How Do You Cook Brussels Sprouts From The Garden?

Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:55 pm

Brussels sprouts are a healthy and delicious winter vegetable. We’ll show you the best way to cook Brussels sprouts and what vitamins they contain.

Before you start cooking Brussels sprouts, you should remove any dirt from them. For this, you can follow the tips in our guide:

Brussels sprouts boil and fry: Basic recipe

• If you want to cook the Brussels sprouts, put them in a pot of boiling salted water. The winter vegetable cooks quickly and only needs about 12 to 16 minutes.
• The small florets also don’t take long to sauté. Depending on whether you left it whole, halved it or quartered it, it will take five to seven minutes with the lid closed until it’s done.

Store Brussels sprouts properly

Brussels sprouts are a true winter vegetable that should ideally be harvested after the first frost. It’s best to buy them freshly harvested from regional cultivation so that transport and storage times are as short as possible. Brussels sprouts do not keep for long.

You should also keep this in mind if you want to store purchased Brussels sprouts. They will keep in the refrigerator for about four days. However, you should not store them next to apples or tomatoes. These release a substance that accelerates the ripening process.

Why Brussels sprouts are so healthy

Brussels sprouts are healthy because the small winter vegetable is a real vitamin and nutrient bomb:

• It is rich in fiber and contains more vegetable protein than many other types of cabbage.
• Brussels sprouts contain more vitamin C than almost any other vegetable. As a result, they offer good protection against flu-like infections during the cold season. However, the vitamin C content is reduced by cooking. Therefore, you should cook it as gently as possible.
• Brussels sprouts also contain plenty of potassium. This can prevent high blood pressure.
• They also contain iron.
• In addition, regular consumption protects white blood cells from cell damage.
• Brussels sprouts contain sulforaphane. The antioxidant is said to prevent tumors and have an anti-inflammatory effect, for example in arthritis.

Cooking Brussels sprouts – the right way to do it

Cooking Brussels sprouts is easy with our tips and tricks. So that the little heads cook to perfection, we explain the preparation step by step and show you great ways to refine.

Cooking Brussels sprouts – step by step like this

The small florets of Brussels sprouts, also called Brussels cabbage or Brussels sprouts, are a popular side dish to many meat dishes, but also taste great with pasta, as soup, in stir-fries or casseroles.

How to cook Brussels sprouts step by step

1. Remove the outer, wilted leaves of the Brussels sprouts using a kitchen knife. Wash the florets.
2. Cut off the stalk from the florets and cut crosswise with a kitchen knife, so the Brussels sprouts cook evenly during cooking.
3. Place cleaned Brussels sprouts in a pot, cover just with water and add about 1 tsp salt. Cover and cook Brussels sprouts over medium heat for 12-18 minutes, depending on desired doneness.
4. Pour Brussels sprouts through a colander and drain.
5. Extra tip: A good pinch of sugar in the cooking water makes the cabbage taste even fuller and softens the intense cabbage flavor somewhat.

Refining Brussels sprouts – 4 delicious variations

You can refine the taste of cooked Brussels sprouts as you like. We’ve come up with four different variations for you, from classic savory to refined Asian.

All ingredients are enough for 1 kg of Brussels sprouts (raw weight) each:

Brussels sprouts with bacon

Finely dice 75 g smoked streaky bacon, fry in a pot until crispy. Add 1 tablespoon butter and melt. Toss cooked Brussels sprouts in it. Season with nutmeg.

Brussels sprouts with apple

Wash 1 large apple, quarter, core and cut into small cubes. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and steam apple cubes in it for 3-4 minutes. Toss Brussels sprouts in it after cooking.

Brussels sprouts with almond flakes

Roast 2 tablespoons almond flakes without fat in a pan until golden brown, remove. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Toss Brussels sprouts in it after cooking. Season with nutmeg and sprinkle with flaked almonds.

Brussels sprouts with peanuts

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a pot. Sauté the cooked florets in it, turning, for 2-3 minutes. Season with 2-3 tablespoons of soy sauce. Coarsely chop 2 tablespoons of salted and roasted peanuts and mix in.

Cooking frozen Brussels sprouts

If you have frozen brussels sprouts, you can put them straight from the freezer into boiling salted water to cook. There, they will need 10-12 minutes to be al dente. If you like the sprouts softer, cook them longer.