.

What season is best for brussel sprouts? ›

Growing Brussels sprouts requires cool weather. They are a slow-growing, long-bearing crop that grows best in cooler regions, or in early spring or fall.

Is it better to roast brussel sprouts whole or cut in half? ›

Place the sprouts cut-side down: Trim and halve the sprouts and roast them with their cut side against the baking sheet. The cut side will caramelize beautifully while the outer leaves crisp. Keep the leaves: Don't discard the outer leaves that fall away as you cut the sprouts.

What makes brussel sprouts taste good? ›

Be sure to start with a hot oven to help the sprouts crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Brown is good. If you've never cooked Brussels sprouts this way, at first glance you may think it looks burnt out of the oven, but once you taste it, you'll know those little “burnt” areas are the best tasting parts!

Why do my brussel sprouts smell like vinegar? ›

Here's why those unpleasant things happen. Like all cruciferous vegetables, Brussels sprouts are high in chemical compounds that, when exposed to heat for a sufficient amount of time, produce hydrogen sulfide (as a general rule, any chemical compound with the word sulfur in it is going to smell very bad).

Why do brussel sprouts smell bad when cooking? ›

Yes, according to the Los Angeles Times, Brussels sprouts inherited another gene that causes them to stink up your kitchen when you cook them. When you cook Brussels sprouts they give off a gas: hydrogen sulfide. And if you are the least bit sensitive to smells, it will make you want to hurl.

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.

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