Crispy Asian Brussel Sprouts

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These Crispy Asian Brussel Sprouts are seriously delicious, restaurant quality, Brussel sprouts that you can make at home in less than thirty minutes.

128 CAL 16g CARBS 7g FAT 5g PROTEIN 3
16 Comments

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.

Roasted Asian Brussel sprouts in a bowl with a soy honey sauce.

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.

Asian Brussels sprouts recipe on a sheet pan with browned edges.

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.

The Recipe
Crispy Asian Brussel sprouts on a baking sheet with soy sauce and honey glaze.

Crispy Asian Brussel Sprouts

128 CAL 16g CARBS 7g FAT 5g PROTEIN 3
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 30 Min
TOTAL TIME: 40 Min
16 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts
  • 1.5 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1.5 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp Asian garlic chili paste (like sambal olek, Sriracha, adjust to heat preference)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Salt and pepper (as needed)

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Instructions

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1

Preheat oven to 450. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

2

Rinse sprouts in cool water and then chop off the tough ends. Chop sprouts in half or in quarters for very large sprouts. Dry thoroughly with a towel.

3

Toss with the olive oil and season gently with salt and pepper. Remember that the sauce has soy sauce, which can be salty, so you don't want to over-salt the Brussel sprouts.

4

Place in a single layer on the pan, leaving some space between the Brussel sprouts. They shouldn't be overlapping. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the sprouts are browned and crispy.

5

Meanwhile, add the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sambal olek, and garlic powder to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 3-4 minutes until it thickens. This happens quickly since it is a small amount of liquid.

6

Toss the hot Brussels sprouts with the sauce and serve.

Equipment

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Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 3/4 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128
Calories from Fat 60
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7g
10%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 348mg
15%
Total Carbohydrate 16g
6%
Dietary Fiber 4g
18%
Sugars 7g
Protein 5g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
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16 Comments
On Crispy Asian Brussel Sprouts
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Ian g
February 7, 2024 - 16:04
Great recipe! Loved the sauce.
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Timothy Santrock
August 21, 2023 - 06:15
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4
Good recipe. I was able to use frozen brussel sprouts by thawing and drying them in the oven on the warm setting for about an hour. Then I prepared the recipe as directed. They came out good and crispy. Family loved them.
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Grace
March 12, 2023 - 12:26
Are the Asian Brussel gluten-free
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March 28, 2023 - 16:30
These are not gluten-free due to the soy sauce. You could swap in gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
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Mary
January 11, 2024 - 10:14
La Choy has a gluten free soy sauce. I appreciate anything to be able to cook a decent recipe for my son who has celiac.
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Grace
March 12, 2023 - 12:26
Are the Asian Brussel gluten-free
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Vincent Ragozzino
October 24, 2022 - 05:57
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5
I never liked Brussel sprouts probably because I didn’t know how to prepare them.Experimenting with recipes led me to this one. I added a little ginger ,swapped honey with maple syrup and a splash of hoisin sauce.Now I love to eat Brussel sprouts .Thanks
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Julie L
July 28, 2022 - 16:08
Can I use gochujang instead of the chili paste? If so how much? And should I add a garlic then?
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July 31, 2022 - 09:01
Gochujang should work great. I would use the same amount and leave out the garlic. Then just taste the sauce and adjust as needed.
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Leslie K
December 28, 2021 - 19:26
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5
If you usually like brussels sprouts, this is a delicious recipe. My husband, who typically doesn't like brussels sprouts, tried this recipe and he still didn't care for them, but he did like the sauce. This will definitely be one of my go to brussels sprout recipe.
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Jeanette
December 23, 2021 - 18:47
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5
Great recipe, thank you! The sauce for the brussels worked so well over my brussels and pasta...i subsituted maple syrup since I ran out of honey and was good...will try with honey next time to compare. Thanks again!
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Sarah
October 21, 2018 - 10:15
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5
These were so good! We added a splash of fish sauce and couldn't stop eating them. Also thanks for the tips on how to make crispy brussel sprouts - mine used to always come out mushy but now I know its because I was putting way too many on my sheet pan.
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Mary Beth
October 17, 2018 - 07:28
I roast Brussels sprouts often, but the addition of your wonderful sauce will really add a lot of flavor! I'll be making these this weekend. I had to laugh at the thought of you and your husband devouring half a sheet pan of the sprouts before you even got to the table! Thanks for the great recipe.
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October 17, 2018 - 13:30
I know! We each kept sneaking back for "one more" and before I knew it half the pan was gone.
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Amanda
October 16, 2018 - 14:50
Looks delish! The directions say to add sambal olek to the sauce but it isn't included in the list of ingredients. How much would you recommend adding for medium heat level?
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October 16, 2018 - 18:11
Just fixed it! Thanks! About 1 teaspoon should be good :) You can always add more if needed.
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