WOO! We’re getting carby yet again, my friends.
And it is a beautiful sight to behold.
Well hello there! How are ye? Me be good.
This whole stretch between December holidays and, well, summer seems like an e-ter-ni-ty.
It takes approximately FOR-EV-VER for spring holidays to happen, for days off of work to occur, and for the weather to finally break.
But friends, we recently got a glimpse of warmer weather and sunshine, and I’m officially in the “the sun is up, the sky is blue, it’s beautiful and so are you” mode.
And that’s why…we’re carbing. But! We’re carbing spring-style. Because caramelized brussels sprouts and lemon and garlic make for a fresh, in-season love fest of yum, and I am here. for. it.
I’ve been using our cast iron pan a ton recently, and I’ve found that all I want to do is caramelize veggies in it all day long. So that’s what we’re doing here!
Speaking of, over the years, I’ve come up with some tips for getting that lovely caramelized color, flavor, and texture on brussels sprouts. I like to call them my…
TIPS FOR GETTING THE BEST CARAMELIZED BRUSSELS SPROUTS EVER:
- Use a cast iron pan (as mentioned above)
- Don’t touch your brussels sprouts too much; let them cook and develop that color and flavor we all know and love
- Don’t crowd your pan or cook with sopping wet brussels sprouts; they’ll steam instead of caramelize
If you follow these steps, perfect caramelization is in your future, friend.
Since you’re now armed with that helpful knowledge nugget, you can move on to the actual cooking process!
Shred up a boatload of brussels sprouts, cook them in some rich olive oil, and salt and pepper the bajesus out of them. And then add some garlic, because, you know how we roll.
Then! Spaghetti. Use your fave. Apparently my local Fresh Thyme has stock in bean pasta because they have approximately 3847523845 kinds of pasta made from beans. Garbanzo, black bean, pea, lentil…I honestly didn’t know it was possible to have so many variations of bean pasta. So that’s what I used.
That said, I think a nice whole wheat variety would do juuuust fine here as well.
Then toss everything with a bit more olive oil, some lemon zest, some lemon juice, and a wee bit of reserved pasta water. Easy. As. That.
LOVE me a fast and fresh recipe like this!
Whenever I’m trying to come up with a new savory recipe for you guys, my mind instantly goes to one of the following:
- Pasta
- Tacos
- Grain bowls
I hope you’re not offended that you’re seeing another pasta recipe from me in like, less than a month.
But I know you’re my people. Like me, you appreciate the ease and fresh flavors of a simple pasta recipe.
Let’s go to town all over this springy carb bowl of love.
PrintSpring Brussels Sprout Pasta
A quick and easy spring pasta recipe that’s ready in less than 30 minutes! You’ll love the simple flavors happening in this carb love fest!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
8 oz. your favorite spaghetti
5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 and 1/2 lbs. brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded
salt + pepper
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 small lemon, zested and juiced
Vegan parm for topping!
Instructions
- Cook your spaghetti according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water for finishing the dish. Then drain the rest of the pasta and set aside.
- While your spaghetti is cooking, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add shredded brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and cook until caramelized and tender, 7-10 minutes. I like to touch my brussels sprouts as little as possible so that they caramelize nicely.
- When your brussels sprouts are almost done, toss in your garlic, and allow to cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Add your drained pasta to the brussels sprout skilled and add your remaining 3 Tbsp. olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and reserved pasta water (you might not need all of it; just use enough to loosen up the mixture). Season to taste, top with vegan parm and serve! SPRING <3
Ohhh I’ve never cooked brussels sprouts like this before but I’m totally intrigued! I’m one of those pop-them-in-the-oven-till-super-crispy kind of people lol. Definitely going to give this method a try soon :)
This looks so beautiful and I love the flavors going on. Thanks for sharing!
You got it!