Just before Thanksgiving, Anna and I shared some of our family holiday traditions. These Brussels sprouts are part of our Thanksgiving AND Christmas meal traditions.

My kids who are both picky, have always loved these sauteéd Brussels sprout leaves. And even adult Brussels sprout naysayers love them.

A blue plate contains sautéed Brussels sprout leaves with a silver spoon on the side. The plate is placed on a white marble surface.

The process of removing the cores and separating the Brussels sprout leaves takes awhile. But it’s well worth it! And Chad and I enjoy the time together. Sometimes people help with the process and sometimes it’s just us. Either way, we enjoy making this dish.

If you’d prefer not to core and leaf the Brussels sprouts, you can simply feed them through your food processor using the shredder attachment. It’s not the exact same dish, but sautéed shredded brussels sprouts work well and taste great!

Either way you decide to make them, these Brussels sprouts are sure to become a favorite side for the holidays.

Why you’ll love sautéed Brussels sprout leaves

They’re tender and sweet.
Once they’re cored and the Brussels sprout leaves are separated, the dish only takes minutes to cook.
You can core and leaf the Brussels sprouts the day before you plan to cook them. Store them in a zip top bag in the refrigerator.
These brussel sprout leaves taste great reheated. So you can even make them a day in advance and reheat them by quickly sautéing them just to get them heated.

Fresh brussels sprouts scattered on a marble surface next to a copper grinder, a small bowl of olive oil, and a square dish of salt.

Ingredients needed

Brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
Freshly ground pepper

How to cook sautéed brussel sprout leaves

A wooden cutting board with a pile of fresh Brussels sprouts and a silver kitchen knife. Some Brussels sprouts are sliced in the background, and a ceramic bowl is partially visible on the right.

1. Cut off the ends of each Brussels sprout. Discard any leaves that came away when cutting off the ends.

A wooden cutting board with chopped Brussels sprouts and a knife. Some sprouts are halved, while others remain whole, with scattered green leaves around them.

2. Cut all the Brussel sprouts in half. And then cut out the core in a v shape.

Freshly chopped Brussels sprouts on a wooden cutting board with some placed in a gray bowl.

3. Next, separate all the brussel sprout leaves.

A stainless steel pan filled with sauteed brussel sprout leaves sits on a stovetop.

4. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and let it heat for about 30 seconds. Add the Brussel sprouts leaves. Add salt and pepper.

5. Sauté until the brussel sprout leaves are bright green and some have started to brown about 7 minutes.

A bowl filled with brussel sprout leaves on a wooden surface.

Here’s a close up of the separated brussel sprout leaves.

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Recipe FAQs

Can I make this side dish ahead of time?

Yes! This is one of those brussel sprout leaves recipes that lends itself to being made ahead. You can core them and separate the leaves a day ahead and store them in an airtight container and cook the the day of.

Or you can make the entire brussel sprout leaves recipe the day before and reheat them by quickly sautéeing the brussel sprout leaves in a large pan.

Why am I having a hard time separating the Brussels sprout leaves?

It’s likely that you didn’t get all the core out. You can cut off any remaining core and that will make it easier to separate the brussel sprout leaves.

Video that shows how to make sautéed Brussels sprout leaves.

Five pairs of hands preparing Brussels sprouts for sauteed Brussels sprouts.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Elizabeth Davenport

Even Brussels sprout naysayers will like these tender, sautéed Brussels sprout leaves.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Course side, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Ingredients

▢ 2 bags or 1 branch of Brussels sprouts
▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
▢ Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Using a sharp knife, cut the end off the Brussels sprouts. Discard any leaves that come away after cutting off the ends.
Cut all the Brussels sprouts in half. Then cut out the core by cutting a v-shape at the cut ends.
Separate all the brussel sprout leaves.
Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the brussels sprout leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot or at room temperature.