Maple Miso Brussels Sprouts
These easy maple miso brussels sprouts are exactly what your Thanksgiving Day menu needs! With only 6 ingredients, the sweetness from the maple syrup combined with the savory miso paste, makes these maple miso brussels sprouts the perfect side dish for any meal!
If you couldn’t already tell from my Instagram feed, I’m having a bit of a fall moment. I’ve always enjoyed the season - the changing colors, college football, finally being able to straighten my hair. While I’m not quite the level of posting selfies in Uggs with a pumpkin spice latte in hand, I totally get the enthusiasm.
This year fall seems to be a little bit more magical than normal. When we left Columbia for Vietnam, it had been hot and rainy and dreary for the past couple weeks. When we got back, we were smack dab in the middle of fall. I missed the transition entirely, and I’m not sad about it in the least.
Obviously, we’re celebrating fall in the kitchen. Maybe in a few months I’ll start missing eggplant and heirloom tomatoes, but for now, I’m playing a game called ‘let’s see how many ways I can prepare Brussels sprouts.’ Come join me and make these maple miso Brussels sprouts!
If you’re reading this post in November, Brussels sprouts are a must have on Thanksgiving, right up there with mac and cheese and stuffing. Wow - I never thought those words would come out of my mouth! Brussels were far from my favorite vegetable growing up. Now they crack the top three.
These maple-miso brussies (my nickname, because we’re best pals and all) would make a lovely little addition to your Thanksgiving meal. However, they would also pair perfectly with roasted chicken breast and mashed potatoes as a staple to your everyday family dinners. Be sure to use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup, which doesn’t have the same rich flavor. Bonus points for grade B pure maple syrup, which has a much deeper flavor.
Miso Paste:
Miso paste is one of my favorite pantry staples. It's a condiment made by fermenting soybeans to create a salty, savory paste. You can normally find it by the produce where the other refrigerated condiments are located. It's a great source of those beneficial probiotics that make your tummy happy. There's so many other uses than miso soup (although miso soup is quite delicious!). Whisk into marinade for chicken, blend it with butter to top roasted vegetables, add to vegetarian bean dishes for umami flavor, or whisk into dressing for a probiotic boost.
These days you can find miso paste at most well stocked grocery stores. It’s usually found with the tofu and meat substitutes. You might notice white, yellow and red miso. I like to use white or yellow miso for this recipe because it has a milder flavor and looks prettier in this dish, but red works fine too! What’s great about miso paste is that is lasts forever, so you can always have it on hand to add to dishes.
Maple Miso Brussels Sprouts
Serves 4
Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb Brussels sprouts, quartered
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons miso paste
Large pinch red pepper flakes
Cilantro, optional, for garnish
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add brussels sprouts, and pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
While sprouts are cooking, whisk together maple syrup, red pepper flakes and miso paste in a small bowl. Add a little warm water if needed to help it blend.
When sprouts are tender, add glaze and stir to combine. Cook 1 minute to warm through, then serve.
You might also like these Fall dishes:
Pumpkin, Shiitake and Gruyere Pizza on a TJ’s Cauliflower Crust
Harvest Salad with Crispy Cornmeal Chicken, Apples and Gorgonzola
Apple Cheddar Pumpernickel Toasts
