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Sautéed Brussels Sprouts in Carbonara Sauce

Nagi — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 03:58:35 +0000

Bacon fat sautéed brussels sprouts are semi-braised in a carbonara-esque creamy sauce, and then finished with a sprinkle of crispy bacon. You’ll love how the brussels sprouts act like a sponge so when you bite into them, and all that creamy sauce squirts into your mouth!

This is a handy brussels sprouts side dish that’s made entirely on the stove, freeing up the oven for centrepiece roasts!

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with a creamy sauce!

This is a brussels sprouts version of a green beans dish that I shared a few months ago that’s proven very popular with readers. It’s like an easier, quicker version of Brussels Sprouts cooked gratin-style. Gratins, like say Broccoli Gratin, are made with a béchamel sauce that’s poured over pre-cooked vegetables (typically steamed or braised) and finally baked in a casserole in the oven.

In case you weren’t counting, that involves THREE pots/dishes …

By contrast, this dish all happens in one skillet or pan. It’s also cooked entirely on the stove which makes it a super-handy vegetable side for big feasts where oven space is at a premium.

And, we may as well face it: Brussels sprouts divide people and not everyone is into them. But dress them up in a creamy sauce – AND bacon – it certainly ups the appeal to the detractors out there!!

What goes in sautéed brussels sprouts with this Carbonara-esque sauce

I call it a Carbonara-esque sauce just to give you a clue about what it tastes like – creamy but full of tasty, cheesy parmesan flavours with a hint of garlic. (Yes, yes. I know real Roman carbonara uses eggs and no cream or garlic. I mean American-style creamy carbonara!) Here’s what you need to make this:

Brussels sprouts – they look like mini-cabbages and sort of taste like them too, but are sweeter. Look for small round ones that are tight, not loose-leafed and scraggly, and without black spots. Sometimes they are more oval shaped – and that’s ok too, nature isn’t perfect!
Chicken stock / broth – this might seem out of place to you in a dish like this, but actually, it serves two purposes: Firstly, to provide a bit of liquid so we can semi-steam the sprouts to cook them through. And secondly, it adds great flavour to the sauce, especially since it gets reduced and concentrated;
Cream – because we’re making a creamy sauce here!
Parmesan – for flavour and also to thicken the sauce. Finely grate your own to ensure it melts properly in the sauce. Do not use the store-bought pre-grated parmesan (you know, that sandy type stuff). It won’t melt at all and you’ll end up with grainy bits in the sauce. If you don’t have parmesan, adding a small dab of Dijon mustard will provide a similar thickening effect;
Cheese – for a touch of irresistible cheesy goodness (flavour!), and also to thicken the sauce;
Garlic – ummm … for even more flavour 😂; and
Bacon – not just to finish with a sprinkle of crispy bacon bits, but also because we use the bacon fat to sauté the Brussels sprouts. It’s SO GOOD!

When cooked, Brussels sprouts turn a bright green colour!

How to make creamy sautéed brussels sprouts

And here’s how to make it:

Prepare brussels sprouts – trim the woody ends off, and remove any scraggly / loose outer layers;
Bacon first – cooked until golden, and also to release the bacon fat which we then use to sauté the brussels sprouts;
Sauté then semi-steam brussels sprouts – Sauté the sprouts for 3 – 4 minutes until they are lightly coloured on the cut face. Then add the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes or so, stirring every now and then, so the brussels sprouts almost finish cooking through (they will cook a little further in the creamy sauce.) They essentially semi-steam but also have the added tasty goodness of the bronzing from sautéing – it’s the best of both worlds!
Add cream and simmer to reduce, to thicken slightly;
Add parmesan and cheese and simmer for a minute more so the brussels sprouts absorbs the tasty sauce. Now when you bite into them, the creamy sauce will bursts into your mouth … Mmmm – so good!
Bacon – finish by sprinkling with the crispy bacon and serve!

What to serve with these brussels sprouts

When coming up with menus and pairings, I like to think in terms of contrasts. So with a creamy and cheesy side like this, you want a main that isn’t creamy, with an opposite or different flavour profile.

