Marinated Brussel Sprouts takes a naturally bitter vegetable and enhances the flavor with a marinade of vinegars, citrus, oil and seasonings. They are pan fried to transform a simple vegetable into one with a crispy, caramelized texture. You will never want to skip the marinating step after trying these delicious veggies.

Browned brussels sprouts in cast iron skillet with wooden spoon.

The brussels sprouts are quickly pan fried and become caramelized and sweet as they cook. Marinating them removes any bitterness they have when raw. The acid from the lemon juice also tenderizes the vegetable. There is a whole new savory flavor when they are sautéed, fried or roasted. Sweet Chili Brussels, Charred Brussels Sprouts, Hot Honey Chicken and Brussels Sprouts and Brussels Sprouts Soup are other delicious side dishes to try.

Recipe Tips for Success

Choose tightly closed sprouts with green, not yellowing leaves.
Make sure they are dry before placing in the hot oil to avoid dangerous splattering.
For larger brussel sprouts, make sure to cut out the little core since it is very hard and bitter. If they are smaller, you could just trim off the bottom of sprout.
Remove the outer leaves. They are usually wilted and blemished.
Don't move the brussels sprouts in the pan for the first 5 minutes. You want a good caramelization on them. Then you can flip them over to brown the other side.
Keep in mind that if some of the sprouts are larger than others, they make take a bit longer to cook.

Ingredients

Brussels sprouts, vinegars, olive oil, seasonings, lemon juice.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Seasonings - To change up the flavors, add some oregano, basil, red pepper flakes or chili powder.
Vinegar- sherry vinegar and rice wine vinegar are just a bit sweeter than regular white wine vinegar. You can use it, just add a teaspoon of sugar. Red wine vinegar or balsamic are stronger flavors and will change the balance of flavors in the marinade. I would suggest tasting the marinade before pouring over the brussels sprouts and adjust as needed.
You may like to sprinkle some parmesan cheese or crispy bacon over top or some sesame or sunflower seeds for a bit of crunch.
Marinated Broccoli, Marinated Asparagus and Marinated Eggplant recipes all have versions of this marinade and are absolutely delicious!

How to make Marinated Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprout halves marinating in plastic bag.

Step 1: Stir together the marinade ingredients. Pour marinade and sprouts into a casserole dish or food safe plastic bag. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for 2-4 hours. Drain and discard the marinade.

Marinated brussel sprouts in cast iron skillet

Step 2: Pat the brussels dry. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Place brussels sprouts cut side down and cook for 5 minutes.

Browned brussel sprouts in cast iron skillet.

Step 3: Stir them and flip over to continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so. Use a fork to test doneness and see if they easily break apart. If not, cook another 1-2 minutes.

Marinated brussels sprouts on white platter.

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Here are more of some delicious side dishes to serve with dinner:

Marinated Brussel Sprouts

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Author: Deb Belsha
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinate: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Side Dish
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: American

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Description

Marinated Brussels Sprouts takes a naturally bitter vegetable and enhances the flavor with a marinade of vinegars, citrus, oil and seasonings. They are pan fried to transform a simple vegetable into one with a crispy, caramelized texture. You will never want to skip the marinating step after trying these delicious veggies.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 pound brussels sprouts, core removed, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil

Marinade

⅓ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar*
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar*
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Rinse brussels sprouts and cut in half. If you sprouts are large, cut a small upside down mini "v" slice into the core. If they are small, just trim off the bottom of sprout. Remove any browned or damage outer leaves.
Stir together the marinade ingredients. Pour marinade and sprouts into a casserole dish or food safe plastic bag. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for 2-4 hours. Drain and discard the marinade.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil.
Place brussels spouts cut side down in pan and pan sear for 5 minutes. Turn heat down if smoking or getting too brown,
Stir the brussels sprouts and flip them around. Cook for another 5 minutes or until a fork inserted into them easily breaks apart.

Notes

*If you don't have rice wine or sherry wine vinegar, use white wine vinegar and add 1 teaspoon sugar to the marinade.

*Store leftovers covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They will be much softer but still taste great. Reheat in a skillet on the stove until hot about 2-3 minutes.

*Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. They will be very soft, possibly mushy due to the freezing process. You could add to a soup or stew or eat as is, reheat as above.