Beer-battered Brussels Sprouts Recipe | yupitsvegan.com (2024)

By Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan 18 Comments

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As I mentioned in my post about teriyaki (vegan) meatballs, more than anything else, the Super Bowl is an excuse for my to bring my vegan finger foods A-game. I’m sure that a lot of you are the same way 🙂 Most things are delicious when deep-fried, but there’s something extra fun about these beer-batteredBrussels sprouts. They’re crispy on the outside, and the inside is tender without being mushy. Paired with a homemade maple-mustard sauce, these disappeared really quickly.

Beer-battered Brussels Sprouts Recipe | yupitsvegan.com (1)

Beer-battered Brussels sprouts served up with a smoky, sweet and salty maple-mustard sauce!

As far as the nutrition facts for this recipe, uh, I’ll just briefly point out that at least these will give you a serving of vegetables for the day – leafy greens at that! No guilt here, the Hawks are in the big game and that’s reason to celebrate!

Beer-battered Brussels Sprouts Recipe | yupitsvegan.com (2)

Idon’t make fried foods at home very often(I believe my previousfried recipe on the blog was the Chipotle-style tofu sofritas in July 2014, and that was pan-fried, not deep fried). So I don’t own a dedicated fryer or anything like that. I simply take my largest skillet and fill it with a couple of inches of oil, and use a thermometer to control the oil temperature. Making sure that the oil is very hot, and that you don’t crowd the pan (thus reducing the oil temperature upon adding the ingredients to it), is essential if you want to minimize the amount of oil that you actually end up eating.

Mymost-fried food is probably gobi manchurian, a spicy Indochinese fried cauliflower dish… but I’m really pleased with the fried Brussels sprouts results and think I’llcontinue having these from time to time.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy the beer-battered Brussels sprouts paired with any sauce you like, but in particular I recommend the maple-mustard sauce recipe I included, or a creamy sauce, like a vegan chipotle mayo. You want something with some body and not too aggressive of a flavor. As far as what beer is best in this batter, most beer works, but I suggestlager. I would avoid anything withmore pronouncedbitter undertones (such as coffee stout…) since the Brussels sprouts already add a bitter note.

Beer-battered Brussels Sprouts Recipe | yupitsvegan.com (3)

Beer-battered Brussels Sprouts Recipe | yupitsvegan.com (4)

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5 from 2 votes

Crispy vegan beer-battered Brussels sprouts served with a sweet and salty maple-mustard sauce.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, nut-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian

Keyword beer-battered brussels spouts

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 8 side servings

Calories 139kcal

Author Yup, it's Vegan

Ingredients

For the beer-battered Brussels sprouts:

  • 1 lb Brussels sprouts (450g) stemmed and halved, with the outer layer of leaves removed
  • vegan beer batter (below)
  • neutral oil for frying (I suggest peanut oil or organic canola oil)
  • dipping sauce for serving (suggestion below)

For the beer batter:

  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup white rice flour or cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 12 oz beer (1 bottle)

For the maple-mustard sauce:

  • 2 and 1/2 tbsp prepared mustard (I use spicy brown mustard)
  • 2 and 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (or use soy sauce, optional)

Instructions

To prepare the maple-mustard sauce:

  • Whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl, and adjust seasonings to taste.

To blanch the Brussels sprouts:

  • Prepare a bowl of ice water, and bring a pot of water to a boil.

  • Once the water is boiling, add the Brussels sprouts. Leave them in the water until they turn bright green. This took about 5 minutes for me but can vary depending on the size of your Brussels sprouts. Make sure not to overcook them.

  • Remove the sprouts from the pot and transfer them immediately into the ice water to stop the cooking process.

  • Set the sprouts in a colander to drain, or gently pat them dry with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible before you batter them.

For beer-battering and frying the Brussels sprouts:

  • Add about 2 inches of oil in a large, heavy pan on the stovetop, and heat the oil until over medium heat until hot - about 365 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Mix together the flours, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour in the beer and stir just until combined. Do not over-mix. If the batter seems too thin to coat the Brussels sprouts, add a little more flour as needed.

  • Add the Brussels sprouts to the batter (I do this in a few batches) and coat them. Then transfer them to the hot oil, making sure to leave plenty of space between them and not crowd the pan (otherwise, they'll come out greasy and not crispy).

  • Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Use tongs or a heat-safe slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. (Optional) sprinkle the beer-battered Brussels sprouts with coarse salt immediately after they come out of the fryer.

  • Enjoy immediately.

Notes

I haven't tried it, but gluten-free all-purpose flour would probably work. Same goes for gluten-free beer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1eighth recipe | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin A: 4000IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Fried Brussels sprouts technique adapted from We are Not Martha. This post contains an affiliate link; see my advertisem*nt policy for details.

