I’ve been testing a few new Thanksgiving side dish ideas, which is always very tough at my house. I have a pretty established list of dishes I make for Thanksgiving and for a new dish to break in, it’s got to be a show-stopper and fit the menu. I think these Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts might just make the cut this year.
I love Brussels Sprouts and believe it or not at least 50% of my kids (ONE) will also eat them so they are frequently on our veggie side dish list. A good brussels sprout, in my opinion, is tender on the inside but almost shard-like crunchy on the edges.
The key to this recipe is to pre-roast the brussels sprouts before tossing them in the brown butter sauce. This does add an extra step to the recipe, but ends up being very delicious.
How to make brown butter
Brown butter is very easy to make, but some people are intimidated for some reason. It’s basically forgotten melted butter, but not TOO forgotten. You can brown as much butter as you want, but I like at least 1/2 cup of butter. If you try to do less than that it’s hard to get the ideal finished result without burning it.
Add your butter to a small pot and put it over low heat. Once it is melted, just let it go. It will start to foam and after 4-5 minutes, you’ll noticed some brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir the butter a bit and keep it going over low heat until it’s very fragrant.
Remove it from the heat when it has lots of brown bits on the bottom. If you go too much longer, you can burn it, which isn’t the plan.
For this recipe, once the browned butter is off the heat, I like to add some dried sage and lemon juice to the sauce.
Prepping the brussels sprouts for roasting
The key to this recipe is to pre-roast the sprouts. Good sprouts need 25-30 minutes of roasting time and if you add the brown butter at the beginning it will 100% burn by the time the sprouts are done.
So cut your sprouts in half and drizzle them with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast them for about 20 minutes.
These are my pre-roasted sprouts that are honestly pretty cooked through at this point. I just want to crisp them up even more.
Finishing the brown butter brussels sprouts
Now for the magic step to this recipe. Add your sprouts to a large mixing bowl and pour in about 2/3 of the brown butter. Toss them well. A lot of the brown butter will drain off into the bowl which is fine.
Return the sprouts to the baking sheet and bake them for another 8-10 minutes until they are deeply browned and crunchy.
Look how delicious these guys look!
The brown butter brussels sprouts have a very rich flavor and mouthfeel to them so they need some bright garnishes. I recommend a lot of fresh lemon zest and flakey salt to pair with the fattiness of the sprouts.
What to serve with these sprouts
I like these sprouts as either an appetizer or a side dish! If you’re serving these with Thanksgiving, check out my guide to mashed potatoes or one of my favorite turkey recipes: dry brined turkey or spatchcock turkey if you want to get experimental.
Leftovers
All is good if you have leftovers of these sprouts. If you reheat them in the microwave they will lose their texture so either bring them back to life in a 350˚F oven or a skillet over low heat. They will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Many people have their Thanksgiving menus set, but if you’re looking for something new to add that feels traditional at the same time, this is a fun one!
Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 ounces brussels sprouts, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Lemon, zest only
- Flakey Salt, garnish
Brown Butter Sauce:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 small lemon, juice only
- 1 teaspoon dried sage, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- For sprouts, slice off the dirty end of the sprouts and then cut in half through the stem. Place on the baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle sprouts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make brown butter sauce. Add butter to a small saucepan over low heat. Melt butter and continue to heat until butter is foaming. After 5-6 minutes, you'll notice brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Stir occasionally. When butter has browned bits and is nutty fragrant, remove from heat and add lemon juice and dried sage.
- After sprouts roast, place them in a bowl and toss with about 2/3s of the brown butter sauce. Toss well to combine and return to baking sheet cut side up. Roast for another 10-15 minutes until deeply roasted.
- For serving, drizzle sprouts with extra butter sauce if they seem dry (optional) and garnish with flakey salt and lemon zest.
