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Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts will make you forget every soggy, boiled Brussels sprout you’ve ever had. This simple recipe combines high-heat roasting with a tingly, sticky glaze to create a dish that legitimately rivals the takeout original.
Is there a more maligned vegetable? When I hear someone say they hate Brussels sprouts, I picture them biting into a boiled, skunky, waterlogged tiny cabbage. To be a “BS lover” (Brussels sprouts, of course), there are two rules: never boil them, and master the char.
I’ve spent years converting skeptics with this specific method. It turns out that roasted sprouts, with those paper-thin, crispy outer leaves, are the perfect vessel for a spicy-sweet Kung Pao sauce. Whether you serve these over steaming rice or as a side to grilled tuna steaks, the hit of salty roasted peanuts and the “tingle” of Sichuan peppercorns makes this a vegetable dish you’ll actually crave.
“We had this last night and it was a huge hit with my family, Marissa! The flavors of the sticky sauce were so perfect…As with many of your recipes, this was a winner!”
Sally Humeniuk
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- High-Heat Roasting: Roasting the sprouts at 425°F makes the centers tender while the edges get crispy and charred.
- Sichuan Peppercorns: Real Sichuan peppercorns give you that numbing heat and tingle you want in a true mala dish. Standard chili flakes won’t get you there.
- Glaze Instead of Sauce: Thickening the sauce with a slurry before tossing means the sprouts get coated in a glossy glaze instead of sitting in liquid.
- Peanuts for Crunch: Adding peanuts at the end gives you a rich, crunchy contrast to the spicy glaze.
Ingredients for Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
- Brussels Sprouts: Look for tight, bright green heads that feel heavy for their size. Smaller sprouts are generally sweeter and more tender than the large, cabbage-like ones.
- Peanut Oil: Use refined peanut oil for its high smoke point and neutral, slightly nutty flavor. It won’t smoke out your kitchen at 425°F.
- Sichuan Peppercorns: Find these in the international aisle or at an Asian market. Look for vibrant pinkish-red husks and skip any packages with lots of black seeds or twigs.
- Fresh Ginger: Choose a piece that feels firm and heavy with smooth, thin skin. If it’s shriveled or fibrous, it’s a pain to mince.
- Hot Chili Paste: I use Sambal Oelek, which you’ll recognize by the bright red color and gold lid. It gives you clean, vinegar-forward heat.
- Roasted Peanuts: Buy unsalted roasted peanuts so the dish doesn’t end up too salty with the soy sauce.
How to Make Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
Cook the Rice: Get your rice going so that it’s hot and ready to serve when your Brussels sprouts are ready to serve. (A rice cooker is ideal here because it will keep your rice warm until the rest of the meal is ready.)
Roast the Sprouts: Toss the halved sprouts in peanut oil and roast at 425°F on a parchment-lined sheet until the edges are dark and crispy.
Make the Kung Pao Sauce: Sauté the garlic and ginger in a saucepan until golden and fragrant. Add the chili paste, soy sauce, honey, and Sichuan peppercorns, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
Finish and Serve: To serve, toss the hot out of the oven Brussels sprouts with sauce, pile over hot rice, and finish with a shower of crunchy peanuts.
Pro Tips
- Roast Cut-Side Down: I like to turn most of the halved sprouts so they’re cut-side down on the baking sheet to help them brown evenly.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Make sure the sprouts have some space between them on the baking sheet. Otherwise they’ll steam instead of roasting.
- Freshly Crush the Peppercorns: Crush the Sichuan peppercorns with a rolling pin right before you start cooking to get that numbing tingle in the sauce.
- Wait to Add the Sauce: Toss the sprouts with the sauce just before serving so they stay crispy instead of getting soggy.
Recipe Variations
- Vegan Option: Use maple syrup or agave instead of honey for a plant-based version.
- Keto/Low Carb: Skip the rice and serve over cauliflower rice or with a simple protein.
- Crunchy Add-ins: Stir in sliced water chestnuts or diced celery during the last 5 minutes of roasting for more texture.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Keep the rice separate so it doesn’t soak up all the sauce. Reheat sprouts in a 350°F oven or an air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes to bring back the crispy edges. Don’t use the microwave or they’ll get soggy.
FAQ
The honey and rice vinegar in the Kung Pao sauce balance out that sulfur taste roasted Brussels sprouts can have. Roasting helps too.
