Here's a primer on how to cut brussels sprouts, trim brussels sprouts, and the best cooking methods for using the produce. After purchasing, learn how to store them before and after the vegetable is cut.
The way a brussels sprout looks, smells, and feels tells everything about its quality. Once you pick your produce now the question is how do you cut brussels sprouts? To maximize its characteristic texture and flavor, here's a guide to how to cut brussels sprouts, trim and prep the produce for when you are ready to use for recipes like iron skillet fried brussels sprouts.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Soak: 10 to 20 minutes in salted water
- 🍽️ Yield: 1 pound, 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 49kcal per serving, per the recipe card
- 🔪 Tools: sharp knife or paring knife, cutting board, colander and a large bowl
- ✂️ Cuts: halves, quarters or shaved
- 🌶️ Best For: roasting, air frying, sauteing and raw salads
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, keep the core on
Quick Answer
Remove any wilted, yellow or brown outer leaves, rinse the brussels sprouts in a colander and soak them in salted water for 10 to 20 minutes. Drain, then trim just a thin slice off the browned stem end, keeping the core intact so the leaves stay on. Cut each sprout in half from the top down through the stem. For quarters, lay each half flat-side down and cut from top to bottom again. For shaved sprouts, slice the flat halves thinly from top to bottom.
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But how to cut brussels sprouts for eating, and keep them from falling apart in the pan? Keep reading! And when you're ready to cook, my Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts are the two we make most.
Why You Keep the Core On
Click to see why it works
- The core holds it together. The base or stem is what holds the leaves intact, so you do not want to cut it too close or you lose lots of leaves.
- Trim only the browning edge. Just cut the slight browning edge of the core or stem at the base, but keep it intact.
- Loose leaves burn. Leaves that fall off can burn when you start cooking them.
- Cut top to bottom, through the stem, so each half keeps a piece of core.
- Same method for coring. This is the same method for how to core brussels sprouts.
Why You'll Love This Method
- No more falling-apart sprouts. Round heads that hold together in the pan.
- Quick. One pound is ready in about 15 minutes.
- Three cuts from one method: halves, quarters and shaved.
- Works for every recipe, from roasting and air frying to raw salads.
- Holiday ready. Prep a big batch for Thanksgiving sides.
What You'll Need
- 1 pound fresh brussels sprouts - firm with dense heads and bright green, compact leaves.
- A sharp knife or paring knife.
- A cutting board.
- A colander - for rinsing.
- A large bowl of salted water - for soaking.
See recipe card for the full steps.
What Are Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are a native vegetable to the cabbage family. Just look at them, they look like little baby cabbages! Foods such as cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, broccoli rabe, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, arugula, and mustard greens are cruciferous vegetables (aka crucifers) - and bring out the best of each other when combined in recipes.
Research suggests diets rich in cruciferous vegetables may be linked to a lower risk of some cancers. Brussels sprouts are rich in vitamins such as B vitamins and A, C, E, and K.
Eat brussels sprouts for maximum nutritional density of these nutrients! They have 10 times the nutrition found in green cabbage. They are also full of fiber, which may help support healthy cholesterol levels.
How to Cut Brussels Sprouts
1Pick good ones. When looking for brussels sprouts in the grocery store or farmers market, look for produce that is firm, and has dense heads. The outer leaves should be bright green with compact leaves and not brown or yellow. Avoid ones with wilted or yellowing leaves, spots, blemishes, or signs of insects.
2Wash and soak. Remove any leaves that are yellow or brown. Add brussels sprout heads to a colander and rinse with filtered water. Then place them in a bowl of salted water to set for about 10-20 minutes to remove bacteria and debris. Strain the water.
3Trim the bottoms. When a recipe says trim bottoms, just cut off a slight layer of the part that starts to brown before you prepare them. Keep some of the stem (or core) so the leaves do not fall off. That's it!
4Cut in half. Cut each brussels sprout in half from the top to the bottom (where the stem was).
5Cut into quarters. To cut into quarters, place each half flat-side down. Cut from the top to the bottom again. Repeat for all the brussels sprouts and either cut them into halves or quarters one by one.
6Or shave them. To shave them down into shredded brussels sprouts, using a paring knife, prepare into halves and lay the flat side down on a cutting board. Finely cut them down into thin slices starting from the top to the bottom.
As always, be sure to check out the full details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Buying a whole stalk? If buying a whole stalk of brussels sprouts, here is how to trim them off. Cut them off as close to the stem of the head of each brussels sprouts. Keep some of the stem (or core) so the leaves do not fall off.
- Store washed sprouts briefly. Washed brussels sprouts tend to rot faster since there is liquid on them so it is best to use them right away. If you can't, store them in a plastic bag with a paper towel in the fridge for about 1 day.
- Store unwashed sprouts longer. Store unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Use single leaves. You can also just remove the leaves and use single leaves in recipes.
- Cut an X at the bottom of the stem to help release bitterness when cooking.
Ways to Cook Brussels Sprouts
Cooking methods for brussels sprouts are to serve them raw in salad (like coleslaw or this shaved brussels sprouts salad), roast, boil, steam, or saute. Here are our favorite healthy recipes to get you started: Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Sweet And Spicy Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, Brussels Sprouts Gratin and Iron Skillet Fried Brussels Sprouts.
Planning the holiday table? Pair them with Gluten-Free Stuffing, Homemade Cranberry Sauce and Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts Salad, or browse all of our healthy Thanksgiving side dishes.
Brussels Sprouts FAQs
The stem. Cut it as close to the core as possible to remove any browning. The base or stem is what holds the leaves intact, so you do not want to cut it too close or you lose lots of leaves.
Just cut off the browning base and remove any loose leaves or ones that are yellow or with brown spots. Do this for each one.
Rinse and wash them in a colander, soak 10 to 20 minutes in salted water, remove any yellowing or brown leaves, trim the stem slightly close to the core, cut from top to bottom to halve them, then lay each half facing down and cut again top to bottom to quarter them.
The leaves usually fall off easily. Use your hands and peel off the outer leaves. You can just peel ones that are yellow or brown or remove all the outer layers of leaves.
Cut an X at the bottom of the stem. This helps to release the bitterness when cooking.
Washed brussels sprouts are best used right away, or stored in a plastic bag with a paper towel in the fridge for about 1 day. Unwashed ones keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Brussels Sprouts Recipes
Roast them with Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts, crisp them in the air fryer, or bake a Brussels Sprouts Gratin. I hope you find this article on how to cut brussels sprouts helpful! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
How To Cut Brussels Sprouts
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Equipment
- paring knife
Ingredients
- 1 lb. brussels sprouts
Instructions
- Trim brussels sprouts off the stalk, cutting off the sprouting stem so you are left with the circular vegetable.
- Remove any wilted and loose leaves or yellowing and brown leaves from each vegetable.
- Rinse the brussels sprouts in a colander under fresh water. Add the brussels sprouts to a large bowl and soak them in salted water for 10-20 minutes. Strain the water and trim the bottoms which is the end of the stem.
- Cut each brussels sprout in half from the top to the bottom (where the stem was). To cut into quarters, place each half flat-side down. Cut from the top to the bottom again. Repeat for the remaining brussels sprouts and either cut them into halves or quarters.
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