Recipe: Stovetop Brussels Sprouts Hash with Crispy Sage and Walnuts
Sliced into thin ribbons and sautéed with butter, onions, and pancetta, these deluxe Brussels sprouts get dressed up even further with a topping of butter-browned walnuts and crispy fried sage. Yes, please! So much holiday flavor in one little vegetable dish. This recipe has changed the way I think about Brussels sprouts — I’ll never steam them again!
You can slice the sprouts yourself, or buy them pre-shredded (I know Trader Joe’s carries them this way. Call ahead to other grocery stores to check if they’re in stock). It certainly is more economical to cut them up yourself, but if you’re pressed for time and don’t need one more prep task, feel free to take this shortcut.
Brussels sprouts are best served nice and hot, straight out of the skillet. If you need to cook this dish in advance, though, just wait until the last minute to fry the toppings. This way, you can rewarm the hash (a slow cooker or covered dish in a warm oven work well) and top it at the last minute with the buttery, toasty walnuts and fried sage.
Tester’s Notes
This is a great way to eat Brussels sprouts if you’re tired of steaming or roasting them. There is a fair amount of slicing you have to do here, so I would recommend getting medium to large Brussels sprouts (I had tiny ones that took forever to cut up!). I also found that cutting them parallel to the stem yielded better shreds than cutting them through the stem.
– Christine, November 2015
Stovetop Brussels Sprouts Hash with Crispy Sage and Walnuts
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons
butter, divided
- 6
large fresh sage leaves
Salt
- 1/3 cup
walnut halves, coarsely chopped
- 1
medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 cup
(2 ounces) diced pancetta or bacon
- 1 1/2 pounds
Brussels sprouts, sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup
water, chicken, turkey, or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons
sherry or cider vinegar
Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small (8-inch) skillet over medium heat. As soon as the foam subsides, add the sage leaves to the skillet and fry for about two minutes, turning once with a fork or tongs. Don’t let the leaves get brown — they are done when they stop sizzling and no more water is bubbling to the surface. Transfer the sage leaves to a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and set aside. Do not wipe out the skillet.
Turn the heat down to medium-low, then add the chopped walnuts to the skillet. Cook the walnuts in the butter until they’re aromatic and a bit toasted, about 3 minutes. The butter will be well-browned. Turn off the heat and set the skillet aside.
In a large (12-inch) skillet or sauté pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and pancetta. Sauté until the onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, stirring to mix evenly with the onions and pancetta. Pour in the water or broth, cover the pan, and let cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium-high. Sauté until all of the liquid is evaporated and the hash is beginning to sizzle, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Pour in the vinegar and stir everything one last time, using a spoon to nudge the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Transfer the hash to a serving bowl and top with the walnuts and sage, crumbling the sage leaves evenly over the top. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
Vegetarian and vegan variations: Instead of using pancetta, add an extra tablespoon of butter; 1/2 teaspoon of salt and one peeled, diced green apple to the skillet with the diced onions. To make the recipe vegan, use olive oil instead of butter.