How to Cook Brussels Sprouts

Learning how to cook Brussels sprouts and work them into your meals will teach your family to love this nutritional powerhouse vegetable. Learn more here.

Brussels sprouts are one of the nutritionally richest of the “crucifers,” the family including broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Bok choy, radishes, cabbage, collard greens, and turnips. These vegetables may protect against several cancers, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. 

Try to pick the brightest green, evenly shaped, and firm bulbs that feel heavy for their size. Stay away from sprouts with spotting or yellow leaves. Choose sprouts about the same size so you can cook them together evenly.

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A cup of boiled sprouts contains about 2.5 grams of protein and the same amount of fiber, with 7 grams of carbohydrate and 1.7 grams of sugar. You’ll find lots of vitamin C, vitamin K, and other nutrients.

Cauliflower is easier to feed to children than Brussels sprouts, which are slightly bitter. In one study, however, researchers had some success serving kids sweetened cream cheese with sprouts.

Note that sprouts contain sugar, which comes out when they’re cooked, as it does with onions. Some people even add sugar to a cooking pan.

To get that caramelized taste without sugar, try steaming sprouts whole for 7 minutes or so until they’re just tender. Let them cool a bit, and then cut each in half. Next heat olive oil over medium heat, place the sprouts in one layer, with the cut side down and let them brown for 4 to 5 minutes.

Check that you’re using enough heat to brown your sprouts without burning them. Flip and cook the other side for no more than 3 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice to serve.

For a simple preparation with garlic, choose among these recipes.

Sautéd

Trim and slice sprouts in half. Heat olive oil and cook garlic in it for about a minute. Sauté the sprouts in the pan for 10 to 12 minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and lemon juice, and serve.

Roasted

Mix olive oil, garlic, lemon, and salt and pepper in a large bowl with sprouts. Make sure they’re coated. Spread the mixture on an ungreased baking sheet and cook for 15 to 17 minutes at 400 degrees.

Steamed

Cook in a steamer over boiling water for no more than 8 minutes, and add seasonings along with a little olive oil, margarine, or butter in a serving bowl.

Microwaved

Results depend on your machine, so experiment. Microwaving may make the chlorophyll in the green leaves even more available to your body, and chlorophyll may block the cancerous effects of charred meat. So you might plan on including some microwaved Brussels sprouts on the side the next time you grill hamburgers or steak.

Salads

Raw sprouts are the healthiest bet for nutritional value, and there are you can explore many salad recipes. The key is to shred your sprouts.

For a sweet (and possibly peppery) salad, add any combination of these ingredients to 2 cups of shredded sprouts:

• 1/2 large red onion, diced small
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons ground sumac
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to season salad
• 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (from about half of a large one)
• 1/2 large, unpeeled apple, cored and diced (such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp)
• Juice of half a lemon, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons honey, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup toasted, cooled walnuts, lightly crushed or coarsely chopped
• Ground chipotle chili pepper, hot smoked paprika, or another chili flake to taste

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