Sautéed Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Garlic Butter

5 from 17 votes

Sautéed Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Garlic Butter

Perhaps one of the simplest ways to prepare Brussels Sprouts and without a doubt the most delicious! You'll want these Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Garlic Butter on your table for every meal!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: People

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

2 pounds brussels sprouts ends trimmed and cut in half
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1 lemon zested and juiced

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the Brussels sprouts and sauté for 10–15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and fork-tender. You want those gorgeous golden bits on the flat sides, that’s where all the flavor develops.
Add the butter, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Notes

Serve hot and eat happy. Brussels sprouts have a short window between perfectly caramelized and too soft, so enjoy them right out of the skillet.

Trim and halve your sprouts. Cut off the tough ends and slice them in half so the flat side can get nice and caramelized. That’s where all the flavor happens.

Don’t crowd the pan. Seriously, give those sprouts some breathing room! If they’re piled on top of each other, they’ll steam instead of sear. Golden brown edges are the goal.

Start hot, finish buttery. Let them cook in a bit of olive oil first to get that color, then add butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes once they’re browned. The butter melts into all the little layers, and it’s perfection.

Be patient with the flip. Let the flat sides get deep golden before you stir. That’s the secret to that restaurant-level sear.

Lemon makes everything better. A little zest and juice right at the end brightens up the whole dish. Don’t skip it.

Season, taste, adjust. Salt brings everything to life — and pepper adds a tiny bite. Taste as you go and don’t be shy about adding a pinch more.

Prep ahead if you want. Trim and halve your sprouts the day before, then sauté right before serving. Makes life easy if you’re cooking for a crowd.

Mix up your add-ins. Crumbled bacon, toasted almonds, and a handful of Parmesan are all fair game. Brussels play well with others.

Reheat the right way. If you have leftovers, pop them back in a hot pan for a few minutes to re-crisp. The microwave’s fine, but the skillet is where the magic happens.

Nutrition