Crispy Asian Brussel Sprouts

This Asian Brussel Sprouts recipe is the perfect combination of spicy and sweet. Coated in a quick sauce made with soy sauce, honey, and chili paste - these sprouts will have you licking the plate. If you love these little green gems as much as me, you will also want to try these Balsamic Brussel Sprouts and Honey Mustard Brussel Sprouts.

I am not kidding when I say these are the best Brussel sprouts I have ever made. The sprouts get super crispy and then are coated with the most amazing sweet and spicy Asian sauce.

My husband and I literally couldn't stop eating these and half the baking sheet was gone before we sat down for dinner. Between the two of us, we polished off over a pound of Brussels sprouts without blinking.

Lately, I have been trying to create some of my favorite restaurant dishes at home. One of those - is Asian Roasted Brussel sprouts. There is a tiny, hole-in-the-wall restaurant near our house and they are famous for their Brussel sprouts.

Now I know that these little green cabbages are popular everywhere right now, but they make some of the best I have ever eaten. They are slightly spicy, slightly sweet, and super savory from a combination of soy sauce and what I think maybe fish sauce. 

This recipe is very similar, although I left off the fish sauce since many people don't have it in their pantries. If you are one of the lucky people who do, then I would recommend adding a splash.

It adds this deep, rich flavor and makes all the other flavors taste even better. It won't taste fishy at all as long as you only add a tiny amount.

Here are some ways to create your own variations for this recipe. There are many different ways to make small changes to this recipe and really change up the flavor.

• Add fish sauce: If you haven't had fish sauce before, it adds a salty, umami flavor to dishes and really kicks up all the other flavors in the dish. Now if you aren't used to using fish sauce, you only need a tiny bit to add a bunch of flavor. And don't be turned off by the smell - it doesn't taste anything like it smells.
• Teriyaki: If spice isn't your thing, it's easy to make teriyaki brussels sprouts with your own healthier homemade teriyaki sauce. Just cook the crispy Brussel sprouts as directed and then toss with some teriyaki sauce.

• Honey soy: This flavor combo is always super popular with kids. Leave out the sambal olek and double up the soy sauce and honey. 
• Kung Pao:  Top the brussels sprouts with the sauce as directed and then add crushed peanuts on top.

How do you make Brussel sprouts crispy?

There are a few really important steps to take to make sure that your brussels sprouts come out browned and crispy every time.

• Cutting your sprouts: One of the most important thing for crispy Brussels sprouts is to make sure they have some surface area to brown. This means cutting the sprouts in half and perhaps even in quarters for larger sprouts. Also, make sure that you have thoroughly dried the Brussel sprouts after washing them. 
• Single layer: In order for any roasted vegetable to get crispy, you need to leave some space on the sheet pan between each sprout. Place everything in a single layer, with a little space in between. This ensures the Brussel sprouts roast instead of steam.
• The right amount of oil: It is really hard to get a crispy sprout using cooking spray. You need some oil to coat the sprouts. However, you don't want to drown the sprouts in oil either. Too much oil can cause them to burn. The key is getting all the Brussel sprouts lightly coated with oil.

• High heat: Without high heat, your Brussels sprouts won't get crispy. The oven should be between 425-450 degrees. Hotter than that and they are likely to burn and lower than that and probably will not crisp up and brown.
• Bonus tip: If you have struggled in the past with getting crispy sprouts, you can also preheat your pan. While the oven is preheating, place the baking sheet in the oven as well. The Brussels sprouts will start to brown as soon as they hit the pan.

Why do my Brussel sprouts turn out mushy?

The main reason that Brussels sprouts come out mushy is that they don't have enough space on the pan when they are roasted. If the Brussel sprouts are crowded on the pan or are on top of each other, they will steam instead of roast. And while they will turn out tender and delicious, they won't turn out crispy and browned. This is true for pretty much all roasted vegetables. If they are on top of each other or too close together, they will steam instead of roast.

Main Dish Ideas

Since these Brussels have Asian flavors, I like to pair them with Asian inspired dishes. Although it is a great way to elevate a simple dinner like a rotisserie chicken, grilled steaks, or roasted pork. With that said, here are some of my favorites for serving alongside these sprouts.

• General Tso's Pork
• Honey So Glazed Chicken
• Honey Garlic Salmon
• Sesame Beef