In this recipe, you'll learn how to blanch Brussels sprouts and also learn a few easy steps on how to prepare Brussels sprouts prior to cooking or freezing!
Today, I want to share how to blanch brussels sprouts before cooking or freezing them. Brussels sprouts are tasty and healthy! They are in the cruciferous family relatives of broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, and kale. You can bake, roast, or fry them and they will taste delicious every time.
Blanching Brussels sprouts in boiling water and shocking them in an ice bath is the secret to Brussels sprouts cooking faster. It also helps them to look great and taste delicious after cooking.
It's the same process I take before I cook brussels sprouts in an air fryer as it ensures a nice crispy texture on the outside while staying tender on the inside.
What is Blanching:
Blanching is a process in which you quickly boil vegetables in hot water until they are partially cooked, then quickly dip them in cold water or ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Blanching vegetables helps them cook faster while retaining more of their color, nutrients, and flavor. Additionally, blanching is a crucial for certain veggies before freezing.
How to Blanch Brussels Sprouts Before Roasting or Baking:
Step 1. Trim the ends of Brussels sprouts and discard any tough or discolored outer leaves. Rinse in a large bowl of cold water.
Step 2. Slice each trimmed sprout in half lengthwise. If the Brussel sprouts are small, leave them whole before cooking.
If the sprouts are large, you can quarter them. Make sure they are in uniform pieces so they cook evenly at the same rate.
Step 3. Cut an "X or I" in the bottom of the trimmed sprout so that the center area cooks at the same rate as the outer layers.
Step 4. Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside.
Step 5. Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Step 6. Place Brussels sprouts in salted water and cook for 2 minutes. Depending on what the recipe calls for, you may need to adjust the amount of salt that goes into the water.
Step 7. Remove Brussels sprouts from the heat and immediately transfer to ice water to halt the cooking process. Let them cool completely in a colander. Drain and pat dry.
How to Blanch Brussels Sprouts Before Freezing:
Step 1. Trim the ends of Brussels sprouts and discard any tough or discolored outer leaves. Rinse in a large bowl of cold water.
Step 2. Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside.
Step 3. Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over high heat.
Step 4. Keep Brussels sprouts whole and separate them by size. Blanch the large sprouts for 5 minutes, the medium sprouts for 4 minutes, and the small sprouts for 3 minutes.
Step 5. Remove Brussels sprouts from the heat and immediately transfer to ice water to halt the cooking process. Let them cool completely in a colander. Drain and pat dry.
How To Freeze Blanched Brussels Sprouts:
Step 1. Spread the sprouts out in a single layer on a large baking sheet and freeze for about 1-2 hours.
Step 2. Transfer the blanched Brussels sprouts into a resealable plastic freezer bags. Press out any excess air and store in the freezer.
Properly stored, blanched sprouts can last up to 12 months in the freezer.
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📖 Recipe
How to Blanch Brussels Sprouts
Equipment
- A stock pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 1 gallon water
- 1 tablespoon salt , (or depending on what the recipe calls for)
Instructions
- Trim the ends of Brussels sprouts and discard any tough or discolored outer leaves. Rinse in a large bowl of cold water.
- Slice each trimmed sprout in half lengthwise. If the Brussels sprouts are small, leave them whole before cooking. If the sprouts are large, you can quarter them. Make sure they are in uniform pieces so they cook evenly at the same rate.
- Cut an "X or I" in the bottom of the trimmed sprouts that the center area cooks at the same rate as the outer layers.
- Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside.
- Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Place Brussels sprouts in water and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove Brussels sprouts from the heat and immediately transfer to ice water to halt the cooking process. Let them cool completely in a colander. Drain, pat them dry with paper towels then cook them in any recipe.
Mama Maggie says
Brussels Sprouts is one of my husband's favorite! Thank you for sharing this tip.
Rika says
You're welcome, Mama Maggie.
Farrah Less says
Im gonna the try this blaching i love brussels sprout. I wonder if it works on other veggies too? Like asparagus or brocolli?
Rika says
Yes, Farrah. You can use the same method to blanch asparagus and broccoli too.
Everything Enchanting says
Such a helpful post! Thank you so much for showing us how to blanch brussels sprouts 🙂
Rika says
You're welcome!
Grandma Gayle says
Thank you so very much as I hadn’t any idea how to Blanch Sprouts or anything else for that matter. I don’t like getting them ready . Sprouts are so expensive so when I seen 2 bags for $5 I said i will Thank you. Theywere 1lb bags , and they are hard to buy because of Cost . Why are Brussel Sprouts always so Hi in price compared to other Green Veggies ?
So I’ve cooked them up so I can either decide if I want to Roast these as I burnt my last ones but they were still good but this time I Blanched them so might come out tastier . Because BRUSSEL SROUTS ARE LIKE SMALL CABBAGES THEY TASTE GREAT AFTER COOKING WITH VINEGAR ON THEM . OH YES YUMMY 😋 . Thank you again ❤️🙋🏼♀️🙇🏼♀️🤙🏻👏🏻🙌🏻
Rika says
Hi Grandma Gayle, I agree that Brussels Sprouts are way too expensive. Last year I tried to grow my own but they didn't turn out.. maybe they're harder to grow and that's why higher priced? I've been making them quite regularly and really enjoy the blanching method. My kids are on-board too, so I'm happy. Thanks again for the comment and glad it turned out for you!
Judith Evans says
I love Brussels and wanted to add them to the grilled vegetables I was making but because they would take longer than the rest I used this method before I added them and they were perfect!! Thank you!
Rika says
Hi Judith,
That's wonderful to hear! I'm glad the blanching method you used for the Brussels sprouts worked out perfectly for your grilled vegetables.
Best,
Rika