Beer-battered Brussels Sprouts Recipe | yupitsvegan.com (5)

Love this recipe for beer-battered Brussels sprouts but looking for something healthy? Check out my recipe for bakedBrussels sprout tater tots! Or roast them and stick ’em on a Brussels sprout banh mi with mango sauce.

Beer-battered Brussels Sprouts Recipe | yupitsvegan.com (2024)

FAQs

Why won't my brussel sprouts get crispy? ›

If you want your roasted Brussels sprouts to be seriously crispy, you need to crank up the heat. Roasting at a low temperature won't allow them to brown properly, so you want to get that oven nice and hot before tossing in your baking sheet. Follow this tip: Roast Brussels sprouts at a minimum of 400°F.

Should I boil my brussel sprouts before frying? ›

Parboiling Brussels sprouts before frying is a good technique to ensure they cook evenly and become tender on the inside while allowing for a crispy exterior when fried. However, it's not always necessary but we think it works here to create a soft middle and crisp exterior in the pan.

Why do you soak brussel sprouts before cooking? ›

It turns out that giving Brussels sprouts a good soak can help them to cook evenly throughout. Not only will the sprouts have a better texture after being soaked, but you won't have to choose between burning the outside and undercooking the inside.

Do you need to blanch brussel sprouts before frying? ›

In order to get the crispiest possible Brussel sprouts, you should blanch them quickly and then let them dry before frying them. As you know, oil and water do not mix. If you flash fry a wet Brussel sprout, you will have the oil spitting at you like crazy.

Is it better to roast brussel sprouts whole or cut in half? ›

To maximize the flat areas, which get the most crispy surface area, cut your Brussels sprouts in half. If your Brussels sprouts are very small, you can leave them whole (and if they are very large, quarter them).

Do you wash or cut brussel sprouts first? ›

Rinse under cold running water to remove any dust or dirt. Use a small knife to remove the sprout tip, and then remove any leaves that have bad spots. Raw: Slice thinly and toss with other shredded vegetables like cabbage, carrots, or beets.

How long do I boil Brussels sprouts? ›

Method. Tip the brussels sprouts into a pan and add a couple of cm water and a pinch of salt – a large pan works better so they're not piled up too high. Cover and bring the water to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook with the lid on for 3- 5 mins depending on size.

Do I need to parboil brussel sprouts before roasting? ›

Why Parboil the Brussels Sprouts First? The first step is to parboil the Brussels sprouts in lightly salted water until they are just tender. Parboiling helps soften the Brussels sprouts enough to smash them. It's important to not overcook them during this step because they will continue to roast in the oven.

Why aren't brussel sprouts bitter anymore? ›

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.

Who made brussel sprouts taste better? ›

A Dutch scientist named Hans van Doorn, who worked at a seed and chemical company, figured out exactly which chemical compounds in Brussels sprouts made them bitter. The next step was to plant sprouts with the least amount of these chemicals and eventually cross-pollinate the chemicals out.

How do you get the bitterness out of brussel sprouts? ›

Blanch your Brussels

(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.

Do you have to wash bagged brussel sprouts? ›

Bagged or ready-to-eat, fresh-cut produce

If the product is not labeled "washed," "triple washed," or "ready-to-eat," it must be washed before eating.

Are brussel sprouts better steamed or boiled? ›

Steaming Brussels sprouts preserves more of the nutrients and antioxidants than any other cooking method. And they turn out tasting like crisp-tender, sweet little nuggets. Plus they're just about the quickest veggie side dish you can cook.

Why are my brussel sprouts still hard after cooking? ›

This could be caused by using too little oil for roasting. You need a nice coating of oil—enough to make the heads shiny or if they're cut, enough oil to get inside the folds of some of the leaves. Without oil, Brussels don't brown and soften—they dehydrate.

Why are my brussel sprouts not forming tight heads? ›

The usual cause is poor soil, lack of growth and especially the use of non-hybrid cultivars. Only hybrid cultivars can be relied on to produce firm sprouts. Excessive nitrogen fertiliser is not implicated in loose sprout formation.

Why are my roasted brussel sprouts soft? ›

Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. There's nothing wrong with soft and chewy Brussels, but if your goal is the type of crispy Brussels that they're serving at your favorite bistro you MUST thoroughly dry the surface of the sprouts before sautéing and/or roasting them. If they are wet they will steam instead of crisp.

Why are my brussel sprouts not tight? ›

The usual problem with sprouts is that the soil in which they have grown was not firm enough. Sprouts like to grow in soil that is really well compacted and they will then form tight buttons. If the soil is too loose the buttons will be loose too.

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