Blackened Brussel Sprouts

Three ingredients and minimal preparation means these stovetop blackened Brussel sprouts have taken over as our weeknight side dish of choice. With so little to hide behind, this technique for cooking the Brussel sprouts brings out amazing flavors and textures- salty, cripsy, deeply caramelized on one side, while being tender, juicy, and perfectly steamed on the other side. This is the ideal dish to make while you’re preparing the rest of dinner since you don’t need to stir, turn, or do anything once you have them in the pan. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb Brussel sprouts

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Optional: lemon (to squeeze on top)

Directions

1. Wash the Brussel sprouts and remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut them in half from top to bottom, so that you are cutting through the root end. This is important so that each half has a bit of the root end holding it together.

2. Heat a large nonstick / carbon steel / cast iron skillet on medium heat on the stove. Once its hot, add the oil- you may need to add a little more or less depending on the size of your skillet.

3. Sprinkle the salt on the oil. Then, quickly arrange the Brussel sprouts, cut side down, on the skillet. They can be touching, but the cut side should be in full contact with the skillet. Any stray leaves can be spread on top to cook in the steam. Also, if your skillet is too small, cook them in multiple batches.

4. Immediately cover the skillet and let them cook for about 10 minutes. The bottom will become deeply caramelized (very dark brown to black in color) and crispy, and the top will be bright green and tender.

5. Serve hot with an optional squeeze of lemon.