Vegan Cooking Tips
Quick and Easy Ideas for Brussels Sprouts
By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD
Brussels sprouts are the cutest members of the cabbage family. The sprouts (small heads that resemble miniature cabbages) grow right from a thick stalk, starting at the base of the stem and working upward. If you've ever seen Brussels sprouts growing in a garden, you know they resemble a thin, tall, green tennis racquet handle that sprouted miniature cabbages. The stalk is edible, just as broccoli stalks are. If you ever get your hands on a Brussels sprouts stalk, peel it and shred it to use in coleslaws, soups, stir-fries, and cold salads.
Some are haunted by childhood memories of khaki green, bitter, mushy Brussels sprouts globs that had to be eaten or risk spending the night at the dinner table. However, fresh Brussels sprouts, properly cooked, are delicate in flavor. The fresher the sprouts, the better the flavor, so refrigerator storage should not be for more than two days. Remove any damaged or irregular outer leaves and store fresh unwashed sprouts in plastic bags in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator.
Fresh sprouts can be briefly cooked, cooled, halved, and tossed with vinaigrette and then served as a cold side dish, or mixed into pasta or green salads.
The key to cooking Brussels sprouts is in not overcooking them. The leaves cook faster than the core, so when steaming them whole, cut an X in the bottom of each stem for even cooking. If you let Brussels sprouts cook to the point where they lose their bright green color, they will develop the dreaded bitter off-taste and lose a considerable amount of nutritional value as well.
Roast Brussels sprouts in a hot oven, whole or halved, spraying lightly with vegetable oil. This will work on the grill too. If using frozen Brussel sprouts, do not defrost prior to cooking; this retains their color and texture.
If you have leftover cooked quinoa, create a fast soup with the quinoa, vegetable broth, and quartered Brussels sprouts, seasoning with garlic powder or nutritional yeast. Get creative with "long" noodles, including angel hair, spaghetti, or soba, and toss them with roasted Brussels sprouts, shredded carrots, red pepper flakes, and balsamic vinegar or soy sauce. You can also sauté halved Brussels sprouts and toss them with almonds, lemon zest, and mint or with prepared mustard, sauerkraut (two cabbages in one dish!), and white pepper.
Brussels sprouts photo by Lucia Rivera. Baked veggies photo by Rissa Miller. Try these Citrusy Veggies: vrg.org/blog/2022/06/08/citrusy-sheet-pan-veggies
