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Roast Brussels Sprouts: This is How It Become Really Tasty

Roasting Brussels sprouts is easy with these instructions. Roasted Brussels sprouts are a popular side dish in wintry temperatures. Three variants bring variety to the plate.

You can prepare Brussels sprouts in different ways – for example in a pan. We’ll show you three varied ways of roasting Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts are a typical winter vegetable from the cabbage family. Harvest time in Germany begins at the end of September. Brussels sprouts are in high season between November and December. Since cabbage can be stored very well, you can buy regional Brussels sprouts until March.

The best way to buy fresh Brussels sprouts is organic and from regional suppliers. Because organic food usually contains far less pesticide residues – synthetic pesticides are forbidden in organic cultivation. In addition, Brussels sprouts from the region do not have to be transported so far, which saves CO2. An alternative to the shop or market around the corner is the delivery of an eco box** with regional fruit and vegetables directly to your home.

Roast Brussels sprouts: the ingredients

You need the following ingredients for four to six side dishes of roasted Brussels sprouts:

500 grams of Brussels sprouts
3-4 tbsp vegetable oil (e.g. olive oil)
Salt
pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Be sure to use fresh Brussels sprouts for this recipe. Frozen cabbage florets cannot be fried until brown because they lose too much water.

Tip: The ground cumin will help you digest the cabbage better.

Roast Brussels sprouts properly

If you want to roast Brussels sprouts, you should be careful not to burn them. How to properly roast Brussels sprouts:

Clean the Brussels sprouts carefully.
Cut the cabbage florets in half.
Heat the olive oil in a pan on high.
Add the Brussels sprouts once the oil is hot.
Then reduce the heat and fry the halves of Brussels sprouts for about five minutes on medium-high. Stir constantly so the vegetables don’t burn.
Add the salt, pepper and ground cumin and mix the spices with the Brussels sprouts. Reduce the temperature to the lowest level and cover the pan with a lid.
Roast the Brussels sprouts for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how al dente you want them to be. Stir every 3 to 5 minutes to avoid burning the Brussels sprouts. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if the veggies are too dry and sticking. Alternatively, you can also increase the amount of oil in this case.

Roast Brussels sprouts: three delicious variants

Roasted Brussels sprouts don’t have to taste boring: With a few simple steps and little effort, you can change the winter vegetables and add variety to your plate.

Brussels sprouts go very well with nuts. For example, add some roasted peanuts or cashew nuts to the finished dish.
With leftover rice from the day before, you can turn the fried Brussels sprouts into a delicious rice pan. Mix the cold rice with the fried florets and heat the rice pan for five more minutes. As a spice, curry goes very well here.
If you’re roasting Brussels sprouts, you can use breadcrumbs to give them a crispy crust. Simply add some oil or butter along with 2-3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs to the already cooked Brussels sprouts and sear them again.
Roast Brussels sprouts in the oven: Put the Brussels sprouts halves in a casserole dish and mix the vegetables with the spices. Pour some oil over it and put the mold in the oven. Then roast the Brussels sprouts for 45 to 50 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius top and bottom heat.
Brussels sprouts can also be combined with other types of vegetables to create a vegetable pan. But pay attention to the different cooking times of the vegetables.

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Brussels Sprouts are Healthy: That’s Why You Should Eat the Regional Winter Vegetable More Often

What makes Brussels sprouts so healthy is not only plenty of vitamin C. When bought regionally, the winter vegetable is also a sustainable food.

Brussels sprouts belong to the cruciferous family and have been cultivated in Europe for around 200 years. At that time, farmers in Belgium began to grow the cabbage variety – which is why the florets are also called “Brussels cabbage”.

Brussels sprouts are a particularly digestible variety of cabbage that usually does not cause bloating or abdominal pain. Its strong aromatic flavor becomes milder after the first frost: then the sugar content increases and the cabbage tastes sweeter and less bitter. But whether strong or mild – Brussels sprouts are always healthy.

Brussels sprouts: Healthy thanks to vitamins and minerals

Numerous important vitamins and minerals make Brussels sprouts healthy (data from the USDA per 100g):

Vitamin C (85 mg) strengthens the body’s defences. 100 grams of Brussels sprouts contain about 85 milligrams of vitamin C.
Vitamin B-6 (0.2 mg) strengthens the immune system, among other things.
Vitamin A (38 micrograms) primarily supports bone formation, the skin and visual performance.
Vitamin K (177 micrograms) regulates cell growth and is important for blood clotting. Attention: Vitamin K inhibits the effect of vitamin K antagonists, which are contained in some medicines. If you are taking such medications, you should not consume too much vitamin K.
Potassium (389 mg) controls the transmission of stimuli in our muscles.
Calcium (42 mg) strengthens our bones and teeth.
Iron (1.4 mg) primarily transports oxygen in the blood.
According to research by the NDR, the vitamin C content in frozen Brussels sprouts is higher than in fresh ones. It depends on what “fresh” means. If you harvest Brussels sprouts in your garden and process them directly, the vitamin C content will be higher than fresh Brussels sprouts that have been stored in the cold store for some time and have been transported.

