Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts

November 11, 2021
Coated in a mixture of pure maple syrup, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard, Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts are loaded with fabulous flavor without being over-the-top sweet. It's one tasty little side dish fit for the holiday table, and the everyday dinner table as well!

Serving Dish of Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts Image

Around our house, we refer to Brussels sprouts as "baby cabbi," pronounced with the long "i" at the end of course, to create their plural form. Because you know Brussies totally look like baby cabbages, right? Such adorable and tasty little baby cabbi they are.

And our favorite way to enjoy baby cabbi is as these Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts. Coated in a mixture of pure maple syrup, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard, Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts are loaded with fabulous flavor. -- Without being over-the-top sweet. Soy sauce's saltiness beautifully compliments the sweetness of the maple syrup, bringing a savory richness to the maple glaze. And the touch of Dijon mustard adds a wonderful depth of flavor.

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts is one tasty little side dish fit for the holiday table, and the everyday dinner table as well!

We've tried Brussels sprouts coated with a maple glaze that's simply a mixture of maple syrup and butter. And truthfully, we found it to be just too over-the-top sweet. We much prefer the more savory combination of maple syrup, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard found in this recipe's glaze. Pure maple flavor still shines through, without being too intensely on the sweet side.

Finish the dish off with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts to add textural crunch, and you've got one very tasty little side dish. One that's fit for the holiday table, and the everyday dinner table, as well!  

Pan of Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts Image

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts Ingredients:

There are two components to Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts: 1. The Brussels sprouts base of the dish, and 2. The maple glaze.

For the Brussels sprouts base of the recipe, you'll need:
  • Fresh Brussels sprouts - Two pounds of trimmed fresh Brussels sprouts create the foundation of the dish. While thawed frozen Brussels sprouts could be substituted, the texture of the end result is far better with fresh Brussels sprouts.

  • An onion - One small onion, cut in thin slivers, adds an aromatic layer of flavor to the dish.

  • Butter - Serves as the medium in which to saute the onion and Brussels sprouts.

  • Chopped walnuts - A garnish of chopped walnuts brings nice texture to the finished cooked Brussels sprouts.

For the maple glaze, you'll need:
  • Maple syrup - Forms the base of the glaze. Use only 100% pure maple syrup, not imitation, for the best result.

  • Soy sauce - Soy sauce's saltiness beautifully compliments the sweetness of the maple syrup, and brings richness to the maple glaze.

  • Dijon mustard - Finishes the sauce and adds depth of flavor.

  • Salt & pepper - Seasons, enhances, and rounds out the flavors of the glaze. 

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts Ingredients Image

How to Make Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts:

Making Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts is a multi-step process, but it's not a hard one. There are 3 basic steps to the process:

  1. Prepare & steam the Brussels sprouts to partially cook them, 
  2. Saute the Brussels sprouts with onion to finish cooking them, and
  3. Add the maple glaze.

Step 1: Prepare & Steam the Brussels Sprouts

Rinse the fresh Brussels sprouts and trim their bottom stems, pulling off any super loose or damaged leaves. Then cut the Brussels sprouts in half. 

You can leave very small Brussels sprouts whole, though do be sure to cut most of the sprouts in half. They absorb much more of the maple glaze's flavor when they're halved.

Trimmed Fresh Brussels Sprouts Image

Place the Brussels sprouts in a steamer over boiling water and steam them, covered, until they're crisp-tender and bright green in color. This will take about 4-5 minutes.

Then immediately rinse the Brussels sprouts with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain them well and set them aside.

Steamed Fresh Brussels Sprouts Image

Step 2: Saute the Brussels Sprouts with Onion

Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add one thinly-sliced onion and saute it for 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the steamed Brussels sprouts, and saute them for 4 minutes to finish their cooking.

How to Make Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts Image

Step 3: Add the Maple Glaze

Whisk together some soy sauce, Dijon mustard, pure maple syrup, salt, and pepper to create the maple glaze.

Add the maple mixture to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the Brussels sprouts are coated and the glaze has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle the Brussels sprouts with chopped walnuts to finish off the dish. -- And then you're ready to serve up the maple-glazed deliciousness!

