This has got to be the BEST vegetable side dish: Thai Brussels sprouts! Crispy and tender oven-baked Brussels sprouts are tossed in a simple sweet and savory Thai sauce for a flavor-packed treat perfect for any occasion. It can be ready within 25 minutes and this recipe bursts with powerful nutrients. Everyone will love them and 100% vegan!
Somehow, I like to order Brussels sprouts in restaurants more than cook them myself. But there is no good reason for that. They are so easy to prepare and they cook fast too.
And Brussels sprouts are way tastier than they get credit for. Especially these oven-roasted Thai Brussels sprouts that are drenched in the BEST Thai sweet chili sauce, they are SO good they will disappear in minutes!
I usually roast potatoes and broccoli or make these harissa potatoes when I am looking for an easy vegetable side dish. But now, these Brussels sprouts have all my attention. Plus, as you probably already know, Brussels sprouts are packed with nutrition, such as antioxidants, vitamin C and glucosinates (cancer-fighting compounds). We should definitely eat them more!
The sweet and savory chili sauce finds its way into all the layers of the miniature cabbages for more Thai flavors in each bite.
I hope you give them a try! ❤️
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Why you will love this recipe
- Easy and quick
- Incredible vegetable side dish recipe
- Healthy and loaded with antioxidants
- Can be served in so many ways
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients
- Tasty side dish for the holiday table, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas
- Made vegetarian and vegan without using fish sauce
- Very flavorful Thai dressing that will make anyone LOVE Brussels sprouts!
🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- Brussels sprouts: you will need 1 pound of Brussels sprouts for this recipe. which gives enough for 2-3 people. You can easily double the recipe if needed.
- Brown sugar: brings a nice sweet flavor with a mild caramel taste that pairs well with the other Thai ingredients. Maple syrup should work too.
- Soy sauce: gives the dressing a strong and salty taste, without including fish sauce.
- Sambal oelek: it is a spicy chili paste that adds huge flavor to the dish. Similar to garlic, you can add as much as you want for a more or less spicy recipe.
- Fresh cilantro: or fresh mint if you don't like cilantro.
- Peanuts: for garnishing, optional. I like how peanuts add a nice crunch and more plant-based protein. You can also use roasted cashews.
You can also include a small amount of sesame oil in the dressing and swap the spicy chili paste for a store-bought sweet chili sauce to make it less spicy.
➡️ How to choose your Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts come in all sizes, from tiny to pretty large. Ideally, you would choose Brussels sprouts that are about right in the middle.
When too big, they can be bitter. Also, although they are sweeter, I think it is better to avoid super small Brussels sprouts so you can slice them in half for better roasting.
You will want to remove any dried-out or yellowish leaves from the outer surface of each Brussels sprout for the best results.
🍽 How to make Thai Brussels sprouts
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450º and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Slice the Brussels sprouts in half and remove the outer leaves that don't look good. Transfer the halved Brussels sprouts to the prepared baking sheet face down on a single layer, then spray some oil over them. Bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes, watching carefully.
Step 2: While the Brussels sprouts are cooking, then make the dressing. In a small- medium mixing bowl, simply whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic and sambal oelek (chili paste). You can taste and see if you want it sweeter or spicier. Set aside.
Step 3: Combine the baked crispy Brussels sprouts and dressing in a serving bowl, then toss in the chopped cilantro.
Step 4: Garnish the roasted Brussels sprouts with peanuts and a side of lime wedges. You can also garnish with some green onions or black sesame seeds.
⭐️ Detailed recipe down below in the recipe card!
💡 Helpful tips
- When slicing the Brussels sprouts, some of the layers might fall off. Remove the ones that look bruised, but roast the ones that look healthy. They will turn super crispy in the oven!
- For a warmer vegetable side dish, you can also put them back in the oven for about 5 minutes after being tossed with the dressing.
- You can make this recipe oil-free, although using some oil, even just a little bit, can help crisp them. I like using an oil spray for this reason: it is easy to distribute the oil evenly without having to add too much of it.
- Use a large pan to roast the Brussels sprouts! If they are too close to each other when baking, they can steam instead of roasting, which can turn them mushy.
🍴 Serving suggestions
We love these Brussels sprouts as a side dish with pretty much anything, but they go especially well paired with Asian main dishes, such as:
- Hoisin tofu
- Sweet and sour tofu
- Sticky tempeh
- Orange cauliflower
- Gochujang tofu
- Pan-fried tempeh
- Tofu egg rolls
You can also simply serve them over a bed of quinoa or rice and turn it into a full meal. Pair with some quick sticky tofu for more protein and try over turmeric fried rice for a flavor-packed meal.
📝 Variations to the recipe
- Creamy: add a spoonful of mayo to the dressing and whisk well until all is well dissolved.
- Protein-rich: other than including cubed tofu in the recipe, you can also simply add a spoonful of peanut butter to the dressing. This would give you a flavor profile similar to a Thai peanut butter sauce!
- Veggie-packed: I made this recipe a few times and I tried it with some extra veggies as well since there is a good amount of dressing. It worked out well! Try roasting the Brussels sprouts with some broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, green beans and mushrooms!
- More heat: you can simply adjust the amount of sambal oelek or feel free to include finely sliced fresh chili peppers.
❗️ Storage tips
Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The Brussels sprouts won't be as crispy after resting in the sauce for a while, but the flavors will remain delicious
To reheat, you can warm up in the microwave until heated through or use the oven (400º for a few minutes).
❓ FAQs
Yes, you can! Simply use a large pan (a cast iron skillet would be great) and roast the halved Brussels sprouts in a little oil until tender in the middle and slightly browned and caramelized on the outside. You can pour the Thai dressing right into the pan, although remove the pan from the heat first to avoid splashes.
I think this recipe is best enjoyed when just prepared for the optimal texture. That being said, you can whisk the Thai dressing and prepare the Brussels sprouts ahead of time, then store both separately in the fridge until ready to use.
Swap the soy sauce for a gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos to make these Thai Brussels sprouts GF.
🌱 More vegetable side dishes you might like
I hope you like this Thai Brussels sprouts recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Thai Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Chili Sauce
Equipment
- Baking sheet (+ parchment paper)
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts - cleaned, patted dry and sliced in half
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cloves of garlic - crushed
- ½-1 tsp sambal oelek (chili paste) - or one small Thai chili pepper, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro - finely chopped, plus more for garnishing
- small handful of roasted peanuts - for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer the halved Brussels sprouts over the baking sheet facing down and spray some oil over. Bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing: whisk together in a bowl the soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic and chili paste.
- When the Brussels sprouts are done, toss them in the dressing with the cilantro. Then, serve with some peanuts and lime wedges.
Video
Notes
- Storage: keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat using the microwave or the stove.
- This recipe is very versatile and can be served in many different ways. Be sure to check out the blog post for more details!
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
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