Caramelized brussels sprouts with a balsamic vinegar are a perfect Holiday side dish. However, they are so easy to make they can become a weeknight staple. The balsamic vinegar creates a delicious glaze covering the tiny sprouts and even the staunchest vegetable hater will love this.
Simple Ingredients for a Scrumptious Side Dish
A combination of brussels sprouts, cranberry pear glaze, and olive oil are the main ingredients in this recipe. Try this with and without a little sprinkle of shredded mozzarella cheese. To be honest, I loved it both ways.
It takes all of 15 minutes to make this recipe and even less time to disappear, as nothing was leftover.
How to Trim Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts can be left whole; however, for this recipe, I recommend trimming and halving or even quartering them for this recipe. They will cook up much faster and the flat sides of the sprout will have more contact with the pan for quicker caramelization.
Remove any dead or browned outer leaves and give them a rinse. Then using a paring knife, trim off the stem end, which is tough on each sprout. Cut the Brussel sprout lengthwise from the tip to the trimmed end.
The Brussels sprouts are tender and sweet.
Restaurant Style Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar
The balsamic vinegar itself will caramelize; however, having one that is infused with cranberry and pear is even better. When this thickens, it actually gets a bit sticky and tastes like a sweet candy. Pair this with the brussels sprouts that are also caramelizing and you have a winning combination.
This recipe takes just simple ingredients and turns them into a delicious side dish that is easy enough to make any day of the week, yet fancy enough for the Holiday table.
How to Make Caramelize Brussels Sprouts in a Skillet
Often, I see recipes calling for boiling the sprouts first or baking them in the oven for quite some time. This recipe skips those steps and gets the job done extremely nicely.
Here is how got a delicious caramelization.
Add olive oil and the cranberry pear white balsamic vinegar to a non-stick skillet. I used a 12-inch skillet, so the sprouts had room to cook. If you pile in too many, they will steam rather than caramelize.
Using medium-high heat and add the sprouts that have been cleaned and sliced in halves or quarters if on the large size. I added about 3 cups.
Cook approximately 10-15 minutes until the sprouts are fork tender and the edges and sauce is caramelizing. The vinegar will get nice and gooey and sticky.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese if desired and enjoy.
How to Get Crispy Brussels Sprouts Just Like a Restaurant
If I only made this one recipe for sprouts, my family would be happy as they love this recipe. Which is saying a lot since my husband is not a fan of the sprouts, until this recipe anyway. The sprouts are fried in the pan until they are crispy on medium-high heat. The balsamic vinegar has caramelized and is glazing the crispy bits.
The key is not to overcrowd the pan and definitely use a non-stick skillet for this one as the reduced balsamic vinegar gets really sticky and yummy.
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar
Tender and sweet ~ Just a perfect side dish to make for the Holiday meal or those busy weeknight meals.
Here are a number of delicious other side dishes for you to try.
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Brussels Sprouts cleaned and cut in half or quartered
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- ½ Cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded optional
Instructions
- Add olive oil and the cranberry pear white balsamic vinegar to a non-stick skillet. I used a 12-inch skillet, so the sprouts had room to cook. If you pile in too many, they will steam rather than caramelize.
- Using medium-high heat and add the sprouts that have been cleaned and sliced in halves or quarters if on the large size. I added about 3 cups.
- Cook approximately 10 minutes until the sprouts are fork tender and the edges and sauce is caramelizing. The vinegar will get nice and gooey and sticky.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese if desired and serve.
