Sautéed Brussels sprouts with lemon and thyme are a light, flavorful side dish that’s a great alternative to roasted Brussels sprouts. Cooked in olive oil until browned, then finished with broth, fresh herbs, and lemon zest, they’re bright, savory, and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. Perfect for any occasion, from holidays to everyday meals, this dish is sure to become a favorite like it is on our house.
I love Brussels sprouts! Roasted, sautéed, shaved thin into salads, just about any way when they are in season. Thanksgiving dinners can be heavy duty with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, dressing, turkey and gravy, not to mention dessert. This year I decided on a lighter vegetable side dish. They came out so good, I knew you'd enjoy them. Plus, this is cooked on the stovetop, not in the oven, so if your oven is busy, no problem.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts: Buy fresh, whole Brussels sprouts.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil.
- Broth: Chicken broth, vegetables broth, or turkey broth all work.
- Garlic: Fresh is best.
- Lemon: For both the juice and the zest.
- Thyme: Fresh is best but dried thyme works too (use ⅓ as much).
- Grated Parmesan cheese: Finishes off the dish with a nice salty, savoriness (optional).
For measurements, salt and pepper, please see the recipe card.
For another nice fall side, try this maple roasted acorn squash.
Chef's tip: When buying Brussels sprouts, I prefer to pick from loose piles at the store so I get Brussels sprouts that are approximately the same size. If not, bagged are fine and usually close in size. The big stalks are popular but they have tiny to huge sprouts so I generally pass because of the size variations. Skip sprouts with yellow or brown edges or wilted leaves. They should look moist, bright green, and be firm.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute oregano or rosemary for the thyme.
- Omit the Parmesan cheese for dairy-free or use a vegan Parmesan replacement.
- Sprinkle with a little red pepper flakes if you like the heat.
- Finish with a little Balsamic vinegar or the homemade balsamic glaze in this recipe.
Chef's tip: Broths that work for sautéed Brussels sprouts include this easy Instant Pot chicken broth, homemade vegetable broth, chicken bone broth, or this roasted turkey broth. I make batches and keep them in the freezer for all my broth needs.
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Trim a bit off of the root end of the sprout and peel off any out layers if needed, then cut them in half through the root end. This can be done a day ahead of time, then refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to cook. Chop your thyme, garlic get the broth and Parmesan ready.
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Step 2: Heat up a large pan with a flat bottom, like a large saute pan. Add a little olive oil and place sprouts in, cut side down in a single layer. If they don't all fit, do them in two batches. Cook until they are lightly browned. If the pan gets dry, add a little more olive oil.
Step 3: After browning, add garlic and cook briefly, then add broth, lemon zest, thyme, and sea salt, then cover. Brussels sprouts steam finish in just a few minutes. Test for doneness by piercing them with the end of a paring knife. They should be tender.
Serving Suggestions
For serving, sprinkle finely grated Parmesan cheese over the top. Skip the Parmesan for dairy-free. Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Chef's tool tip: The best tool for creating fine lemon zest, Parmesan cheese zest, and for super fine fresh garlic that melts into recipe, use an inexpensive microplane zester.
Recipe FAQs
Extra virgin olive oil adds great flavor. Other good options are avocado oil or a healthy neutral oil. A combination of a little butter and oil provides nice flavor too. What to skip? Standard grocery store "vegetable" oil, which while it might seem good for cooking, it's really not healthy at all.
When done sautéing, Brussels sprouts will be nicely browned on the outside (the flat cut side), and still tender in the middle when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. Timing depends on the size of the Brussels sprouts.
Before sautéing, cut Brussels sprouts in half through the root end. It helps them to cook more evenly. The flat side provides exposure to the heat of the pan when placed flat side down, caramelizing and adding flavor to the Brussels sprouts.
More Side Dish Recipes
For another take on Brussels sprouts, try them shaved into a warm salad or with cranberries and bacon.
⭐️Did you Make This Recipe?
If you make these delicious Brussels sprouts, please comment and let me know. I appreciate your feedback and love hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5 star rating! They really help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Thyme
Equipment
- Saute pan or fry pan with lid
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil divided use
- ¾ cup broth chicken, vegetable or turkey
- 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped or zested
- 1 whole lemon finely zested
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme leaves or ¾ teaspoon dried
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese optional
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Instructions
Prep
- Trim the end of the brussels sprouts and remove any rough outer leaves. Cut the sprouts in half top to bottom.
Cook
- Heat a large saute or fry pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add as many Brussels sprouts as will fit in one layer, flat side down, and cook until golden brown. Don't crowd the pan. If the pan gets dry, add a little more oil.Remove first batch to a bowl and finish with the rest of the sprouts. As the pan gets dry, use the other tablespoon of oil. If your sprouts brown too quickly turn heat down to medium low.
Finish and Serve
- Add all brussels sprouts back to the pan, add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring, then and add the broth. Scatter half of the lemon zest and thyme over the top along with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until brussels sprouts are tender when pierced with the tip of paring knife, 5-7 minutes. To serve pour into a bowl and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest and Parmesan cheese.
Debbie says
These look very tasty!!! I notice that in many of your recipes, as in this brussel sprout recipe, you cook with olive oil. I have been taught that olive oil becomes dangerous when heated so I normally cook with coconut oil. I do use olive oil very frequently on already cooked foods, like rice or vegetables. Please would you share your perspective. Thanks!!!
Sally Cameron says
Hi Debbie, thanks for asking. I've been wanting to write a post about this and probably will do so in January. That you can't or shouldn't cook with olive oil is a misconception. It's safe and healthy too cook with and is proven to be more stable than people realize. A study from Australia brings new information to the subject. Investigators tested the heat stability of 10 of the most commonly used cooking oils in Australia: extra-virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, refined olive oil, canola, grapeseed, coconut, avocado, peanut, rice bran and sunflower oils. Results showed that extra-virgin olive oil was the safest and most stable when heated to temperatures even higher than those commonly used for sautéing, deep-frying and baking. It produced the lowest quantity of polar compounds compared to the other oils tested. The runner up was coconut oil.
The study also disproved the view that oil with a high smoke point is best suited for high-temperature cooking. In fact, an oil’s smoke point doesn’t indicate how it will perform when heated. I'll add a link you can read regarding this study. Even famous doctors and "health gurus" repeat this misconception and I just shake my head. Coconut oil has a definite flavor which does not work with everything. Avocado oil is a healthy choice as well. The bad oils are seed and "vegetable" oils, which are usually made from genetically modified crops such soy. They are industrially produced and toxic. Let's talk quick about your cooking. You are probably not frying, right? And most pots and pans today have good heat conductivity so you're not cooking at high heat that much. I rarely am above medium heat on my range and I cook mostly with olive oil. Let me know if this helps. Here's the link tinyurl.com/ye26utd7
Lisa Foto says
Delicious recipe for Brussel Sprouts. They came out almost as good as your pictures for me!! Definitely will be making these again & again.