Sweet Miso Brussels Sprout Hash with Pecans and Pomegranate

Have you ever tried thinly slicing Brussels sprouts and pan-frying them? They take on this amazing nutty taste and aroma that sets them worlds apart from stinky boiled or steamed sprouts. I’m pretty confident that a pan-fried sprout ‘hash’ could win over the most avid of Brussels sprout haters in your family. It won over mine!

Sweet Miso Brussels Sprout Hash with Pecans and Pomegranate

While I’ve always been a Brussels sprout lover, Lil’ L didn’t share my enthusiasm for this cute little brassica. Every year I’d optimistically add a couple to his Christmas dinner plate. He’d work his round the whole plate, eating every morsel in sight… except those sprouts!

I was determined to find a way to convert our sprout hater and, earlier this year, I hit jackpot when I made a Brussels sprouts ‘hash’ by shredding and pan frying them with balsamic red onions and pecans.

Vegan Life Issue 11

In this month’s issue of Vegan Life magazine, Terry Hope Romero‘s recipe for a Grilled Miso Apple & Brussels Sprout Salad caught my eye. This recipe uses raw sprouts (which I thought would be a bit hardcore for Lil’ L), but I loved the sound of the white miso dressing and was excited to try it in a sprout hash.

For the dressing, I used Clearspring Organic Sweet White Miso Paste, which I often have in the fridge for making salad dressings (like this one), cheesy sauces and gravies. In the UK, it’s available from Waitrose, Ocado and independent health food shops.

Sweet White Miso

The dressing ingredients literally took a few seconds to whisk together.

For speed, I bought ready-trimmed sprouts.

Waitrose Brussels Sprouts

After thinly slicing the sprouts, I pan-fried them with a couple of tablespoons of the dressing. They soon started to release a delicious nutty aroma. When they started to brown, I drizzled in the remainder of the miso dressing and continued stir frying until the sprouts were tender.

I find that toasted pecans go beautifully with pan-fried sprouts, so I tossed a handful of those into the pan.

Pan-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans 500 copy

As a finishing touch, I sprinkled on a handful of pomegranate seeds. Not only do they look pretty (and festive!), but the flavour and texture also work really well with the dish.

Sweet Miso Brussels Sprout Hash with Pecans and Pomegranate

Lil’ L has taste tested this dish for me, and gave it a big thumbs up. And this is a boy that previously considered himself a sprout hater!

This year, I’m planning to make the family’s favourite Cranberry-glazed Red Lentil and Cashew Nut Loaf for the centrepiece of our Christmas dinner. But I’m breaking with tradition and instead of serving with steamed or boiled sprouts, I’ll be serving pan-fried sprouts instead. For the first time in his life, I’m confident that Lil’ L will be tucking into sprouts this Christmas. And that makes me very happy indeed.

Red Lentil and Cashew Nut Loaf (Vegan / Dairy-Free)

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These pan-fried sprouts make a tasty side dish for roast dinners. They may even convert the sprout haters in your family! Any leftovers are yummy stuffed in a sandwich with a slice of nut roast and chutney.

Serves 4
Hands-on time: 15 minutes   Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes

Ingredients
Sweet Miso Dressing
4 TBSP sweet white miso (I use Clearspring)
2 TBSP warm water
1 TBSP olive oil
½ TBSP apple cider vinegar
½ tsp toasted sesame oil (this seems a small amount but it has a very strong flavour)

330g / 11½ oz / about 20-24 sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
40g / 1½ oz / generous ¼ cup toasted pecans, halved
Handful pomegranate seeds

Method
Whisk all the dressing ingredients together until fully combined.

If your pecans aren’t toasted, cook them in a frying pan (skillet) on medium-high heat until they become fragrant, stirring continuously. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool.

Return the pan to the heat. Add 2 TBSP of the miso dressing and the sliced Brussels sprouts. Stir fry until they start to brown and impart a nutty aroma. Drizzle in the remainder of the dressing and stir fry until the sprouts are tender. Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Sprinkle in the pecans and top with pomegranate seeds before serving.

Stored in an airtight container, this dish will keep for about 3 days in the fridge.

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Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year xx

2 thoughts on “Sweet Miso Brussels Sprout Hash with Pecans and Pomegranate

  1. A revolution in the world of sprouts! Sounds more fun than boiling them to bits. As for me, I’m working on a special Christmas Brussels Sprout Smoothie…Happy Xmas.

  2. This sounds delicious, I’m always on the look-out for brussels sprouts recipes and we love them pan-fried. I’ll print this out for my file of recipes to make! Hope you had a lovely Christmas and have a very Happy New Year!

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