So anything with a piquant sauce like BBQ sauce would be particularly brilliant. Try my Oven Baked Chicken BBQ Chicken or BBQ Beef Ribs. Also glazed ham too!

Any roasts would also make great partners. Marinated Roast Beef or Slow Cooker Pork Loin, say. Or perhaps you fancy Crispy Crackling Roast Pork or Roast Chicken? Of course it’d be a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table with turkey!

Otherwise, stews (non-creamy) with their savoury, meaty depth would be lovely, like Beef & Guinness Stew or Beef Cheeks in Red Wine.

But really, almost any Western main dish is going go together great with dish. Go wild … and convert those sprout-haters!

— Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Brussels Sprouts in Creamy Carbonara Sauce – with bacon!

Recipe video above. This is like Brussels Sprouts cooked gratin-style, except easier and faster because it's all made in one skillet on the stove! The idea with this recipe is to get a load of flavour into the brussels sprouts by firstly sautéing in bacon fat and garlic, then simmering in a creamy carbonara-esque sauce to finish cooking them through.

I love how the brussels sprouts acts like a sponge for the sauce, so that when you bite into them the creamy sauce squirts out into your mouth!

Course Sides

Cuisine Western

Keyword brussel sprouts side dish, Brussels Sprouts recipe, brussels sprouts with bacon

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Servings as a side

Calories 356cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

150g/ 5oz bacon , chopped (use streaky, not lean)
750g/1 1/2 lb brussels sprouts (Note 1)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves , finely minced
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock / broth , low sodium (Note 2)
1 cup cream , heavy/thickened (Note 3)
1/2 cup parmesan , finely grated (best to grate your own)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or any other melting cheese

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Prepare brussels sprouts: Trim the woody end off, halve, then remove scraggly and loose outer layers.
Cook bacon: Place bacon in cold non stick skillet, then turn the stove on medium high (Note 4). Cook bacon for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, then remove with a slotted spoon.
Reserve some fat: Discard excess bacon fat, leaving behind 2 tablespoons (or so). If you're short, add a dab of butter or olive oil.
Sauté brussels: Add brussels sprouts and cook for 3 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the cut face becomes light golden.
Add garlic, salt and pepper, then keep sautéing for another 1 minute or until the cut face become golden.
Braise in stock: Add chicken stock then lower heat to medium and simmer for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring every now and then to encourage even cooking, until the brussels are almost cooked through (check with a knife). Don't let them cook through completely – we will be simmering a little more.
Add cream and stir. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce.
Add parmesan and cheese. Stir until melted, then simmer for a further 1 minute to to let the sauce thicken more and for the brussels sprouts to finish cooking through. (Note 5 on sauce thickness)
Check for salt: Taste and add more salt if needed (I usually find it doesn't need any more.)
Sprinkle with bacon: Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkle with cooked bacon and serve hot!

Notes

1. Brussels sprouts – look for small ones about 3cm / 1.2″ wide with nice tight leaves, not loose and raggedy. Don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly round – nature isn’t perfect! More important to look for tight leaves.

Trim – see video. Cut off woody end then discard any scruffy or loose outer leaves (don’t want too many loose leaves floating around, they will get overly soft).

2. Chicken stock/broth – make sure it’s low sodium otherwise the dish might end up too salty. If you only have full-salt, skip the salt and just add a pinch at the end if it’s needed.

3. Lower fat alternatives – evaporated milk or light cream. If sauce is too thin for your taste at the end, then dissolve 1 teaspoon cornflour/cornstarch in 2 tsp water and stir that in.

4. Bacon into cold pan – bacon fat renders out better (ie. melts) if you start with a cold pan because the fat starts to melt as the skillet heats up. This means you don’t need any extra fat to cook the bacon. By contrast, if you use a preheated skillet, you will need a bit of fat so the bacon doesn’t stick when you first add it. If you do it will still release; it just works better starting with cold pan.

