This sautéed shredded Brussels sprouts recipe is bursting with flavor – citrus lemon balances out the natural bitterness of Brussels sprouts, and is garnished with grated parmesan cheese that makes this healthy dish feel just a little more luxurious. Ready in just 25 minutes, this is naturally gluten-free and is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas or anytime during the holidays.
Enhancing Natural Flavors of Food
Among the chefs featured in the Netflix documentary Chef’s Table is Dan Barber, the co-owner and executive chef at Blue Hill, a farm-to-table restaurant with the aim of changing the way the world eats.
Dan’s philosophy is simple – he aims to use everything that a farm can give to create food that enhances the natural flavors of its ingredients. In order to help us better understand Dan, the revered American food writer and chef Ruth Reichl gave the example that Dan strove to do things like “bring out the carrotness of a carrot”, in order to demonstrate how Dan worked with the food he had.
Long after the episode had ended, I kept thinking about Dan and his cooking philosophy. My mind kept returning to what Dan had said about keeping his plates uncomplicated so as not to distract from the highlights of the dishes – the ingredients themselves.
What are Brussels Sprouts?
Brussels sprouts are part of the Brassica family of cabbages, and are grown for its edible buds, which are typically 0.6 to 1.6 inches in diameter and they look uncannily like tiny cabbages. Brussels sprouts have long been popular in Brussels, Belgium, and they may have gotten their name there.
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While Brussel sprouts are now available almost all year round, their peak season is from September to mid-February, and these sprouts are often eaten during Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner as a side dish or appetizer.
What does Shredded Brussels Sprouts mean?
The term “shredded Brussels sprouts” basically refers to finely shaved Brussels sprouts – and are occasionally available in some supermarkets.
However, if you can’t find the sprouts pre-shaved, you can definitely use a sharp knife, or mandoline, or a food processor to shred the sprouts super fine (This article by Wikihow shows you how to shave your Brussels sprouts at home).
Since I don’t own a mandoline or a food processor, I decided to go with the old-fashioned way – using a knife and some muscle power.
The Perfect Thanksgiving (or Holiday) Side Dish
Since Brussels sprouts are in season during the fall and winter, I wanted to feature them in an easy side dish that wasn’t overly complicated, and that essentially brought out the natural flavor of this vegetable -that slight bitterness that comes with it- that may at first require an acquired taste, but overtime you’ll come to love.
The flavors are lovely in this recipe, and you might even win the die-hard sprout haters over!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: You only need a handful of ingredients for this sauteed Brussels sprouts recipe, and all of them are easily available at the local grocery store.
- Easy to Make: Sautéing the shaved Brussels sprouts is easy peasy, just toss them in a bit of oil in a heated skillet, and then use a wooden spoon or spatula to toss the veggies occasionally so they don’t get stuck to the bottom of the skillet.
- Ready in No Time: You can get this easy recipe ready from scratch in just 25 minutes!
- Totally Gluten-Free and Vegetarian: The good thing is that this sautéed shredded Brussels sprouts is 100% gluten-free and vegetarian, which means that those with Celiac disease and on a vegetarian diet can enjoy it without worries!
Ingredients You’ll Need + Notes/Substitutions
- Brussels Sprouts: You can either buy already shaved Brussels sprouts at the supermarket, or shave fresh Brussels sprouts yourself (as I show you how in the instructions).
- Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil because there are so few ingredients in this dish that I want each flavor to stand out. However, feel free to use another vegetable oil (such as coconut oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil).
- Lemon Juice: I prefer to use fresh lemon juice since I almost always have fresh lemons on hand. However, if you only have bottled lemon juice, that will work too. Alternatively, you may substitute the lemon juice with balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar if you prefer.
- Parmesan Cheese: I used freshly grated parmesan cheese in this case, but feel free to swap it out for vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast to make this dairy-free or vegan.
How to Cook Sautéed Brussels Sprouts:
1. Shred Brussels Sprouts
Remove any tough outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts and then use a sharp knife to cut the sprouts into halves lengthwise. Place the halves cut-side-down and then cut into very thin slices.