Brussels sprouts as part of a healthy diet

Not only the high amount of vitamins and minerals make Brussels sprouts healthy. It also contains other substances that promote our health:

Bitter substances stimulate digestion and soothe the gastric mucosa. They can even relieve mild abdominal pain.
Together with iron and vitamin B, folic acid (folate) promotes healthy blood formation.
Studies indicate that Brussels sprouts may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

With just under four grams of protein and fiber per 100 grams, Brussels sprouts not only provide important energy, but also fill you up in the long term and get your digestion going.

So it pays to include Brussels sprouts in your diet. Especially in winter it is an important supplier of health-promoting substances: it is one of the few regional vegetables that are still growing.

Brussels sprouts: Healthy and sustainable winter vegetables

Healthy Brussels sprouts are in season from November to January. It is a good alternative to vegetables that have to be imported from warmer regions in winter. However, only around 15 percent of the Brussels sprouts in the supermarket come from Germany. The rest comes mainly from the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain and France. Regional Brussels sprouts have a low carbon footprint, making them a sustainable food.

Tip: When shopping, pay attention to where the Brussels sprouts come from. At weekly markets or in organic supermarkets you can often find fresh Brussels sprouts on a stick from local farmers and you can shop regionally.

Cook Brussels sprouts properly

Its valuable ingredients make Brussels sprouts so healthy. To preserve them, you should prepare Brussels sprouts as fresh as possible. When buying, make sure that the florets are firm and light green. At room temperature, the florets wilt quickly. They will keep in the fridge for several days if you wrap them in a damp cloth.

Before processing Brussels sprouts, first remove yellow or loose leaves. Then you should clean the Brussels sprouts, remove the stalks and cut them in a cross shape. This way they cook evenly. Then you can prepare the florets:

Blanch Brussels sprouts: Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and add the Brussels sprouts. Leave it in the boiling water for about three minutes. Then drain it and let it cool in ice water for another three minutes. You can freeze blanched Brussels sprouts.
Boil and prepare Brussels sprouts: Place the florets in a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Then turn down the heat and put a lid on the pot. After five to seven minutes the cabbage will be al dente.
You can process the cooked florets as you wish – let yourself be inspired by our healthy Brussels sprouts recipes, for example.

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Brussels Sprouts Quiche: A Vegetarian Winter Recipe

Brussels sprouts quiche is a vegetarian recipe that you can prepare without much effort. We’ll show you how the classic French oven succeeds.

The quiche originally comes from France and there are different variations. The shortcrust pastry base and the egg and sour cream filling always remain the same. It is best to prepare the Brussels sprouts quiche between September and March, because Brussels sprouts are in season during this period.

Brussels sprouts quiche: A vegetarian recipe

Ingredients:

250 g flour
125 g butter 1 egg
2 tbsp water
0.5 tsp salt
500 g Brussels sprouts 150 sour cream 3 eggs
100 g cheese (Gouda)
0.5 tsp pepper
5 pinch(s) of salt
2 pinch(s) nutmeg

Directions:

First prepare the quiche dough. To do this, sift the flour into a bowl and crumble in the butter. Knead them in a bit before adding the egg, water, and salt. Then place the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Wash the Brussels sprouts and remove the brown spots. Then cook it for about six minutes. Pre-cooking will prevent the quiche from being ready before the cabbage is soft enough.
Then put the sour cream and eggs in a bowl and whisk them together.
Now add the grated cheese and spices.
Take the quiche dough out of the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface.
Place the dough in the pan and pull it up along the edges of the pan. You can use a quiche tart or a normal round cake tin with a diameter of 28 centimeters.
Now pour the egg and sour cream mixture onto the dough and spread the Brussels sprouts on top.
Finally, put the quiche in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 160 degrees.

Brussels sprouts quiche: expansion for the filling

Many quiches are made with bacon. You can simply replace it with smoked tofu. To do this, cut the smoked tofu (200 grams per quiche) into small cubes and fry it in a pan with oil for ten minutes. Add the fried cubes to the quiche filling later.

Animal products and sustainability

For the Brussels sprouts quiche you need some animal ingredients such as eggs and sour cream. However, the production of animal products generates CO2 emissions. One kilogram of cheese, for example, causes 7.3 kilograms of CO2 equivalents. With 1.3 kilograms of CO2 equivalent, one liter of milk causes fewer emissions. According to the Federal Information Center for Agriculture, the CO2 equivalents are particularly high in dairy products with a high fat content. It is therefore better for the environment to consume animal products consciously and in moderation.

You should also pay attention to how the animals are kept when buying dairy products and eggs. Basically, it makes sense to buy animal products in organic quality. But not all organic eggs are kept in the same way: The European Union’s organic seal only meets the minimum requirements for organic animal husbandry. Under the EU organic seal, 230 laying hens per hectare may be kept. In contrast, the farming associations Bioland, Naturland and Demeter have 140 laying hens per hectare. You can find more examples of the various requirements in organic farming in the article: Organic seal: what do the animals get out of it? Also, try to use eggs without shredding the chicks.

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