Prosciutto Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

This brussels sprouts side dish has come to be a fan-favourite at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas meals alike.

It’s not your typical steamed brussels sprout dish – this dish is full of flavour starting with the lemon and finishing off with the nuttiness from the parmesan reggiano and saltiness of the prosciutto. I mean, if those two ingredients don’t draw you in, I’m not sure what will.

I’m not going to lie, brussels sprouts were never a favourite of mine growing up. If I had the option, I always chose not to eat them. But hey mom, look at me now! Eating my brussels sprouts; creating my very own recipe – I know she would be proud.

This is a super simple side dish that is a perfect companion to your upcoming festive dinner. And, I bet you’ll even make it in the future once you taste the sprouts of goodness all dressed up in this tasty dish.

Total Time: 35 minutes
Equipment: large frying pan; lid that fits pan (if you don’t have a lid you can use tinfoil to cover the pan during cooking)
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

6 slices of prosciutto
40 brussels sprouts, washed and cut into halves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice (approx. juice of a small-medium lemon)
1/3 cup & 1/4 cup of vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
1 tsp sugar
¼ cup parmesan reggiano cheese, finely grated
Cook’s Note: I’ve estimated about 10 brussel sprouts per person in this recipe; thus, it’s easy to double this recipe or even make one and a half times.

Instructions:

First, finely grate the parmesan cheese and put aside.

Next, heat your frying pan to medium heat and once hot, place the pieces of prosciutto in the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, until crisp. Then, take the prosciutto out of the pan, chop and set aside.

Now for the brussel sprouts, wash and cut them into halves. Turn your frying pan to medium-high and heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once the pan is hot, place the brussel sprouts in flat side down.

Cook’s Note: I like to move the frying pan over to another burner while I’m laying the brussels sprouts in the pan as it can take a bit longer than just dumping them in. Then return the pan to the hot element and start your timer.

Let the brussels sprouts cook for 5 minutes. This is where the initial crispiness comes in and gives the brussels sprouts a nice golden colour.

Next, with the brussels sprouts still flat side down, add 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, 1/3 cup of vegetable broth, 1/2 tsp salt and pinch of pepper. Then cover the pan almost all the way with your lid, letting just a bit of heat escape.

Let the brussels sprouts cook with the lid on for 5 minutes.

Then take the lid off and add 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup vegetable broth and stir the brussels sprouts occasionally until the water is fully cooked off, about 3-5 minutes.

Taste and then adjust the seasoning to your liking by adding salt, pepper or any leftover lemon juice.

Cook’s Note: If you find they are not cooked enough to your liking, you can add a bit more water, place the lid on and let them cook a little bit longer.

Lastly, turn the heat off and toss in half of the parmesan and half of the prosciutto. Toss until the parmesan starts to melt. Then remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and top with remaining parmesan and prosciutto.