These Brussels sprouts with pecans are smoky, sweet, aromatic, and just a little bit spicy. They’re quick to make which means they’re perfect for a last-minute Thanksgiving side dish.
If you need a quick, easy side dish to add to your Thanksgiving table this year, these Brussels sprouts with pecans deserve to be a contender for the spot.
They’re so easy to make and bring so much flavor with so few ingredients. The best part? They use ingredients you’re likely already prepping for other dishes anyway.
How to make these Brussels sprouts with pecans:
My secret ingredient in these Brussels sprouts is maple sugar. If you’ve never cooked with maple sugar, it’s really lovely! It’s just maple syrup that has been cooked down to remove all the water, and then it’s stirred to break the hard bits into granulated sugar.
If you can’t find maple sugar, you can use brown sugar instead. You can also use maple syrup or honey, but just be mindful that the sprouts will be a bit more glazed and sticky but still delicious!
What you need
- Brussels sprouts: You could easily make this with other vegetables instead like cauliflower or carrots.
- Spices: I use minced rosemary and sage. If you’re prepping stuffing, you’re likely mincing this up anyway. Just save yourself a little bit of both of these herbs. Keep them in a small bowl or baggie until you can make the sprouts. I also add a pinch of cayenne to offset the sweetness of the maple sugar.
- Maple sugar: As I mentioned above, you can replace this with brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey.
- Pecans: Almost any nut will work here. Try it with walnuts, pistachios, slivered almonds, or hazelnuts.
- Butter: It adds a bit of richness to toast the pecans, but you can use olive oil instead.
How to make it
- Step 1: Fry the Brussels sprouts. You want to char them, so I recommend a neutral oil with a high smoke point.
- Step 2: While the Brussels sprouts cook, combine the rosemary, sage, maple sugar, pecans, and cayenne powder in a bowl.
- Step 3: Make a well in the middle of the sprouts. Melt butter in the well and pour the pecans and herbs into the melted butter as soon as it melts. Let it sizzle in the butter for 30–45 seconds before tossing to coat the sprouts in the spices. Cook just a bit longer–about 1 or 2 minutes–to toast the pecans.
That’s it! Can you believe how easy this is to make? This dish makes the perfect Thanksgiving side that I know you and your family will love.
Brussels Sprouts with Pecans
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, scrubbed and trimmed; halved if small, quartered if large
- ½ cup pecan pieces
- 1 teaspoon minced rosemary
- 1 teaspoon minced sage
- 1 tablespoon maple sugar
- Pinch of cayenne powder
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Cook the Brussels sprouts:
- Heat the neutral oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is hot and shimmering.
- Add the Brussels sprouts, shaking the skillet a bit so they fall into an even layer. Use your spoon to flip as many sprouts as possible onto their cut sides. Cook for 4–6 minutes until they begin to char. Flip and cook for 6–8 minutes until tender and nicely charred. Season well with salt and pepper.
Prepare the pecans:
- Combine the pecans, rosemary, sage, maple sugar, and cayenne powder in a bowl. Toss to coat.
Finish the Brussels sprouts:
- Make a well in the middle of the skillet. Melt the butter in the well. Once bubbly, pour the pecan mixture into the butter. Let it sizzle in the butter for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- Toss to coat the sprouts in the mixture. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the pecans are nicely toasted, and the spices are aromatic. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Spoon the Brussels sprouts onto a serving platter and enjoy!
