I’m heating things up this week with a killer Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts recipe. Who says brussels sprouts have to be boring? There is so much flavor in these sprouts that it’s like a punch in the mouth! ? ?? (In a good way. ?)
My Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts were inspired by a trip to Austin, Texas last Fall. I was the matron of honor for my best friend’s wedding, so Mark and I flew down for a long weekend. One of the highlights of the weekend (aside from the breathtaking wedding!) was when all of the bridesmaids went out for my friend’s bachelorette party to a hip restaurant called The Hightower. While all of the food and drinks we sampled were amazing, what really stood out to me was a Thai-inspired brussels sprouts dish. It was SO memorable, in fact, that I just had to create my own version!
On the restaurant menu, they were called, “Peanut Butter Brussels Sprouts,” which initially sounded like an odd pairing. Boy, was I wrong! The dish featured roasted charred brussels sprouts in a spicy peanut sauce, topped with sweet golden raisins, chopped peanuts, and a drizzle of sriracha. (I know peanuts aren’t Paleo, but legumes are where I deviate from the Paleo diet just a bit!)
Since all of the bridesmaids were practically licking the plates of the brussels sprouts that night, I knew I just had to come up with my own recipe when I got home! That was many months before I had my food blog, so I’m grateful that I thought to write it down at the time! ?
What we have here is a sweet, tangy, spicy side dish that will put other veggies to shame! It would be a great compliment to an Asian or Thai entree, or even as a standalone appetizer like the restaurant did. You could also make it a meal with an added protein and some cauliflower rice. No matter how you serve it, it’s so darn delicious!
Thanks to The Hightower, for the inspiration!
For this recipe, you’ll want to roast a big pile of brussels sprouts to get started. I cut mine in half and coated them with some olive oil and spices.
They go into the oven for about 30 minutes until they look charred and crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside. You could stop here and eat them as is (since even simple roasted brussels sprouts taste great), but you’d totally regret not trying the peanut sauce!
Mark and I love cooking Thai food, so I already had all of my sauce ingredients on hand, but if you don’t have something like chili garlic paste lying around, check the Asian section of your local grocery store. I recently discovered that lemongrass stalks, a common Thai ingredient that adds a mild citrus flavor to recipes, also comes in paste form. It’s a huge time-saver! Look for it among other herb pastes, like ginger, cilantro, and basil.
No worries if you can’t find one or two of these items! You can make a few substitutions – like soy sauce/tamari in place of the coconut aminos, a splash of lemon juice for the lemongrass, and extra hot sauce and garlic in place of the chili garlic paste. (You could probably also sub almond butter in this to make it Paleo, but I haven’t tried it, since I’m sticking as close to the original dish as possible.)
For the sauce, I heated my sesame oil and garlic first, then mixed everything together and added a bit of water to thin it down. It should still be somewhat thick, but pourable. Mmmm… it smelled incredible as it simmered while the sprouts finished roasting in the oven.
Once the brussels sprouts were nice and charred, I transferred them to a heated wok, along with my peanut sauce, and gave it a good stir. Time for toppings!
Peanuts, golden raisins, and sriracha seem like an unlikely trio, but trust me on this – they add texture, sweetness, and an extra kick of heat. Not to mention, they really make this dish beautiful!
So, when you want a fun appetizer to compliment a Thai or Asian meal, or you’re looking to switch up plain veggies and go for something bold, unique, and oh-so-delicious, then try my Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts! Your taste buds will thank you. ?
And the next time you visit Austin, Texas, definitely check out The Hightower restaurant!
- 2 lbs brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic paste
- ¼ cup coconut aminos, or ⅛ cup tamari
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- ⅛-1/4 cup water (use to thin down sauce if needed)
- ½ cup chopped roasted peanuts
- ½ cup golden raisins
- drizzle of sriracha (optional, but so good!)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Grease a baking sheet with half of the olive oil.
- Spread halved brussels sprouts on the pan and drizzle wth remaining olive oil. Season with garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir the sprouts to evenly coat them with oil and spices.
- Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until sprouts are slightly charred and crispy on the outside.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set on medium/low heat, add the sesame oil and minced garlic. Cook for about a minute, or until fragrant.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth and heated. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once brussels sprouts are roasted, throw them into a wok or large skillet heated on low.
- Add the sauce and stir until incorporated.
- Remove from heat and top with peanuts, raisins, and sriracha.
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