Easy Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

5 from 6 votes

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Charred at the edges and caramelized, these sautéed brussels sprouts are tossed in the perfect mix of honey, mustard and balsamic vinegar. They are a side best described as fast, simple and very tasty. As much as I love roasting brussels sprouts, they are fantastic sautéed in a big skillet too.

Brussels sprouts with Parmesan and honey mustard in a bowl.

Why You Need This Recipe

This is a quick and easy stovetop side dish. It’s always great to have sides that don’t require the oven because so often other dishes also need to roast. You can wait until the rest of the meal is almost finished before you make these brussels sprouts.

They have so much flavor! The combination of honey, whole grain mustard and balsamic vinegar gives the brussels sprouts this wonderful mix of savory with a hint of sweet. There’s no need for butter or bacon. They have a lot of personality, but you can serve them with all sorts of different main dishes.

The Ingredients

Ingredients including brussels sprouts, olive oil, mustard, honey, balsamic vinegar, parmesan and spices.

This is what you need:

  • Brussels sprouts are members of the Brassica family along with cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kale. Fresh sprouts have tightly packed green leaves without any yellow or brown spots.
  • Honey adds something sweet to balance out the savory flavors. If you are vegan, you can substitute with maple syrup.
  • Mustard: My preference is whole grain mustard that isn’t stoneground. I like the texture and being able to see the actual mustard seeds.
  • Balsamic vinegar adds its tart taste while giving the sauce acid and helping it glaze the sprouts.
  • Olive oil: Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
  • Garlic: You just need 1 minced clove in this recipe.
  • Red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper season the brussels sprouts.
  • Parsley: For fresh herbs, I garnish the sautéed sprouts with chopped parsley.
  • Parmesan: I also finish the brussels sprouts with grated Parmesan cheese, which adds umami flavor. Vegans can sprinkle on nutritional yeast instead.

Optional Additions & Recipe Variations

Nuts: You can add toasted nuts such as pine nuts, chopped walnuts or almonds. Add them with the Parmesan and parsley at the end.

Lemon juice: This recipe is a great starting point. If you want to do something different than the honey mustard vinaigrette, you can skip making it, and squeeze fresh lemon juice on the sprouts when they are sautéed.

How To Trim Brussels Sprouts

To prep the brussels sprouts, first pull off any loose or wilted outer leaves. Then use a sharp knife to trim the rough part off the stem end. Slice them in half lengthwise. If you end up with some larger brussels sprouts, cut them lengthwise into thirds instead of just halves.

How To Make Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk the honey, mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Honey mustard vinaigrette in a bowl. Oil warming in a skillet.

3. Put the brussels sprouts cut side down in the skillet. Wait to do this until the oil is hot and shimmering. Cook the brussels sprouts for 5-7 minutes until they brown and caramelize. Don’t touch or move the sprouts.

4. Flip them over and stir them around. Continue sautéing for another 5-7 minutes until the brussels sprouts are tender.

Brussels sprouts sauteing cut side down in a skillet. Browned and caramelized brussels sprouts in a skillet.

5. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in the final 30 seconds to 1 minute of cooking.

6. Remove the skillet from the heat and drizzle in the honey mustard vinaigrette. Stir everything together. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

Browned brussels sprouts with garlic and spices in a skillet. Brussels sprouts in a skillet garnished with Parmesan and parsley.

Serving

These brussels sprouts are best served warm right after you finish cooking them. Pair them with my Dry Rubbed Turkey Breast or other proteins like salmon or steak. I also love them stirred into pasta or cooked grains like barley, farro and brown rice.

Leftovers & Storing

If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container up to 4 days. Either eat them cold in a salad or warm them in skillet over medium heat. They won’t have as much bite or crisp edges as when you first cooked them. Another way to rewarm them is in a 350-degree F oven.

Recipe Tips

  • Try to find brussels sprouts that are all about the same size. This is helpful because then they will all cook the same amount of time. I will even buy 2 bags of brussels sprouts, so then I can sort through them and save the bigger ones for something else.
  • Don’t disturb the brussels sprouts in the skillet when you are first searing them. To give them the best opportunity to brown and caramelize, let the sprouts make full contact with the hot oil and the pan.
  • Stir the honey mustard vinaigrette into brussels sprouts immediately after you pull them off the heat. When the sautéed brussels sprouts are very warm, the vinaigrette will do a good job glazing them.

FAQs

Do you need to blanch brussels sprouts before sautéing them?

No. You don’t have to boil brussels sprouts before you sauté them. There is enough heat in the skillet to cook them, so they turn out tender in the middle.

What flavors go well with brussels sprouts?

Besides honey, mustard and balsamic vinegar, try sriracha, apples and pomegranate.

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Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

5 from 6 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
These quick & easy sautéed brussels sprouts are glazed in a mix of honey, mustard and balsamic vinegar. They’re finished with Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts trimmed, halved lengthwise or cut in thirds, if large
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, mustard, balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add the brussels sprouts, arranging them cut side down in a single layer. Let the brussels sprouts cook for 5-7 minutes, not moving them, until they are browned and charred in spots. Then flip them over and stir them around. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes until they are browned and tender.
  • In the last 30 seconds to 1 minute of sautéing, stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
  • Take the skillet off the heat. Pour in the honey mustard vinaigrette, stirring to coat.
  • Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Rewarm them in a skillet over medium heat or in a 350-degree F oven. You can also eat them cold in a salad.
You can add toasted pine nuts, almonds or walnuts to the cooked sprouts.
Variation: Instead of the honey mustard vinaigrette, you can sauté the brussels sprouts and toss them with fresh lemon juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 991IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
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Originally published December 14, 2014. Updated: December 4, 2022.


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Hi, I'm Paige.

Welcome to Last Ingredient where you will find simple seasonal recipes with plenty of fruits and vegetables, all for the home cook.

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3 Comments

  1. Can I toss it in the marinade and put them in the oven instead of putting them on the oven skillet and then adding the marinade when done

  2. 5 stars
    Awesome flavour–everyone loved them! Definitely will be my go-to recipe for brussels sprouts from now on.