2. Sauté the Shredded Brussels Sprouts
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat up two tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the shredded sprouts over medium-high heat until they are slightly soft but still bright green in color.
3. Flavor and Garnish
Squeeze in lemon juice and mix well before sprinkling grated parmesan cheese over. Sprinkle salt and ground black pepper over the sautéed shredded Brussels sprouts and serve.
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Shred Sprouts in Advance: Since the hardest part of this Brussels sprouts recipe is to shave the sprouts as thinly as you possibly can, you can shred or slice the sprouts beforehand and keep them in an airtight container, ziplock bag or plastic bag for up to a few days in the refrigerator. When you are ready to cook them, all you’ll need is just 15 minutes of cooking time to get this amazing dish done!
- Cooking Beforehand: If you want to cook this Brussels sprouts recipe before hand, you can sauté the shaved sprouts (without adding the lemon or the parmesan cheese) and then store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days in advance. When ready to serve, heat the sautéed shredded Brussels sprouts in a hot pan or skillet or microwave before adding lemon juice, parmesan, salt and pepper.
- Make It Dairy-Free/Vegan: If you are lactose-intolerant or simply want to keep this delicious sautéed Brussels sprouts recipe dairy-free or vegan, all you need to do is substitute the grated parmesan cheese with dairy-free parmesan or nutritional yeast.
- Garnishing Ideas: You can also garnish this dish with lemon zest for extra citrus flavor or top it with pine nuts for crunchiness.
Other Thanksgiving/ Holiday Sides:
- 23 Last Minute Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes
- Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Crispy Hasselback Potatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Easy Rosemary Cornbread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Easy Cornbread Muffins (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Skillet Cornbread (Gluten-Free)
- Jalapeño Cornbread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Roasted Delicata Squash Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Creamy Pumpkin Soup (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- 20-Minute Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Quinoa, Butternut Squash and Kale Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
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Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts (Gluten-Free, Vegetarian)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This sautéed shredded Brussels sprouts recipe is bursting with flavor – citrus lemon balances out the natural bitterness of Brussels sprouts, and is garnished with grated parmesan cheese that makes this healthy dish feel just a little more luxurious. Ready in just 25 minutes, this is naturally gluten-free and is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas or anytime during the holidays.
Ingredients
- 20 oz. whole Brussels sprouts (approximately 6 cups whole, or 8 cups shaved)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Shred Brussels Sprouts: Remove any tough outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts and then use a sharp knife to cut the sprouts into halves lengthwise. Place the halves cut-side-down and slice thinly to shred the sprouts.
- Sauté the Shredded Brussels Sprouts: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the shredded Brussels sprouts until they are slightly soft but still bright green in color.
- Flavor and Garnish: Squeeze in lemon juice and mix well before sprinkling grated parmesan cheese over. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste and serve.
Notes
Brussels Sprouts: You can either buy already shaved Brussels sprouts at the supermarket, or shave them yourselves (as I show you how in the instructions).
Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil because there are so few ingredients in this dish that I want each flavor to stand out. However, feel free to use another vegetable oil (such as coconut oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil).
Lemon Juice: I prefer to use fresh lemon juice since I almost always have fresh lemons on hand. However, if you only have bottled lemon juice, that will work too.
Parmesan Cheese: I used freshly grated parmesan cheese in this case, but feel free to swap it out for vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast to make this dairy-free or vegan.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Western
Keywords: shaved brussels sprouts, sauteed shredded brussels sprouts
Thank you once again Felicia for this excellent brussels sprout recipe!
For busy cooks in our days, the beauty of this recipe is that we can prepare it in advance and still the dish tastes great.
With much love,
Mum
★★★★★
Hi mummy! 🙂 I love Brussels sprouts – and in the same way you can also shred cabbage very finely and cook it this way 🙂 Love you too!
This brussel sprout side dish is excellent. I am so glad that I found you. Thank you so much
★★★★★
You’re most welcome Nanette! So glad you enjoyed this dish 🙂 Stay around for more recipes! Glad to have you here!