Sesame Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

I love cooking for holidays; after all, food is what brings friends and family together to reminisce  and create new memories. While most of us associate Brussels sprouts with Turkey Day, I found that these sesame Sriracha Brussels sprouts fit in any day of the week. Which is a good thing, as I may have gotten a bit carried away this year for Thanksgiving, and when I did my grocery shop, I bought WAY too many Brussels sprouts. It was either excitement for the holiday, or the fact that I was terrified to fight the grocery store hoards again in the event that I forgot something or didn’t buy enough! 

One week later, and a full bag of sprouts staring at me every time I open the fridge, convinced me to try something new. This idea came from a friend who was also using up extra Brussel sprouts, using spicy and sweet Asian flavors. I loved the idea, plus have been dying for something other than my usual Italian spices. My batch of sesame Sriracha Brussels sprouts was such a success, that I barely had the chance to photograph them before my boyfriend and I devoured them!

The second best part about this recipe (the first being that it’s absolutely delicious), is that it requires only 16 minutes of cooking time, and the prep is super easy too! So you can whip these babies up in time for dinner. I paired mine with homemade potstickers, which I will definitely be sharing on the blog once I have perfected the recipe, and garlic-turmeric tofu.

Sesame Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
Yields 2 generous servings

12 oz. Brussels sprouts
3 T. sesame oil

Sriracha Marinade:

1 t. Sriracha sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. soy sauce
1 t. honey

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare the Brussels sprouts by cutting off the ends and chopping each one in half length-wise. Place a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. Pour in the sesame oil and allow to heat slightly. Place the Brussels sprouts cut-side down in the oil, and be careful to avoid splatters! Se the timer for 8 minutes.

2. Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl.

3. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and carefully scoop the Brussels sprouts into a single layer, fairly close together. They will have a glorious brown, crunch on the cut side. At this point, you can sprinkle with a pinch of salt and eat as is, or if you’re feeding kids and want to avoid the spiciness from the Sriracha, these are really tasty!

4. Pour the marinade over the sprouts and stir around to make sure all are coated.

5. Bake for 8 minutes. Enjoy right away, as an appetizer or side!