5. Sauce thickness – it gets thicker once it cools a bit. I like the sauce to be syrupy so it doesn’t stick to the brussels too thickly. I find if it does it’s a bit too rich for my taste, especially because the Brussels sprouts absorb the sauce. But if you want the sauce to coat thoroughly and cling, just simmer the cream sauce for another 1 – 2 minutes.

6. Make ahead – while the beans version keeps very well the next day, I personally think this one is best consumed fresh because the brussels sprouts have a tendency to get a little soggy when left overnight. Though some people declare they love it that way because it soaks up the sauce even more! But texture questions aside, the flavour is still very, very good the next day.

Not suitable for freezing.

7. Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings and no bacon fat is discarded. If you use turkey bacon and low fat cream, it reduces the calories per serving.

Nutrition

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The post Sautéed Brussels Sprouts in Carbonara Sauce appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

CRISPY Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts (addictive!)

Nagi — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:00:35 +0000

The most amazing Roasted Brussels Sprouts are golden and CRISPY with a crunchy garlic parmesan crust! Ridiculously easy and mouthwateringly good, this is sure to become your “go-to” brussels sprouts recipe.

Simple enough for midweek, impressive enough for holiday feasting, roasted is without a doubt the BEST way to eat brussels sprouts!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Everyone needs one ridiculously good brussels sprouts recipe to prove to Sprouts Haters that they CAN be amazingly delicious.

And this is one of mine! (The other is probably Brussels Sprouts in Creamy Parmesan Sauce – let your imagination dwell on that one for a minute …)

It’s outrageously easy and mouthwateringly delicious. How often do you hear THAT in the same sentence as the words “Brussels sprouts”??!

So what’s so good about these sprouts?

They’re crispy on the outside – my favourite part!
Flavour boost from parmesan and garlic
Extra crunch from breadcrumbs
No hint of that unappealing boiled sprouts smell that so many people can’t stand!!

What you need

Here’s what you need to make Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts. With so few ingredients, there’s not much space for substitutions here – if any of these get omitted, the finished dish really will be lacking “something” I’m afraid!

How to make CRISPY Roasted Brussels Sprouts

The key for CRISPY Brussels Sprouts (and we all know the crispy golden bits are the BEST part!) is a very hot oven and the parmesan which melts into a crunchy golden crust. It’s tempting to use more parmesan – but to be honest, there’s not much point because there’s only so much that sticks to the sprouts!

And of course the panko adds extra crunch!

What to serve with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This is a vegetable side that will pair with all types of protein from chicken to pork, beef to seafood. Serve it alongside a simple midweek meal like these Honey Garlic Chicken, pan seared Marinated Pork Chops or an incredible Garlic Butter Steak.

For seafood, it would be right at home on the side of Crispy Pan Fried Fish, a pile of Garlic Prawns (Shrimp!) or a big pot of Mussels.

And of course, holiday feasting! I see these sprouts alongside your golden Juicy Roast Turkey, your Herb & Garlic Butter Turkey Breast, your Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib) or your Pork Roast with impossibly crispy crackling!

And of course – the simplest way to serve them: just eat ’em straight off the pan. If you try these sprouts, tell me if you were tempted!!! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Amazing CRISPY Parmesan Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Recipe video above. With a crispy parmesan garlic crust and extra crunch from breadrumbs, these may well be the BEST brussels sprouts you ever have in your life!!! And they're SO EASY.

Course Sides

Cuisine Western

Keyword Brussels Sprouts recipe, Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Prep Time 35

Servings

Calories 116cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

500g/ 1lb brussels sprouts (Note 1)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves , minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup (30g) parmesan , finely grated
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 2)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.
Prepare brussels sprouts: Trim the base, cut in half and remove the loose, rough outer leaves.
Place in a bowl, pour over oil and toss gently.
Sprinkle with garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan and breadcrumbs.
Toss to coat, then spread out on tray cut face down.
Roast for 20 minutes, flip then roast for a further 10 minutes until the outer leaves are deep golden brown and crispy (see photos/video).
Immediately transfer to warm serving bowl. Scrape loose parmesan breadcrumbs off the tray and sprinkle, then serve immediately.

