Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts

These balsamic glazed Brussel sprouts take less than 30 minutes from start to finish and are made with just a handful of simple ingredients! They’re the perfect vegetarian side dish for your holiday menu but they’re easy enough for a weeknight too!

 

You Will Love These

• This easy balsamic Brussel sprouts recipe is the perfect Thanksgiving side dish and it’s made with simple ingredients! It also comes together quickly which makes it a family favorite vegetable in our house! The balsamic mixture cooks down in the pan along with the Brussel sprouts, infusing them with delicious herby, tangy, slightly sweet flavors.
• If you loved these Brussel sprouts, be sure to check out my Cheesy Green Bean Casserole, my Roasted Garlic and Herb Potatoes, my Roasted Delicata Squash, or my Creamy Baked Corn!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Brussel Sprouts – Fresh Brussel sprouts are going to work best for this recipe. Frozen will release too much water and end up mushy and prevent the sauce from thickening. Stick to fresh veggies for this recipe.
• Olive Oil – I like to use an extra virgin cold-pressed organic olive oil for this recipe. You could also try grapeseed oil or avocado oil.
• Balsamic Vinegar – This is our family’s favorite balsamic vinegar. Use whatever you like best! There is not a substitute for balsamic vinegar in this recipe – no other vinegar is going to give that delicious tangy flavor and syrup like texture.
• Honey – Honey is the key ingredient to getting that slightly sweet syrup like consistency. If you follow a vegan diet, you could sub agave but it could affect the flavor and texture.
• Garlic – I love to use finely minced garlic for this recipe but if you don’t have any on hand, try a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder in its place and add more to taste.
• Dijon Mustard – Don’t worry, these glazed Brussel sprouts won’t taste like mustard! The Dijon helps to create that perfect glaze texture and deepen the flavors of the other ingredients. Yellow mustard will have too strong of a flavor for this dish.
• Dried Oregano – Feel free to use dried thyme or dried rosemary in place of the dried oregano if you prefer. Italian seasoning would work as well.

Instructions

Wash and trim the Brussel sprouts. Halve the large ones lengthwise and leave the smaller ones whole.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add Brussel sprouts along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Toss to coat the sprouts in oil. Arrange sprouts cut side down in the pan if possible.

Cook for 3 minutes without stirring.

In a measuring cup whisk together balsamic vinegar, syrup, garlic, Dijon, oregano, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper.

Pour balsamic mixture into the pan and cook over medium-low heat.

Cook for about 10 minutes. Simmer until the sauce has thickened into a glaze and then Brussel sprouts are cooked through and tender-crisp.

Transfer to your serving platter and drizzle with remaining sauce.

Add walnuts, goat cheese, and pomegranate seeds if desired.

Trimming Brussel Sprouts

• Wash Brussel sprouts with cold water to remove any excess dirt.
• Carefully use a knife to cut off about 1/4″ or less of the stem end of each sprout.
• Some leaves may fall off and that’s okay. Remove any outer leaves that are dry, discolored, or damaged.
• For this recipe, slice the larger sprouts in half lengthwise and keep the smaller ones whole.

Tips

• Try to use Brussel sprouts that are similar in size. This ensures that they all cook evenly. I like to use medium sprouts for this recipe. If you can’t get sprouts that are the same size, leave the smaller ones whole and cut the larger ones in half (or even in quarters if they’re very large).
• Don’t overcook the Brussel sprouts! The sauce will thicken up a bit as it cools so if the sprouts are cooked through, but the sauce isn’t quite thickened go ahead and pull it off the heat and let it cool for just a few minutes.
• I love to use this large sauté pan for this recipe. It gets the Brussel sprouts perfectly cooked and the balsamic glaze perfectly syrupy.
• These balsamic Brussel sprouts are delicious as is so you don’t have to add the goat cheese, pomegranate or walnuts. But if you’re looking to take things up a notch this trifecta garnish really adds some delicious flavor and texture to the dish!
• You can switch up the flavor of these sautéed Brussel sprouts by adding crispy bacon for a little extra protein or grated Parmesan cheese for another layer of nutty flavor.

FAQ

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