Brussels Sprouts with Maple Glaze Image

Recipe FAQs:
  • Can I substitute frozen Brussels sprouts instead of fresh Brussels sprouts? - While thawed frozen Brussels sprouts can be substituted in this recipe, the texture of the end result is far better with fresh Brussels sprouts. We fully think the extra step of steaming your own fresh Brussels sprouts is well worth the effort!

  • Can I use imitation maple syrup instead of real, pure maple syrup to make the maple glaze? - Uh, as a Vermont native, for me this is a hard no. Pure maple syrup has so much more rich maple flavor and is made from the sap of actual sugar maple trees, while the fake stuff is simply maple-flavored sugar water. That being said, in an absolute pinch, imitation maple syrup (also known as pancake syrup) can work. -- Though using the imitation stuff won't bring the same depth of maple flavor to the glaze as the pure stuff does. And this former-Vermont girl implores you to please get the real stuff!

  • Can I make Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts ahead of time and reheat them right before serving? - It is not recommended to fully prepare this dish ahead of time and reheat it for serving, as the color and texture of the cooked Brussels sprouts may change. If you need to do some advance preparation, steam the Brussels sprouts ahead of time and refrigerate them. Then just before serving, proceed with cooking the Brussels sprouts together with the onion and finishing the dish.

Check out these other tasty veggie sides:

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts Sprinkled with Walnuts Image
Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

maple Brussels sprouts, maple glazed Brussels sprouts, Brussels sprouts with maple syrup, sauteed Brussels sprouts
Side Dishes
American
Yield: 6-8 servings
Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Coated in a mixture of pure maple syrup, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard, Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts are loaded with fabulous flavor without being over-the-top sweet. It's one tasty little side dish fit for the holiday table, and the everyday dinner table as well!
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 16 MinTotal time: 36 Min

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. fresh Brussels sprouts
  • 1 T. soy sauce
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 c. pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper
  • 2 T. unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced in slivers
  • 2 T. chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse Brussels sprouts and trim bottom stems. Cut Brussels sprouts in half.
  2. Steam Brussels sprouts, covered, until crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes. Immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
  3. Place soy sauce, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
  4. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add Brussels sprouts, and cook for 4 minutes.
  5. Add maple syrup mixture to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until Brussels sprouts are coated and glaze has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.
  6. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Serve immediately.
TRACEY'S NOTES:
  1. Leave very small Brussels sprouts whole, though do cut most of the sprouts in half. -- They absorb much more of the maple glaze's flavor when halved.
  2. Use only 100% pure maple syrup in the glaze, not imitation syrup.
  3. While thawed frozen Brussels sprouts could be substituted in this recipe, the texture of the end result is far better with fresh Brussels sprouts. We fully think the extra step of steaming your own fresh Brussels sprouts is well worth the effort!
  4. It is not recommended to fully prepare this dish ahead of time and reheat it for serving, as the color and texture of the cooked Brussels sprouts may change. If you need to do some advance preparation, steam the Brussels sprouts ahead of time and refrigerate them. Then just before serving, proceed with cooking the Brussels sprouts together with the onion and finishing the dish.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @kitchenplaygrnd on instagram and hashtag it #thekitchenismyplaygroundblog


Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts ~ Coated in a mixture of pure maple syrup, soy sauce, & Dijon mustard, Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts are loaded with fabulous flavor without being over-the-top sweet. It's one tasty little side dish fit for the holiday table, and the everyday dinner table as well!  www.thekitchenismyplayground.com


This post is linked with Weekend Potluck.

1 comment

I love your comments ~ I read and appreciate each and every one. When you choose to leave a comment, we collect and display your name, as provided by you. Clicking "publish" to submit your comment indicates your explicit consent for name collection. If you click the "notify me" checkbox {which is optional}, your e-mail is also collected. Clicking the "notify me" checkbox indicates your explicit consent for e-mail collection. Thank you so much for visiting The Kitchen is My Playground!

Blog Design: Tracimichele.com. Powered by Blogger.