It’s the Sichuan peppercorns that give you that numbing tingle and the roasted peanuts for their richness and crunch. That’s what makes it Kung Pao instead of just another spicy dish.
Not for this dish. Frozen Brussels sprouts have too much water in them and won’t get crispy and charred.
More Must-Try Kung Pao Recipes
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Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice I used brown basmati
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts halved
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil divided
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon hot chili paste such as sambal oelek
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (also called Szechuan peppercorns) coarsely ground in a spice grinder or well crushed with a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Cook Rice: Cook rice according to package directions. (You’ll want it to be cooked and hot at the same time that you’re ready to serve the Brussels sprouts.)
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line Pan: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roast Sprouts: In a medium bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil and spread in a single layer on prepared baking sheet; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast 20 minutes, until tender with crispy edges, stirring once about half way through roasting time.
- Prepare Slurry: After stirring Brussels sprouts and returning to oven (while they have 10 minutes left to roast), whisk together cornstarch and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Simmer Sauce: Heat remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook and stir until garlic is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add chili paste, soy sauce, water, honey, rice vinegar and crushed Sichuan peppercorns and bring to a boil; stir in cornstarch mixture. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly until sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Toss and Serve: When Brussels sprouts are done, transfer to medium bowl. Pour sauce over and toss to coat. Transfer to serving platter or divide among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with peanuts and red pepper flakes (optional); serve with hot cooked rice.
Notes
- For a Vegan Version: Skip the honey and use sugar or other sweetener instead.
- Uniform Sizing: Halve all sprouts to a uniform size so the smaller leaves don’t scorch before the centers are tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My kids don’t like brussels sprouts but they love Kung Pao chicken. So hopefully, they will like this roasted version with yummy sauce. Looks lovely.
Thank you, Holly! I hope it’s a hit.
This one amazing dish, Marissa! Yep – I’m a fan of Brussels sprouts, and you have upped their game! Love it!
Thanks so much, Annie!
Such a delicious preparation for brussles sprouts. We love them roasted and I’m certain with all of these added flavors, they’ll be even more amazing. 🙂 ~Valentina
Thanks so much, Valentina!
I’m already in love with Brussels sprouts Marissa and I know I’d love this flavor! Can’t wait to give your recipe a try!
Fantastic! Thank you, Mary Ann.
We had this last night and it was a huge hit with my family, Marissa! The flavors of the sticky sauce were so perfect; My husband is not very tolerant of hot spicy foods, so I did only add 1 teaspoon of the sambal and then my son and I added more to our individual dishes. We also added a red bell pepper during the last 10 minutes of roasting the sprouts, because we needed to use them and that was another fresh addition. The only complaint at the table was they wished there was even more sticky sauce so next time I might double the sauce and serve the extra at the table. As with many of your recipes, this was a winner!
This is wonderful to hear, Sally! I’m so glad that you and your family enjoyed this and that you added your own twists. Thank you for your detailed cooking notes too!
Such magnificent flavors paired with your BS! I’m going to air fry mine tomorrow (fingers crossed they’re edible!), but have almost everything on hand to make your Kung Pao recipe. They sound fabulous!
Thank you, Liz! I hope you’ll enjoy them.
Such a fun way to eat some brussels sprouts, Marissa! Yum! I have been eating a ton of sprouts these days, much to my childrens’ chagrin…they may actually enjoy these ones though! 🙂
Thanks so much, Katherine! May be worth a try… 😉
I 100% agree with you about roasted Brussels – truthfully they are one of my favorite veggies! And whole Brussels in a brothy soup is another great way to eat them. We roast Brussels on a regular rotation around here, and next time I want to try ’em with this Kung Pao sauce. What a great idea!
Thanks, David! I haven’t tossed them into soup before, but I’ll have to give it a try.
From one BS ambassador to another, these look amazing! And if all Brussels Sprouts were prepared like this, they would be loved by all!
haha! Thanks, Sonali…
I adore Brussels sprouts – but I’ve never had them so well seasoned – this sounds phenomenal – wow – this would make the humble Brussels sprout totally addicting! Thanks Marissa!
Thanks so much, Shashi! I hope you’ll give them a try.
I’m Team Brussel Sprouts!! I love love LOVE them. But then again, I have never experienced soggy boiled ones 🙂 Only ones like yours, crisp golden brown or shaved (I love them shaved!) And Kung Pao? GOLD!! 🙂
Woohoo! Thanks so much, Nagi.