Easy Candied Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are sautéed in olive oil and then finished with maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar. These candied brussels sprouts are full of flavor and a cinch to make!

I never liked brussels sprouts growing up. It wasn't until I was an adult that I wised up and saw how incredibly delicious they were. Now I love to make them spicy (More siracha please!) or in this case sweet.

Candied brussels sprouts go with almost anything and taste delicious. They're just the right amount of sweet and savory.

What You Need

• Brussels sprouts - Not only are they delicious but they're incredibly good for you! Brussels sprouts vary greatly in size. Mine were rather small and so they didn't take long to cook. Make sure to adjust and add more time if your sprouts are on the larger size. Cut the ends off since they don't have an appetizing texture.
• Maple syrup - I just love the flavor of maple syrup. Not only does it taste amazing but it's also slightly better for you than white sugar since it contains some minerals and antioxidants. That being said I'm not suggesting you eat lots of maple syrup instead of say spinach or protein.
• Country dijon mustard - I used Grey Poupon. Country Dijon mustard is basically a mixture of dijon mustard and stone ground mustard. It's slightly a little sweet, a little spicy, and so flavorful. It's just so good.
• Apple cider vinegar - Acid brightens up the sauce and vegetables so nicely. It breaks up the sweetness some so it's not too sweet.
• Kosher salt - Never underestimate the power of salt. I use kosher or sea salt in all of my recipes because the flavor is much better than table salt and it's easier not to over-salt since the granules are bigger.
• Olive oil -

How to Make Them

Brussel sprouts can be steamed, roasted, or sautéed but I like the caramelization you can achieve with sautéing them. Here's how to do so:

Make the sauce.

Combine the maple syrup, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt, and one tablespoon of olive oil. Stir together and set aside.

Heat up your skillet.

Do not add the brussels sprouts until the pan is up to temperature. There's nothing worse than plopping vegetables into warmish oil. You won't hear that nice sizzle but more importantly the finished dish won't taste as good.

Add the brussels sprouts.

Add the brussels sprouts to the pan and move them around with a spatula until they're in an even layer. Try to get as many of them cut side down as possible and then don't touch them again for 4 minutes. This will caramelize the sprouts first.

Stir the sprouts.

My sprouts were rather small so I let mine cook for another 4 minutes stirring occasionally and that was all they needed. If your sprouts are big cook until they are fork tender but not mushy.

Add the maple syrup mixture to the pan.

Once you add the sauce cook for 1 more minute stirring occasionally then take the brussels sprouts off the heat and serve. Don't add the sauce until the sprouts are nearly cooked otherwise the sauce may burn if cooked too long.

Enjoy brussels sprouts hot!

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

• If you want to double this recipe use a larger skillet and double the ingredients then follow the recipe as directed.
• If your brussels sprouts are large continue to cook until they are fork tender before adding the maple syrup mixture to the pan.
• If you already have dijon mustard and don't want to make an extra trip to the store for country dijon mustard then no worries! Dijon mustard works too.

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