We use crispy brussels sprouts, caramelized onion, and spicy sweet sauce for this irresistible vegan dish.
I like this Roasted Brussels sprouts very much. Crispy on the surface and tender inside, the sprouts have a mild flavor and are ever so slightly sweet. Somehow they give me the same sensation as eating chips, but in a much healthier way. As a quick dinner for two, I’d roast one pound of brussels sprouts, then cook some lean protein (fish fillet or chicken) on the stove top — the whole dinner comes together in 20 minutes or so.
Just as a quick recap, I show you how to make genuine Sichuan Kung Pao Sauce in advance, so you can store it and use it to cook various types of quick and easy dishes, such as Kung Pao Chicken and Kung Pao Shrimp.
The recipe requires merely 5 minutes of active cooking time if you’ve already made the sauce. If you haven’t, no worries! I’ve included footnotes on how to make a small batch of sauce just for this recipe.
- 450 grams (1 pound) Brussels sprouts
- 1 purple onion, sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup toasted cashews (or peanuts)
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
- 4 to 5 dried chili pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C).
- Remove tough ends of the Brussels sprouts and halve them. Try to keep them evenly sized; quarter very large ones if necessary.
- Place Brussels sprouts and onion onto a baking sheet. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to mix well. Arrange the Brussels sprouts so the flat sides face down. Arrange larger pieces on the edge of the baking sheet because they’ll cook faster.
- Bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the sprouts turn crispy and cooked through.
- (Skip this step if using pre-made homemade Kung Pao Sauce) While baking the Brussels sprouts, prep and cook the Kung Pao sauce. Mix Chinkiang vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small bowl. Add oil and Sichuan peppercorns in a big pan, and cook until hot. When the peppercorns turn dark brown, scoop out and discard. Add dried red chili pepper. Stir until the peppers turn dark brown. Add minced garlic and ginger. Stir a few times. Stir the vinegar based sauce to dissolve the cornstarch completely; add to the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens and remove from the stove immediately.
- Once the brussel sprouts are cooked, add the Kung Pao sauce (or pre-made Kung Pao Sauce). Gently toss a few times and serve immediately as an appetizer, or as a main dish over steamed rice.
