• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fine Foods Blog
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Work With Me
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Work With Me
  • Travel
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Work With Me
    • Travel
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Crispy Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Hazelnuts

    Crispy Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Hazelnuts

    Published: Sep 30, 2021 · Modified: Feb 13, 2022 · by Debra with 1 Comment · 1261 words. About 7 minutes to read this article. · This post contains affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Brussels sprouts are pan fried to get crispy and caramelized in this easy recipe. Only 5 ingredients, and ready in about 20 minutes!

    Crispy brussels sprouts in a cast iron pan with hazelnuts and garlic.

    This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.

    You might think there is a sneaky trick to crispy, pan fried brussels sprouts. I did, especially since I first had these at Barbuto, Jonathan Waxman's restaurant in New York City. It's a chef's trick right? Can't do that at home, right? Wrong!

    Maybe there is a trick, but it's not sneaky. It's just adding the brussels sprouts cut side down to a hot pan and having the courage to leave them alone for a while so they can do their thing and get all caramelized.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    Brussels sprouts, hazelnuts, garlic bulbs, and small bowls with butter, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

    Ingredients

    • Brussels sprouts: Look for brussels sprouts that are tightly formed and relatively close to the same size. Opt for some that are bigger, rather than smaller, as the smaller ones might burn before the big ones caramelize.
    • Hazelnuts: We're using raw hazelnuts, we'll toast them up just a bit in a pan before adding them at the end of the recipe.
    • Garlic: You'll need small to medium cloves of garlic still in the skin. Anything too large won't have enough time to soften.
    • Olive oil and butter: Yes, you need both! Olive oil gets everything crispy in the pan, then the butter gives a final richness that brings all the flavors together.
    • Salt and pepper: That's all the seasoning you need. Nothing fancy required.

    Instructions

    Adapted lightly from The Barbuto Cookbook, by Jonathan Waxman.

    First, put a small skillet over medium heat and toast the hazelnuts just until you start to smell a nutty aroma.

    An orange kitchen towel with hazelnuts and their skins.

    Then dump them onto a clean kitchen towel. While they're still warm, rub the nuts together inside the towel to remove their skins. Not all of the skins will come off and that is okay. Set the nuts aside to cool.

    A knife on a cutting board with brussels sprouts.

    Use a good chef's knife to trim the stems, then cut the brussels sprouts in half.

    Next, place a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the garlic cloves in their skins to the pan and stir them around for about two minutes.

    Then add the brussels sprouts to the pan cut side down. Now WALK AWAY! Leave them alone for a while. After 5-10 minutes, when they are starting to darken, start stirring them around the pan for another 5-10 minutes until they are crispy and caramelized all over.

    A knife on a cutting board with hazelnuts.

    While the brussels sprouts are cooking, roughly chop the cooled hazelnuts.

    When the brussels sprouts are almost done, remove the garlic cloves from the pan. Carefully remove the skins (they're HOT), cut them in half, and add them back into the pan.

    A cast iron skillet with caramelized brussels sprouts, melting butter, and garlic.

    To finish, add the butter and hazelnuts to the pan, stir to coat everything evenly. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

    Tips

    • The real key to getting these brussels sprouts crispy is to put them cut side down in the pan and then leave them alone! Just WALK AWAY! Seriously, they need to sit on the surface of that hot pan and have time to caramelize. If you move them around too soon, they won't get that crispy crust.
    • Don't use garlic cloves that are too big. Normally, I would tell you to use the biggest ones you can find because I LOVE garlic, but believe me, I tried, and the big ones don't have enough time to soften and cook through. So you can use more small ones to make up the difference if you like it extra garlicky!

    Serving Suggestions

    • This makes a great holiday side dish since it doesn't take up any oven space, has very little prep, and cooks quickly.
    • Serve along side Tarragon Roast Chicken or simple baked salmon.

    Related Recipes

    Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite veggies to cook up. Here are more ideas for you.

