Like so many men, the way to my hubby’s heart is definitely through his stomach — especially when it comes to his favorite grilled foods… Buffalo Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers anyone? Or maybe Cilantro Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Thighs?!
Or maybe not… He’s trying to drop a few pounds before vacation this year, so I figured perhaps a special grilled veggies side was in order. But these grilled Brussels sprouts definitely aren’t your run-of-the-mill grilled veggies. Finished off with a drizzle of balsamic reduction, these Brussels sprouts have tons of flavor, without tons of added calories!
Start by blanching the Brussels sprouts in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, a necessary step that will make skewering them easier and allow them to cook faster on the grill.
After removing them from the boiling water, rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Trim the bottoms off the stems, if necessary, remove any loose leaves, and pat each Brussels sprout dry. I didn’t actually have to do much trimming because I picked up a bag of prewashed/pretrimmed sprouts at Walmart.
Next, toss them with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and then place about 3-4 on each skewer. You can also just place them directly on the grill if they’re large enough, but my kids love kabobs, and I’ll do anything to entice them to eat more veggies!
Grill the Brussels sprouts for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through and nicely charred on all sides. Note that the skewers do get hot, so handle them with tongs when turning.
When the grilled Brussels sprouts are done, remove them to a platter and drizzle them with the balsamic reduction. (I prepare this while my hubby mans the grill.) Alternatively, you serve a little on the side for dipping or even remove the sprouts from the skewers and toss them in it, but you definitely don’t want to skip it!
In fact, you’ll probably want to drizzle it over everything on your plate, so trust me when I say: MAKE EXTRA. This grilled broccoli looks like a tasty candidate!
Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction
Ingredients
- 1-lb. Brussels sprouts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 batch balsamic reduction
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the Brussels sprouts for 3-4 minutes, and then remove them to a colander and rinse under cold water.
- Trim the stems off the sprouts, if necessary, remove any loose leaves, and pat dry.
- Toss the blanched Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Thread the sprouts onto skewers, 3-4 per skewer depending on the size. Or you can also just place them directly on the grill if they're large enough.
- Grill the brussels sprouts for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through and nicely charred on all sides. Note that the skewers do get hot, so handle them with tongs when turning.
- While the sprouts are cooking, prepare the balsamic reduction.
- Remove the cooked brussels sprouts skewers to a platter and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Alternatively, you can serve the balsamic on the side or remove the sprouts from the skewers and toss them in it.
I’d love to see how your grilled Brussels sprouts turn out… Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check it out. Enjoy!