20 Recipes to Convince You Brussels Sprouts Are Actually Delicious (2024)

FAQs

What gives brussel sprouts a better taste? ›

Over the last twenty years, farmers have mellowed the "unpleasant" flavor of brussels sprouts by breeding a vegetable that contains fewer bitter compounds or glucosinolates. So, brussels sprouts just taste better than they used to when we were kids. The rub is that glucosinolates help protect sprouts against pests.

Brussels sprouts are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that's important for immune health, iron absorption, collagen production, and the growth and repair of tissues.

One technique for mitigating bitterness in Brussels sprouts is to blanch them. (This technique also works for making collard greens less bitter, as well as other greens.) Blanching involves adding your veg to boiling water for a brief period, then plunging it into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

About 30 years ago, a Dutch scientist identified the chemicals that made brussels sprouts bitter. He selected seed varieties with lower levels of the bitter chemicals and bred new high-yielding varieties that tasted less bitter.

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

The soak time tenderizes the sprouts so the middles are softer. Don't worry, they won't be soggy! I would never do that to you. If, like me, you don't mind some chew to your sprouts, you don't need to soak the Brussels sprouts prior to cooking.

Things You Should Know

Throw out fresh brussel sprouts that have a foul odor, yellow or wilted leaves, a mushy or slimy texture, or dark spots. Use fresh brussel sprouts within 1–2 weeks of getting them. Store the brussel sprouts in a plastic bag inside your fridge, and wash them before cooking them.

A ½ cup of Brussels sprouts is a good source of Vitamin K (137% RDI) and Vitamin C (81% RDI) Kids, Ages 5-12 Teens and Adults, Ages 13 and up Males 2½-5 cups per day 42 - 6½ cups per day Females 2½-5 cups per day 3½-5 cups per day *If you are active, eat the higher number of cups per day.

While broccoli may have a higher count of calories, fat, and carbs, it is richer in calcium, iron, and pantothenic acid (a B vitamin that does wonders for healthy hair), and has a bit more potassium. Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, are lower in sodium.

Although a healthy vegetable, consuming too many Brussels sprouts can be unsuitable for people on anticoagulants since it contains vitamin K, which results in blood clotting. Another issue with consuming Brussels sprouts excessively is that it can lead to gas and bloating.

Why do some brussel sprouts taste bad? ›

If brussels sprouts taste bitter to you, you may have a gene that senses bitter compounds in brassicas. It is similar to the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap to the people who have it, and like a yummy herb to people who don't.

For best results, soak your Brussels sprouts in salt water. Not only does salt act to tenderize the dense sprouts, but it will also help to season them all the way through. It won't take a lot — just add 1 tablespoon of salt per 1 quart of water and toss in trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts.

“Sprouts contain a chemical, similar to phenylthiocarbamide, which only tastes bitter to people who have a variation of a certain gene. Around 50 per cent of the world's population have a mutation on this gene.

It's hard to beat the caramelized crispness of roasted Brussels sprouts (perhaps with a maple-Dijon glaze), but these little green guys can also be eaten raw. They're delicious when shaved in a salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, to start.

Syngenta scientists first discovered the relationship between glucosinolates and bitter taste in the early 1990s, Van der Toorn says: 'The lower the level of some glucosinolates the less bitter the taste of the Brussels, which is perceived as milder or sweeter.

If brussels sprouts taste bitter to you, you may have a gene that senses bitter compounds in brassicas. It is similar to the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap to the people who have it, and like a yummy herb to people who don't.

The larger the Brussels sprouts grow, the more they take on the qualities of cabbage. Large pieces will be slightly more bitter, while smaller Brussels sprouts are a little bit sweeter. Save the big ones for roasting, when the combo of high heat and fat coaxes out every drop of sweetness.