    • If you are looking for a no-cook situation, try this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mâche and Tarragon Vinaigrette. Brussels sprouts are great raw, and this is always a hit when I bring it to parties.
    • Bring on the Middle Eastern flavors with these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios, Dates, and Lime. They're cooked whole on a sheet pan until they are meltingly delicious.
    • For a cozy winter night, try Creamy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Dip. Hot and bubbly from the oven in under an hour!

    Recipe

    Crispy brussels sprouts in a cast iron pan with hazelnuts and garlic.

    Crispy Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Hazelnuts

    Brussels sprouts are pan fried to get crispy and caramelized in this easy recipe. Only 5 ingredients, and ready in about 20 minutes!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Keyword: crispy brussels sprouts
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 228kcal

    Equipment

    • chef's knife
    • cutting board
    • silicone spatula
    • 12" cast iron skillet

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb brussels sprouts
    • 2 ½ tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 3 tablespoon hazelnuts
    • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place a small skillet over medium heat and toast the hazelnuts for a few minutes, just until you start to smell a nutty aroma. Then dump them onto a clean kitchen towel. While they're still warm, rub the nuts together inside the towel to remove their skins. Not all of the skins will come off and that is okay. Set the nuts aside to cool.
    • Use a good chef's knife to trim the stems, then cut the brussels sprouts in half.
    • Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the garlic cloves in their skins to the pan and stir them around for about two minutes.
    • Add the brussels sprouts to the pan cut side down. Now WALK AWAY! Leave them alone for a while. After 5-10 minutes, when they are starting to darken, start stirring them around the pan for another 5-10 minutes until they are all crispy and caramelized.
    • While the brussels sprouts are cooking, roughly chop the cooled hazelnuts.
    • When the brussels sprouts are almost done, remove the garlic cloves from the pan. Carefully remove the skins, (they're HOT) cut them in half, and add them back into the pan. To finish, add the butter and hazelnuts, stir to coat everything evenly. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Adapted lightly from The Barbuto Cookbook, by Jonathan Waxman.
    • Yes, one pound of brussels sprouts really serves 4. The butter and olive oil and hazelnuts add a lot of richness, so a little goes a long way. They are very satisfying! 
    • The real key to getting these brussels sprouts crispy is to put them cut side down in the pan and then leave them alone! Just WALK AWAY! Seriously, they need to sit on the surface of that hot pan and have time to caramelize. If you move them around too soon, they won't get that crispy crust.
    • Don't use garlic cloves that are too big. Normally, I would tell you to use the biggest ones you can find because I LOVE garlic, but believe me, I tried, and the big ones don't have enough time to soften and cook through. So you can use more small ones to make up the difference if you like it extra garlicky!
    • Be sure to check out the post above for tips about ingredients, serving suggestions, and related recipes. 
     
    This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1032IU | Vitamin C: 98mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg
    « Apple Fennel Salad with Parmesan and Walnuts
    Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk, Bacon, and Sage »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda Cummings

      October 01, 2021 at 9:27 am

      5 stars
      Delicious

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Hi, I'm Debra! I love to cook and eat and travel, and cook the things I eat when I travel! I'm a detail-oriented Virgo, so it's my jam to simplify recipes and break them down into easy to follow steps. I help you bring the world to your table!

    More about me →

    Subscribe To My Enewsletter

    Get my new, and tried and true, recipes delivered to your inbox! Subscribe now!

    Gluten Free Recipes

    • Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
    • Cornmeal Pancakes with Strawberry Compote
    • Mango Avocado Salsa
    • Almond Flour Carrot Cake (Gluten Free!)

    Search more gluten-free recipes

    Trending Recipes

    • Salt Baked Fish
    • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Capers, and Lemon
    • Palmiers Cookies (Elephant Ears)
    • Cast Iron Skillet Steak

    Chocolate Recipes

    • Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies
    • Gluten Free Chocolate Ganache Tart
    • Chocolate Mousse Recipe
    • Gluten Free Brownies

    French Recipes

    • Romaine Hearts with Blue Cheese, Pears, and Pecans
    • Mussels in White Wine Sauce (Moules Marinières)
    • French Hot Chocolate (Chocolat Chaud)
    • Eggs en Cocotte with Spinach and Bacon

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Work With Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Fine Foods Blog