Less than a week from now, we’ll be sitting around a table for one of my favorite meals of the year!
And these Brussels sprouts will be in front of me.
Greg and I have been cooking together for just about three years now. Over those three years, a few dishes have emerged as a specialty of his, and these sprouts are one of them.
Greg loves this vegetable and cooks it like a boss. Today, I’m sharing his recipe!
And really, his recipe is not even a recipe. He does it by taste and by smell and sound. He knows what we like and he makes them awesome. But for today, for you, I put these sprouts into a recipe. Because they are too good to not share.
This dish is simple. It requires few ingredients. It requires some chopping, some slicing and a little, but not much, attention for cooking. Here’s what you need:
Brussels sprouts
Shallots
Garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
That’s it!
It is one of our favorite side dishes for the two of us, but we also love making it for groups. We have made it the last couple of Thanksgivings for my family, and this year will be no different.
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We often talk about how Brussels are one of the most underrated veggies out there, and that is most likely due to many people having a bad Brussels experience. They were served Brussels that weren’t fresh, or that were simply boiled with no seasoning. If you are one of those people, a Brussels sprouts hater, this recipe could change your mind, I promise!
Part of the magic of cooking is how so few, simple ingredients can come together to taste so darn good. But this, this is a perfect example of that.
When simple Brussels sprouts and shallots come together and get caramelized together in a pan, it is nothing but pure magic. When you sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on those sprouts and shallots, it’s even better. The taste is sweet and smoky. You want to just keep eating more and more and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
The recipe I give you today is somewhat loose. The amount of sprouts you need is dependent on a couple of things – 1) how many people are eating and 2) how hungry those people are.
When making this for just Greg and I for a side dish for a normal dinner, I usually buy 10 Brussels sprouts for each of us.
For every two servings of Brussels sprouts (so in our case, for every 20 sprouts) I use 10 shallots. Yes, 10. It sounds like a lot and it will look like a lot, but the shallots are what make this dish. They get caramelized and sweet and flavorful and as I always say, the more shallots, the better! When you slice them up, you will feel like you have just as many shallots as sprouts, and that’s okay!
Now, Greg and I are big eaters (especially Brussels sprouts eaters!) so this may sound like too many for you. Or not enough! Use your best judgement on how many sprouts each person could eat when making this.
If you are making this for a large Thanksgiving-like meal where there are tons of other side dishes, then you can probably plan for less Brussels per serving, maybe 5-7 sprouts per person. You can also plan to use less shallots. It would be unreasonable to use 80-100 shallots to serve a large group of people, in my opinion (but go for it if you want!).
Have questions about making these for a large group? Leave a question in the comments section!
If you’re still searching for a simple, no-fuss veggie for your Thanksgiving meal, give these a try! They are always a crowd pleaser. Or maybe, you’re just looking for a simple and delicious way to eat Brussels sprouts any night of the week. These are for you, too! Enjoy!
- Brussels sprouts (I usually do 7-10 per person, depending on the size)
- Shallots (For every 15-20 Brussels sprouts, I do 10 shallots)
- Fresh garlic, minced (2 large cloves for every 15-20 Brussels sprouts)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Cut Brussels sprouts in half and rinse. Thinly slice the shallots.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot or pan over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic and stir.
- Add the sliced shallots and a pinch of salt to the pan and stir. Cook shallots over medium heat, stirring every so often, for about five minutes, or until slightly softened and browned.
- Add Brussels sprouts to the pan and stir. Cook sprouts over medium heat, covered but stirring frequently so that they don't burn, for 15-20 minutes. Add oil to the pan as needed. I usually add more oil 1-3 times during cooking, so that the sprouts don't burn and stick. Brussels should get browned, caramelized and soft.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- The amounts I provided will serve 2 big servings or 3-4 small servings. See the entire post for info about making these for a large group.
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