Brussels sprouts: bet you haven’t tried ‘em raw

by Jen

For decades, I thought brussels sprouts were gross because they had this sulfur taste I couldn’t stand. And they were mushy.

It turned out I’d just never had them cooked properly. Or, more precisely, not cooked at all. I recently tried raw brussels sprouts for the first time, and it’s become my new favorite snack. I’m not joking. And they’re totally good for you.

Raw brussels sprout flavor

The flavor of raw brussels sprouts has no hint of sulfur. That gets released in the cooking. Raw, they taste like little peppery cabbages on the inside with a little more of that “green” chlorophyll flavor in the outer dark green leaves. Unless you have a very strong jaw, I recommend cutting them up into small pieces. I chop mine so fine you need a fork or spoon to get all the pieces up. You can put them in salads or just take them to work in a container and nibble along on them by themselves.

Lemon and coarse salt

But my favorite way of eating these little guys is chopped up fine, with just a little lemon juice squeezed over them, and some coarse salt sprinkled on them. The lemon and salt really make the flavor come alive and blend wonderfully.

Cooking option

I also found a way to cook them that I actually like: cut them into halves, brush them lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle some coarse salt and fresh ground pepper over them. Spread them on a sheet of foil or on a cookie sheet, and stick them in the oven and cook them on 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until they turn golden brown on top. Once they’re tender enough to bite and chew comfortably, they’re ready to eat: