As I mentioned in my post about teriyaki (vegan) meatballs, more than anything else, the Super Bowl is an excuse for my to bring my vegan finger foods A-game. I’m sure that a lot of you are the same way 🙂 Most things are delicious when deep-fried, but there’s something extra fun about these beer-battered Brussels sprouts. They’re crispy on the outside, and the inside is tender without being mushy. Paired with a homemade maple-mustard sauce, these disappeared really quickly.
Beer-battered Brussels sprouts served up with a smoky, sweet and salty maple-mustard sauce!
As far as the nutrition facts for this recipe, uh, I’ll just briefly point out that at least these will give you a serving of vegetables for the day – leafy greens at that! No guilt here, the Hawks are in the big game and that’s reason to celebrate!
I don’t make fried foods at home very often (I believe my previous fried recipe on the blog was the Chipotle-style tofu sofritas in July 2014, and that was pan-fried, not deep fried). So I don’t own a dedicated fryer or anything like that. I simply take my largest skillet and fill it with a couple of inches of oil, and use a thermometer to control the oil temperature. Making sure that the oil is very hot, and that you don’t crowd the pan (thus reducing the oil temperature upon adding the ingredients to it), is essential if you want to minimize the amount of oil that you actually end up eating.
My most-fried food is probably gobi manchurian, a spicy Indochinese fried cauliflower dish… but I’m really pleased with the fried Brussels sprouts results and think I’ll continue having these from time to time.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy the beer-battered Brussels sprouts paired with any sauce you like, but in particular I recommend the maple-mustard sauce recipe I included, or a creamy sauce, like a vegan chipotle mayo. You want something with some body and not too aggressive of a flavor. As far as what beer is best in this batter, most beer works, but I suggest lager. I would avoid anything with more pronounced bitter undertones (such as coffee stout…) since the Brussels sprouts already add a bitter note.
Beer-battered Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
For the beer-battered Brussels sprouts:
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts (450g) stemmed and halved, with the outer layer of leaves removed
- vegan beer batter (below)
- neutral oil for frying (I suggest peanut oil or organic canola oil)
- dipping sauce for serving (suggestion below)
For the beer batter:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup white rice flour or cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 12 oz beer (1 bottle)
For the maple-mustard sauce:
- 2 and 1/2 tbsp prepared mustard (I use spicy brown mustard)
- 2 and 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (or use soy sauce, optional)
Instructions
To prepare the maple-mustard sauce:
- Whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl, and adjust seasonings to taste.
To blanch the Brussels sprouts:
- Prepare a bowl of ice water, and bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add the Brussels sprouts. Leave them in the water until they turn bright green. This took about 5 minutes for me but can vary depending on the size of your Brussels sprouts. Make sure not to overcook them.
- Remove the sprouts from the pot and transfer them immediately into the ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Set the sprouts in a colander to drain, or gently pat them dry with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible before you batter them.
For beer-battering and frying the Brussels sprouts:
- Add about 2 inches of oil in a large, heavy pan on the stovetop, and heat the oil until over medium heat until hot - about 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix together the flours, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour in the beer and stir just until combined. Do not over-mix. If the batter seems too thin to coat the Brussels sprouts, add a little more flour as needed.
- Add the Brussels sprouts to the batter (I do this in a few batches) and coat them. Then transfer them to the hot oil, making sure to leave plenty of space between them and not crowd the pan (otherwise, they'll come out greasy and not crispy).
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Use tongs or a heat-safe slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. (Optional) sprinkle the beer-battered Brussels sprouts with coarse salt immediately after they come out of the fryer.
- Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Fried Brussels sprouts technique adapted from We are Not Martha. This post contains an affiliate link; see my advertisement policy for details.
Love this recipe for beer-battered Brussels sprouts but looking for something healthy? Check out my recipe for baked Brussels sprout tater tots! Or roast them and stick ’em on a Brussels sprout banh mi with mango sauce.
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Madison says
We had these in our Super Bowl spread last week (sorry, i’m so late in leaving this comment but I forgot until now). Really enjoyed them a lot, especially with the mustard dipping sauce!
Lora says
We had these tonight as I thought it might be nice to have a bit more veg with our fried xx. Absolutely loved them. Used the rice flour.
Shannon says
I love Brussel sprouts and would like to try this but I don’t use alcohol. What could I use instead of beer?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Good question! I think the best substitute would probably be plain seltzer water, or something else carbonated. I would also add a little extra seasoning added to the batter (like nutritional yeast, garlic powder, or something else savory). Let me know if you try it!
Evi @ greenevi says
Wow, such a cool idea! I am already in love with these brussels sprouts 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks so much! Hope you give them a try =]
Richa {VeganRicha.com} says
oooh i have a bag of bsprouts that i havent used up yet. beer batter it is!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hope you try it out, Richa 🙂 knowing you, you can probably come up with a healthier version of this that tastes just as crispy and good!
Diane says
These look amazing! I have been doing a whole series on cauliflower lately but maybe now I will move on to Brussels sprouts – only if they come out yours!! I just posted cauliflower pizza sticks on Reddit as well…would love for you to check them out and see what you think!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks, Diane! I hope you try frying Brussels sprouts soon! I’ve been meaning to try out a cauliflower pizza crust, it’s tough replacing the egg though.. yours looks tasty 🙂
deelightffullyveg says
They look really nice! 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thank you =]
Laura @ the gluten-free treadmill says
I’ve never thought about frying Brussels sprouts – I love it and the sauce sounds like it would go well with so much!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks! I think the sauce could be turned into an awesome salad dressing of some kind, too!
Mihl says
Wow, this is the best idea ever!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Shucks, thank you! 🙂
Caeli @ Little Vegan Bear says
Holy moly, I would love to try these!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I hope that you do!! They are so good 😀