Brussels Sprout
Brussels sprouts are tiny, tender cabbages that reward a little patience with surprisingly sweet, nutty flavor.
In a nutshell
Brussels sprouts are small cruciferous vegetables that look like miniature cabbages and grow tightly packed along a tall central stalk. When cooked at high heat they develop a caramelized, nutty sweetness that has won over even longtime skeptics. Raw, they shred beautifully into slaws and salads for a crisp, mildly bitter bite.
Nutrition
≈ 6 Calories and 0g fat per tablespoon.
Brussels sprouts punch well above their weight nutritionally for such a low-calorie vegetable. They’re an outstanding source of vitamin C and vitamin K, and supply a solid hit of folate and vitamin B6. Nearly all of their fat is the heart-friendly unsaturated kind, and their impressive fiber content — about 3.8 grams per 100 g — supports digestive health and steady blood sugar. Like other cruciferous vegetables, they contain glucosinolates, sulfur compounds linked to anti-inflammatory and potential cancer-protective effects. The protein content is notably high for a vegetable, making them a useful addition to plant-forward meals. Nutrition per 100 g.
Culinary uses & pairings
The go-to method for most home cooks is high-heat roasting. Halve the sprouts, toss with oil, salt, and pepper, and spread them cut-side down on a sheet pan at 425°F (220°C). They’ll caramelize in about 20 to 25 minutes, turning sweet and crispy-edged — the transformation that converts skeptics. From there the flavor takes well to balsamic glaze, lemon zest, Parmesan, crispy pancetta, toasted nuts, or a drizzle of hot honey.
Raw and shredded Brussels sprouts make a sturdy, satisfying base for slaws and grain bowls because the leaves hold up to dressing without wilting. A mandoline or the shredding disc on a food processor makes quick work of a whole bag. They also sauté quickly in a hot skillet for weeknight stir-fries, steam well as a simple side, and can be braised low and slow in broth or butter until silky and tender.
Pairs well with
Substitutions
Buying & storage
Look for Brussels sprouts that are firm, compact, and bright green with tightly wrapped leaves — loose, yellowing, or puffy sprouts are past their prime. Smaller sprouts (around 1 inch across) tend to be sweeter and more tender than very large ones. When you can find them, sprouts still attached to the stalk are the freshest option and will keep longer in the fridge. Avoid any with black spots or a strong sulfur smell before cooking, which signals age.
Varieties
- Long Island Improved: The classic heirloom variety found at farmers markets; firm, round, and reliably sweet.
- Jade Cross: A popular hybrid known for uniform size and good cold tolerance; reliable for home gardens.
- Diablo: A modern hybrid with a slightly sweeter flavor profile and deep green color that holds well after cooking.
- Rebus: A compact, early-maturing variety often sold on the stalk; tender with a mild, nutty taste.
Recipes using brussels sprout
3 recipes across our recipe sites use brussels sprout. A few favorites:
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History & origin
Brussels sprouts take their name from Brussels, Belgium, where records of their cultivation date to at least the 13th century, though the vegetable likely originated in the Mediterranean region and was refined into its modern compact form in the Low Countries. They became a staple crop across northern Europe — particularly in Belgium and the Netherlands — because they thrive in cool, damp climates and could be harvested late into fall and winter when other vegetables were scarce. European immigrants gradually introduced them to North America, but they remained a niche crop in the US until the mid-20th century, when large-scale commercial growing took hold in the cool coastal valleys of California, which still produces the vast majority of the American crop today.
How it’s made
Brussels sprouts are grown from seed as a cool-season biennial treated as an annual crop, typically started indoors in late spring and transplanted into the field. The plant produces a tall central stalk — often reaching 2 to 3 feet — and the sprouts develop as buds in the leaf axils from the bottom of the stalk upward over many weeks. A light frost can improve flavor by prompting the plant to convert starches to sugars, which is why fall-harvested sprouts are often noticeably sweeter. At commercial scale, a mechanical harvester strips the entire stalk at once; smaller farms and home gardeners snap individual sprouts by hand as they mature. After harvest, sprouts are cooled quickly to preserve freshness before packing.
Good to know
- A single Brussels sprout stalk can carry 40 to 60 sprouts by harvest time.
- The bitter taste some people associate with Brussels sprouts is partly genetic — a variation in the TAS2R38 taste receptor gene makes certain glucosinolate breakdown compounds taste sharply bitter to a significant portion of the population.
- Brussels sprouts contain more vitamin C per 100 grams than an orange does.
- California’s coastal growing regions produce the overwhelming majority of Brussels sprouts sold in the United States.
- Boiling Brussels sprouts for too long releases sinigrin and other sulfur compounds responsible for that unpleasant smell — high-heat roasting minimizes this effect.