Notes

1. Brussels Sprouts - look for sprouts that are about 3cm / 1.25" wide. The smaller they are, the sweeter (but too small cooks too quickly in the oven before becoming crisp). Larger have a more cabbagey flavour.

Frozen brussels - I haven't tried. But if you thaw in a colander so they drain well and dry off, then the parmesan + panko will go a long way to making frozen brussels crispy as they can be!

2. Panko breadcrumbs - Asian breadcrumbs that are larger than normal breadcrumbs so you get a more amazing crunch!

3. Storage - leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Best reheated in the oven at 180°C/350°F for 7 minutes until heated through and the outside is crisp.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

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The post CRISPY Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts (addictive!) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Brussels Sprout Salad

Nagi — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 05:15:00 +0000

Brussels sprouts, bacon, apple and hazelnuts is a magic combination that makes this Brussel Sprout Salad that so good, you’ll be happy to have it as a meal! In fact, I’m sharing this recipe at the request of a brussels-sprout-hating friend after I served this at a lunch!!

A couple of weeks ago, I invited my friends around for a Sunday Roast Lamb Lunch. Nothing better than a leisurely Sunday spent with friends and a table laden with food! I’m actually sharing my Roast Lamb recipes on Wednesday along with a peek into my real life with a video of my lunch! I can’t wait to share it with you!!!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. So one of the salads I made was this Brussels Sprout Salad. It’s a personal favourite of mine, but I still didn’t expect it to go down as well as it did. So much that when I asked my friend Rach which (if any) of the salads I made were worth sharing with my readers, she said this Brussels Sprouts Salad, hands down, even though she’s not a fan of Brussels Sprouts!!!

So here it is.

The reason this salad is so darn good is the ingredients in the salad itself. My friends and I always say that a great salad comes down to the dressing. But this is one of the rare exceptions.

The combination of shaved brussels sprouts (which really tones down the flavour of brussels sprouts), the fresh sweet juicy apple, warm crunch from hazelnuts and the salty pops of bacon is a winning combination. It’s so good that I keep the dressing very simple – it just needs a light coat of moisture, it doesn’t need tons of flavour.

There are tons of flavours going on in this salad but they are balanced nicely so this is not a heavy salad. It is fresh yet has plenty of flavour. It’s light enough to serve on the side of heavier meals, but also perfect with white meats and seafood.

Regular readers know that I’m all about food with flavours that packs a punch. When it comes to salads, I have a really high bar, only sharing the best of the best.

This makes the cut!!! – Nagi x

Brussel Sprout Salad

This brussels sprout salad is a recipe I'm sharing at the request of a brussels-sprout-hating friend after I served this at a lunch! The key to what makes this so good is: shaving the brussels sprouts (makes the flavour so mild), the fresh juicy sweetness from the apple, pop of salty from the bacon and warm crunch from the hazelnuts. With all of that going on in a salad, you only need a very light simple dressing.

Course Salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings -6

Calories 332cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

Salad

2 oz / 50g hazel nuts
180 g / 6oz bacon, chopped
1 red apple
1 tbsp lemon juice
300 g / 10 oz brussels sprouts

Dressing

4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Toast hazelnuts for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Cool then roughly chop. Set aside.
Either place the bacon on the baking tray used for the hazelnuts and bake until golden, or cook in a skillet. Drain on paper towels.
Cut apple into matchsticks, keeping the skin on. Toss in lemon juice.
Shave brussels sprouts finely using a slicer or food processor.
Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Place Salad ingredients in a bowl, toss with Dressing. Set aside for 5 minutes before serving (to soften the brussels sprouts slightly).

Notes

SERVE THIS WITH....This salad is quite light and refreshing, yet is loaded with flavour. So it pairs well with both lighter and heavy meals, both red and white meats and seafood as well.

I served this with Self Saucing Oven Baked Barbecue Chicken which I also posted today.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings.

Nutrition

LIFE OF DOZER

Woah! I finally found something he doesn’t want to EAT!!!

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