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What could be better than fried Brussels sprouts? These salty, crunchy sprouts are tossed with hot honey for a sublime side dish.

The humble Brussels sprout is the Cinderella story of vegetables, right? To this day, my dad complains about the soggy sprouts of his childhood. But by the time I reached adulthood, this veggie had quite the transformation. Now it’s fried up and regularly served at trendy gourmet restaurants! Our personal favorite way to serve this veggie is crispy baked Brussels sprouts with maple glaze. But when we’re feeling fancy: we pan fry them! Meet our perfect fried Brussels sprouts: crispy edges, perfectly salted, and tossed with hot honey.

Have a splatter screen ready!

Before you scroll down to the recipe: make sure you have a splatter screen for these fried Brussels sprouts! Even perfectly dry sprouts can spit when they hit the hot oil. In testing this recipe, we made a bit of a mess in our kitchen. The best way to avoid that is a splatter screen! Have it ready right away, because the sprouts start to spit immediately.

Ingredients for fried Brussels sprouts

You only need 3 ingredients for fried Brussels sprouts: but we added 2 more ingredients to make a killer sauce. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

Brussels sprouts: on the stalk or off: whatever you can find!
Neutral oil, for frying: use your favorite organic neutral oil: try organic vegetable, canola or grapeseed
Kosher salt
Hot sauce
Honey or maple syrup

Tips for making this pan fried Brussels sprouts recipe

Making this fried Brussels sprouts recipe isn’t hard. But it’s something we reserve for special occasions because it can get a little messy! For everyday Brussels sprouts, we prefer Crispy Baked Brussels Sprouts. But if it’s a special occasion, we whip out these fried Brussels sprouts! The flavor is a little more developed than the oven can achieve.

This recipe calls for using about 1/4-inch of oil in a pan, which is pan frying: not deep frying which is more oil, and not sauteing which is less oil. Here’s what to know about how to pan fry Brussels sprouts:

Invest in a splatter screen. Yep, we’re saying it again! The Brussels sprouts have moisture in them, so they’ll spit when they hit the pan. A splatter screen helps!
Use any neutral oil. We used organic canola oil. Use your favorite frying oil, like vegetable, canola or grapeseed.
This recipe uses 1/4-inch in the bottom of a pan. It’s like a medium ground in between pan frying and sautéing.
Stand back immediately! The sprouts will spit the moment they hit the pan. Stand back and cover with the splatter screen.
Pull them out when they’re browned and crispy. It takes just about 3 to 5 minutes! How’s that for fast? You’ll have to fry in batches, so repeat the instructions for the second batch.

Toss with hot honey before serving!

The best way to season fried Brussels sprouts, in our opinion? Make our spin on hot honey! It’s similar to our 1 Minute Hot Honey recipe, but even milder. Simply mix 2 tablespoons of honey with your favorite hot sauce. After having just made Brussels sprouts with maple glaze, Alex and I appreciated the way the subtle nuanced notes of honey flavor this veggie! If you eat vegan, you can certainly substitute maple syrup.

You can also simply omit the hot sauce and use straight honey if you prefer! If you do like a little heat, hot sauces like Frank’s Red Hot or Sriracha work well.

More ways to season fried Brussels sprouts

There are lots more ways to season fried Brussels sprouts! Here a few options that pair well with this tasty vegetable:

Maple and balsamic vinegar: Make the glaze from Brussels Sprouts with Maple Glaze
Hot sauce: Go even spicier with Spicy Brussels Sprouts
Hoisin sauce: Brussels jive well with Asian-style flavors. Toss with purchased or homemade hoisin sauce.

Other ways to cook Brussels sprouts

There are lots more ways to include Brussels sprouts into your cooking repertoire! Here are some of our favorite Brussels sprouts recipes for serving them:

Bake up a sheet of Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Throw them on the grill for smoky Grilled Brussels Sprouts
Try Smashed Brussels Sprouts or Quick Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
Cook them in your pressure cooker for Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts or make Boiled Brussels Sprouts
Shred them up for Farro & Brussels Sprouts Soup
Eat them raw in a colorful Brussels Sprout Salad
Add them as a pizza topping for Brussels Sprout Pizza

This fried Brussels sprouts recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For plant-based, dairy-free, and vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey.

Fried Brussels Sprouts

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Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 1x

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Description

What could be better than fried Brussels sprouts? These salty, crunchy sprouts are tossed with hot honey for a sublime side dish.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1/2 to 3/4 cup neutral oil, for frying
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
½ teaspoon hot sauce

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Instructions

Slice off the end of each Brussels sprout, then cut it in half and remove large leaves. Dry the sprouts with a towel as much as possible to minimize spitting when frying.
In your largest frying pan, cover the bottom with about 1/4” of oil. Heat the pan over medium high heat until it is very hot.
Grab a splatter screen for the next part: the Brussels sprouts will spit immediately! Stand back and carefully add the sprouts in a single layer to the pan, working in batches if necessary. Cover with the splatter screen and cook 3 to 5 minutes, turning the sprouts occasionally with tongs until they are browned and crispy. Transfer the sprouts to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle them liberally with kosher salt. Repeat for the next batch.
Mix together the honey and hot sauce. When the Brussels sprouts are fried, toss them with the hot honey and serve immediately.

Category: Side dish
Method: Pan Fried
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian