Chili, Soy and Honey Brussels Sprouts

I get cooking inspiration from so many sources.  From food t.v., to magazines, travel, cookbooks, dining out, and more, there’s no shortage of familiar and novel ways, alike, to feed my passion.  And among the list, scrumptious, unforgettable tastes rank supreme.  

And my latest kitchen foray is a direct result of one such unforgettable dish I had last year while visiting my forever favorite, NYC. I took a chance on a cozy Italian restaurant near my hotel, after a long day, replete with an early flight into the city and non-stop goings upon my arrival.  (Just my speed, and the ultimate allure, whenever I’m in the Big Apple.) So settling in at the bar to order up some pasta, and the brussels sprouts that the server was raving about, was just what I needed to finish a wonderful day.  

So about those brussels sprouts.  They were crispy, with the perfect balance of sweet, spicy and savory goodness.  They were quite literally the best brussels sprouts that I had tasted to date, and currently that ranking still holds.  Who knew you could elevate an already favorite ingredient even further?  That’s the joy of cooking—and eating!

While I can’t recall the exact ingredients that restaurant’s kitchen used, I do recall enough of the flavors to inspire my own twist and nod to the amazing sprouts.  Simple, quick, versatile and supremely flavorful, it’s everything you want in a recipe—and more. Leading with the perfect trifecta of sweet, savory and somewhat piquant notes, I trust that you will make this a star side (or possibly even main) dish in your cooking and entertaining repertoires once you make them.

I crisped them up in the air fryer (but roasting them in a very hot oven will get you there, too) and finished them off in that wonderful marinade.  From there, all that was left to do was to indulge in…

Happy Eating!

Chili, Soy and Honey Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs. brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise

Olive oil

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili garlic paste

1 tablespoon hot honey (any variety of honey will work)

Method:

Season brussels sprouts with a generous drizzle of olive oil and salt. Cook according to air fryer instructions, until golden and crispy.  (For oven roasting, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and roast for 18-25 minutes, watching carefully to ensure they don’t burn.

Meanwhile prepare the marinade by combining the soy sauce, chili paste and honey in a small bowl.  Stir to mix thoroughly.  Set aside.

Once the brussels sprouts are ready, pour the marinade over and toss to coat the sprouts. Serve and enjoy!