Learn to blanch tender green Brussels sprouts then sauté them for some caramelized flavor. Top with sweet and tangy dried apricots and chopped pistachios for a delightful veggie side, any time of year.
This quick Brussels sprouts side dish can be prepped ahead if you need a make-ahead side dish for a holiday meal.
Brussels sprouts have been the cool kid in the veggie world for so long now. I’d say they are even more cool than kale.
At least they’ve stood the test of time (the last few years) and slid under the scrutiny radar, while kale has a bad rap as the overly-used health food.
That being said, they always make my Thanksgiving table in some form or another. I make them different every year, and find this little green vegetable to be the perfect accompaniment to pair with my other sides.
How to cook Brussels sprouts
Remember when Brussels sprouts were the overcooked, undesirable food your grandma made you eat?
Not anymore! Using two simple cooking techniques, I'll teach you how to make tender Brussels Sprouts that aren't overcooked, and caramelize them for delicious flavor.
- First I blanch the Brussels sprouts in boiling salted water.
- Drain them and sauté in a hot skillet with olive oil.
- Top them with a flavorful topping like apricots and pistachios.
Blanching
Blanching sprouts gets dangerously close to the boiled, overcooked veggies of childhood. Blanching is not boiling though. Blanching is a quick-cooking method, when done right, results in lovely tender-crisp vegetables.
Brussels sprouts can be served immediately after blanching, with a generous amount of butter melted on top. Or, shocked in ice water and stored for later as a make-ahead side dish.
Ice water stops the cooking so the sprouts don't over cook and get bitter and soggy.
I prefer to blanch the sprouts, then drain and sauté them to caramelize the outside for flavor. This extra step and cooking method brings out the lovely veggie sweetness.
Here are quick step by step instructions on how to blanch Brussels sprouts.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Remove any damaged leaves from the outside of the Brussels sprouts and trim the stems.
- Cut sprouts in half through the stem.
- Cook in boiling water until just bright green and barely tender, about 4 minutes.
- Remove from water and eat, sauté, or shock in ice water.
Flavorful side dish
Brussels sprouts as a side dish are a wonderful canvas for other flavors. Adding a delicious glaze, nuts and fruit, garlic, cheese, bacon or other amazing ingredients makes them even better.
For this recipe I used pantry staples to spruce up this lovely green veggie.
Dried apricots are always finding their way into a small bag or plastic container in the cupboard. They are both tangy and sweet and the concentrated fruit flavor plays well with almost any vegetable.
Pistachios, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and even pecans are amazing additions to tender veggies. Pistachios almost blend in with the light green Brussels sprouts, but add a genius crunch.
Make ahead
By transferring the blanched Brussels sprouts to a bowl of ice and water right when they are done cooking, you shock them into perfection. Shocking them in ice water stops the cooking and creates perfectly cooked veggies.
- Once cool, drain the Brussels sprouts from the ice water and store in a zip top bag or container in the fridge.
- Just before serving, sauté the Brussels sprouts to caramelize the edges and heat through.
- Serve with toppings.
The second step will only take a few minutes on the stove so almost all of the work has been done ahead of time.
The blanched and cooled sprouts can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days before heating and serving.
Side Dish Recipes
📖 Full Recipe
Brussels Sprouts Side Dish with Apricots And Pistachios
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs Brussels sprouts, (stems trimmed)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup shelled pistachios, (coarsely chopped)
- ¼ cup dried apricots, (finely diced)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Remove any damaged outer leaves from Brussels sprouts and trim the stems. Slice sprouts in half through the stem. Add to boiling water and cook until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes; drain.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sprouts and salt; cook, turning occasionally, until sprouts are golden around the edges and heated through, 5 to 6 min (7 min if you blanched the sprouts earlier). Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with apricots and pistachios.
- •(If making ahead, cool blanched sprouts in ice and water, drain and store, wrapped, in the fridge until ready to use.)
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Recipe by Tara Teaspoon. Original published in LHJ Nov 09. Photography Miki Duisterhof. Food Styling Jee Levin. Prop Styling Jen Everett
Mary says
This was a great addition to our Thanksgiving dinner! We loved it!
Aubree says
Yummy way to eat Brussels!
Moriah says
I never considered adding apricots and pistachio to my brussels sprouts. What a great idea.
Julie says
Great tip to blanch the sprouts before sautéing! I always learn so much from your posts. I've only roasted brussels sprouts, so excite to try this new recipe.
Marie says
I'm so happy I grew into and adult and tired brussels sprouts!. This recipe is the best way to cook and eat them. They are the perfect mix of crunchy, sweet, and savory! Healthy too!
Shelley says
Hahaha - they are definitely the cool kids of the veggie world! But, I have to admit that, as many Brussels sprouts recipes as I've seen (and made!) this is one of the more unique ones I've come across in a long time, and it's so nice to have a totally fresh way to prepare them! What a lovely idea to pair sweet apricots with them, plus the crunchy, salty pistachios - so simple but such great flavors!
Marta says
I'm doing test runs for my holiday meals and this definitely made the cut for Thanksgiving sides! I love the combo of sweet apricot with the savory pistachios.
HEATHER PERINE says
I love sauteing my brussel sprouts, but I've never thought to blanche them first! So smart!! I always feel like they take forever to cook and sometimes burn before they're cooked. Can't wait to try this method!
Candice says
What a delicious combination! Everyone loved them... and these are officially going to be our Thanksgiving brussel sprouts this year. Thanks for the great recipe!
Amy Liu Dong says
Such an easy but healthy and delicious recipe to make for my loved ones. Thank you!
Nicole says
Brussel Sprouts get a bad wrap. When you add delicious flavor like pecans and pistachios it takes on a different meaning. These look good.
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
This looks Incredibly delicious. I have to make this soon for my family!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
Oh wow, what a creative dish! I'm loving the apricots and pistachios to this! This seriously looks insanely delicious!
Nicole | Culinary Cool says
I remember my dad and grandma serving soggy Brussels sprouts when I was a kid, and from then on, I always thought I hated them. It wasn't until I was an adult, bought them fresh and had them roasted that I fell in love. I'm always looking for new recipes to use them, and this is so perfect. Great textures in this dish - from the tender-crisp Brussels sprouts to the crunch from the pistachios and little sweetness from the apricots - absolutely perfect.
Sam says
Yumm this looks delicious! I love brussels sprouts but have never tried them with apricots! Such a great idea. Can't wait to try it soon.
Jacqueline Debono says
I didn't like Brussels sprouts as a kid but now they're one of my favourite winter veggies. In fact, we grow them in our veg garden. Love this idea to blanch and then shock them in ice water for early meal prep. Definitely want to try that.