If there is one thing that I know about Brussels sprouts, it is this: I can eat an entire pound in one sitting. Easily. They are just so darn good! And since they are so simple to make, brussels sprouts make for one of the best thanksgiving side dishes, because you pop them in the oven and they do all of the hard work! In this wasabi oven brussels sprouts recipe, the halved sprouts are tossed in wasabi paste for a delicious take on a classic dish!
What is Wasabi?
To be honest, I didn’t know what wasabi was either. All I knew was that it was that green paste they give you with sushi, and if I ate too much of it, my nose felt like it was going to explode. Well, I did some research and found out that wasabi is related to horseradish and mustard! It is in the same plant family. You know that ‘spicy nose’ feeling I was talking about that is so different from, say, the heat of a hot pepper? This is because wasabi contains allyl isothiocyanate, which differs from the capsasin enzymes in hot peppers. While they both trigger a ‘pain’ signal to the brain, the allyl isothiocyanates are in the form of vapor, which allows the nasal flare feeling to subside a lot quicker than the intense tongue burn from hot peppers.
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What wasabi roasted brussels sprouts taste like & how much to use:
Wasabi roasted brussels sprouts taste…well, they taste like brussels sprouts tossed with wasabi! Crispy, earthy sprouts tossed in pungent but flavorful wasabi. At first, I only tossed the brussel sprouts with about 1 1/2 tsp of wasabi paste. I found that this was not enough, and I could barely taste the wasabi. SOO, as one does with wasabi, I CAREFULLY added more each time I re-made this recipe. I found that the magic amount of wasabi is around 3 tsp, or 1-1 1/2 tbsp of wasabi. Doing it this way allowed me to make sure I did not overwhelm the sprouts with heat, leaving them perfectly seasoned, crispy and slightly spicy.
TIPS:
- Don’t try to keep the brussels sprouts leaves on! When the loose leaves are baked, they turn into the most amazing crispy brussels sprout chips!
- Toss the sprouts in more wasabi than you would normally tolerate. When the wasabi is baked, the heat of the oven helps to minimizes the effects of the spicy allyl isothiocyanate (that ‘nose on fire’ feeling). So you lose that spicy feeling and are left with delicious wasabi flavor!
- If your family members are big brussels sprouts lovers, I recommend doubling the recipe. It may seem like a lot, but brussels sprouts shrink a lot in size after baking. Just keep in mind being careful about how much wasabi paste you use.
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When to serve Wasabi Oven Brussels Sprouts:
I recommend serving this delicious take on a classic side during the holidays! You will surprise everyone at Thanksgiving if you switch up the normal brussels sprouts and bacon dish, and serve them wasabi sprouts instead! This can also be a great friendsgiving side idea because it is a bright and fun dish that will get people talking! And, of course, you can always serve this as a side dish with chicken or turkey during a weeknight dinner. Totally up to you!
Asian Chimichurri Roasted Asparagus
If you are looking for more recipes using wasabi, this asian chimichurri recipe is SERIOUSLY delicious!
Wasabi Oven Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 32oz bag of brussels sprouts (use more if big eaters, or not a lot of other sides)
- juice and zest of half of a small orange
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 tsp wasabi paste, plus more if needed (see tips)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pinch of pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Wash the brussels sprouts. Trim the nubby end off of the sprouts and slice them in half. It is okay if some leaves fall off, they will crisp up in the oven!
- Place the sprouts in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, juice of 1/2 of an orange and 2-3 tsp of wasabi paste. Toss well so the wasabi paste is not clumped to one sprout.
- Place the brussels sprouts flat side down on sprayed baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes. Open the oven and using tongs, remove and save any crisp brussel leaves so they don't burn. Place sheet back in the oven and cook another 10-15 minutes (35-40 mins total, depending on size).
- Remove sheet from oven and finish with the zest of 1/2 of an orange! Enjoy!
Notes
- The spicy bite of the wasabi will bake off in the oven, leaving you will no nose burning, but a nice wasabi flavor. Sometimes I add even more than 3 tsp of wasabi, because I find that the sprouts need more wasabi flavor!!
- Taking the sprouts out around 25 minutes to remove the loose leaves ensures that they don’t over crisp and burn.
- If your family members are big brussels sprouts lovers, I recommend doubling the recipe. It may seem like a lot, but brussels sprouts shrink a lot in size after baking. Just keep in mind being careful about how much wasabi paste you use.
Did you like my ‘Wasabi Roasted Brussels Sprouts’ recipe? If so, go check out my ‘Apple Cider Butternut Squash‘ recipe! Another delicious and unique side dish that only uses 3 ingredients!
Apple Cider Butternut Squash
When butternut squash is slow cooked in apple cider, the squash absorbs the sweet liquid. This surprising burst of flavor when you bite into the soft squash is the perfect compliment to any fall or winter meal! This recipe was actually developed by accident. I was trying to get creative with apples for dinner, and …
Check out this brussels sprout recipe AND my apple cider butternut squash recipe on the ‘Milk Tea Theory‘ blog for ‘10 Thanksgiving Recipes You Need To Try This Year!’
Slow Cooked Tuscan Chicken
Awesome Recipes. I love the wasabi brussel sprouts. So easy to make and yummy. Thanks for the history of wasabi.