This super easy side dish combines brussels sprouts that have been roasted till deeply browned and crunchy with a citrusy soy vinaigrette that gives a zesty, umami punch.
Cauliflower has been getting all the attention lately, but I still love all the ways brussels sprouts have been reinvented over the last 10 years. One of my favorite versions is served at Eloise Nichols in Houston – served super crunchy and tossed in a dressing of white soy, lime, and togarashi. This recipe is my version of that dish using lots of my favorite ingredients: miso, soy sauce, lime zest, and my new love – yuzu kosho.
What is yuzu kosho?
Yuzu kosho is a fermented Japanese condiment combining yuzu, chiles, and salt. It’s a new discovery for me after ordering some for an Alison Roman recipe, and I am IN. LOVE. I have been mixing it into marinades, dressings, and sauces with abandon, and it has yet to disappoint. Bon Appetit has a great article all about the wonders of this silver bullet condiment. While you may be able to find this at your local Asian market or well-stocked grocery store, it is easily available to buy online.
While yuzu kosho is not strictly necessary for this dish – I provide substitutions to get a fantastically citrusy dressing without it – I highly recommend trying it out! You may also find yourself with a new favorite condiment.
How to make caramelized brussels sprouts
Roast them. I mean, REALLY roast them. That’s it. Honestly.
To be more specific, start by trimming a pound of brussels sprouts and pulling the first few layers of leaves off. These leaves will become crispy, crunchy brussels sprout chips in the roasting process. The inner part of the brussels sprout needs to be quartered or halved (depending on its size), and then they all get tossed with a bit of olive oil and salt on a sheet pan.
Next, throw them into a 425 F degree oven for 20 – 30 minutes until deeply browned and crunchy. This can be a little nerve-wracking because you will wonder if they are burning, but BE BRAVE. Your patience will be rewarded in crispiness. However, if the leaves are already very browned and crispy and making your nervous, and the larger brussels sprout pieces still need more color, you can remove the leaves from the sheet pan and let the larger pieces continue to roast.
Once everything is browned and crispy, toss the brussels sprouts with the vinaigrette, top with cilantro and sesame seeds, and serve immediately. While the brussels sprouts are still good as they cool, they do lose some of their crunch. I only know this from having to wait to eat them while taking photos – in recipe testing, we always devoured the entire bowl before they had a chance to cool.
Tips and substitutions for caramelized brussels sprouts
- Use your favorite soy sauce replacement. There are so many fantastic substitutes for soy sauce these days and all of them should work marvelously in the dressing. I have tried both soy sauce and tamari, but I expect coco aminos, liquid aminos, and maggi would all work.
- Substituting yuzu kosho. While there is no great one-to-one replacement for yuzu kosho, you can achieve the same effect (spicy and citrusy) by using hot sauce or fresh chiles and extra lime zest. Sriracha would be great in this or some finely minced or thinly slivered green chiles. This doesn’t replace the fermented flavor of the yuzu kosho, but the miso paste in the dressing is sufficient for that.
- Don’t substitute the miso. If you don’t have miso paste, just leave it out. I have made the dressing without it and it’s still really good. However, miso is great in so many things and lasts for at least a year in the fridge, so I highly recommend grabbing some. You will see it come up again in future recipes of mine if you’re worried about using it all! (I also use it almost weekly to make this killer miso caesar dressing that my son is obsessed with.)
- Measure the oil right before the honey. This is kind of a silly tip but do it! If you measure the oil first, the honey will pour right out of the tablespoon with no sticking.
If you make these caramelized brussels sprouts, please let me know by leaving a rating and review below!
Caramelized brussels sprouts with citrus soy vinaigrette
This super easy side dish combines brussels sprouts that have been roasted till deeply browned and crunchy with a citrusy soy vinaigrette that gives a zesty, umami punch.
Ingredients
1 pound brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon neutral oil, like safflower, grapeseed, or canola
1 1/2 tablespoons honey (I just let the honey overflow the spoon a bit as I measure)
Zest from 1/2 lime (~1/2 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon white or red miso paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon yuzu kosho (or more if you want more kick)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper or a few grinds of black pepper
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds (toasted or untoasted)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- While the oven preheats, prep your brussels sprouts. Wash the brussels sprouts and dry with a clean kitchen towel. Trim the end of each sprout and pull off several of the outer leaves – you want these extra leaves to get crispy and crunchy in the oven. Halve or quarter the inner part of the brussels sprouts, depending on the size.
- Add all the brussels sprouts – leaves and cores – to a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil and a large pinch of salt. Roast for 20 – 30 minutes or until deeply browned, tossing once or twice.
- While the brussels sprouts roast, mix the dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients – soy sauce through yuzu kosho – to a bowl and whisk until combined.
- Once the brussels sprouts come out of the oven, move to a serving bowl and toss with as much of the dressing as desired (start with half and then add more to taste) and half of the cilantro leaves. Top with the remaining cilantro leaves and sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
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