We tried a new-to-us restaurant recently in Portland and it was so tasty that I knew right away I had to try to recreate their Gochujang Brussels sprouts at home!
Lucky for you, I’ve taken all the guess work out of this delicious side dish or appetizer. Plus, just 7 ingredients and 30 minutes required!
If you’re into Brussels sprouts, you’ll love this dish because they’re stir-fried to golden brown (but still tender) perfection and coated in the most savory, bangin’ sauce on the block: Korean Gochujang Chili Sauce! It’s a Korean sauce that’s spicy, savory, and slightly sweet with so much complexity.
Have you tried it yet? Most store-bought brands contain gluten and processed ingredients, so I set out to make my own. I’m so glad I did because I’ve been putting it on everything since, like Cauliflower Wings, my saucy Crispy Tofu, and now Brussels sprouts!
It all starts with the sauce, which comes together in 5 minutes. Then just heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add a little sesame oil, and start stir-frying these gems. The sauce coats the Brussels near the end of cooking and adds a nice caramelized effect. Swoon!
We hope you LOVE this recipe! It’s:
Saucy
Spicy
Quick + Easy
Satisfying
SUPER flavorful
& Seriously delicious
This would make the perfect side or appetizer to things like our Eggplant Almond Butter Tofu Bowls, Spicy Gochujang Cauliflower Wings, Quinoa Fried Rice, Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry, and our 30-Minute Noodle-Free Pad Thai.
If you’re into Brussels sprouts, also check out our Brussels Sprout Slaw with Coconut Bacon, Garlic and White Wine Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, and Crispy Garlic Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha Aioli.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! Cheers, friends.
Korean Gochujang Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
SAUCE
- 1/2 cup Korean Gochujang Sauce (or store-bought – just ensure it’s vegan/gluten-free)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil (sub water if avoiding oil // plus more for sautéing)
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos (or sub tamari, but reduce amount slightly as it’s saltier)
- 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Pinch sea salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (for more heat // I like Huy Fong Foods brand)
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil or avocado oil (sub water if avoiding oil // plus more for sautéing)
- 7 heaped cups halved Brussels sprouts (as consistent in size as possible)
- 3 Tbsp coconut aminos (or sub tamari, but reduce amount slightly as it’s saltier)
FOR SERVING (optional)
- Thinly sliced shallot or green onion
- Chopped roasted salted peanuts
Instructions
- Prepare sauce by adding Gochujang sauce, sesame oil (or water), coconut aminos, maple syrup, sea salt, and chili garlic sauce to a small mixing bowl and mix to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more chili garlic sauce for heat, maple syrup for sweetness, or coconut aminos for depth of flavor / saltiness. Set aside.
- Make sure your Brussels sprouts are rinsed, dried, and halved and any large stem portions are removed.
- Heat a large cast-iron or metal skillet over medium-high heat. Depending on the size of your skillet (ours was a 12-inch cast iron), you may need to cook the Brussels in two batches so they get evenly cooked and don’t crowd the pan.
- Once hot, add sesame or avocado oil (or water) to the pan and Brussels sprouts (know that oil is better for frying and caramelizing the sprouts). Season with the coconut aminos and toss to combine. Then evenly spread the Brussels sprouts in the pan so each one is touching the surface of the pan (remove any that are crowded).
- Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Then remove lid and stir-fry uncovered for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally to brown all sides. Turn down heat if needed if any are appearing too brown.
- Once the Brussels sprouts appear to be caramelized, add the sliced shallot or green onion (optional) and the prepared sauce and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes more to coat and caramelize the sprouts even more. Then turn off heat and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with crushed peanuts if desired (optional). Enjoy hot.
- Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Reheat over medium heat in a cast-iron skillet until hot. Not especially freezer friendly. These are delicious on their own but would also pair well with our Gochujang Cauliflower, Easy Vegan Kimchi, Quinoa Fried Rice, Sesame Eggplant and Almond Butter Tofu Bowls.
Video
Notes
*If you’d rather roast your Brussels Sprouts, simply toss in the marinade then roast on a baking sheet at 400 degrees F (204C) for 15-23 minutes, tossing near the halfway point to ensure even baking. You’ll know they’re done when the exterior has a deep brown color but the interior still has a little bite.
Dan says
I know the restaurant. It’s called South Park. I too loved this dish. On their website, they cite cilantro as part of the dish. I am going to try and re-create this because it was so good!
We hope you enjoy, Dan!
Laurie says
I make your Gochujang Sauce all the time and I eat it on everything! I am so excited to try this recipe.
Thank you!
laurie
Yay! Thanks, Laurie!
Angela says
It’s very very good but I think where I went wrong is trying to serve this as a main dish. Especially if you end up making your own Korean Gochujang Sauce ontop of the sauce for this recipe, it’s quite salty (I substituted soy sauce for coconut aminos as I don’t have easy access to that here in London). If I made this again, I’d leave the extra 1/4 cup of soy sauce out and add more maple syrup. Otherwise I thought the flavour was great.
Hi Angela! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, we agree with you that reducing the soy sauce next time should help with the saltiness! Glad you still enjoyed it! xo
Steven Backman says
Made this (again). Always a hit side dish. Made as is, except smaller allotment of brussels sprouts. The challenge in this recipe is to keep tasting the vegetables as they cook through the different “phases” to make sure they reach just the right balance of crunchy and soft.
Though I adjusted the amount of sauce, came out especially spicy–and a treat. Last of bottled Gochujang, now resolved to make my own, eyeing your recipe.
Steve Backman says
On further thought, I do have a question for other readers: Favorite store bought gochujang sauce, or make it yourself?
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Steven! Thanks for sharing!
Becka says
This sauce is amazing! I didn’t make the brussel sprouts, but I made the sauce and used it for a tofu stir fry and it was delicious!
Ashley says
Sometimes you simply don’t have all the ingredients on hand–in my case, I didn’t have sesame oil (subbed veggie oil), chili garlic sauce (subbed pepper flakes + garlic powder), green onion (subbed thinly sliced onion and threw in with the b.sprouts + soy sauce step), or peanuts. Regardless, these brussel sprouts still turned out to be absolutely delicious, and I can only imagine how much better they would be with all the ingredients. I paired this with some homemade fried rice. Thought I’d share my substitutions in case others were feeling deterred! It’s a forgiving recipe.
Thanks for sharing, Ashley! We’re so glad it turned out well! xo
Beth T. says
I love the flavors of this, but it turned out very liquidy. Should I have let it cook down more? I had already stir-fried it for longer than what the recipe called for just because I prefer my Brussels a bit charred. Not sure what went wrong…
Hi Beth, did it look similar to the photos? If not, it could be the brand of gochujang if you didn’t make homemade! If homemade, you could use less liquid next time. Hope that helps!
Ida says
Hi Dana,
I thought that I’d purchased Gochujang sauce but it appears that I picked up Gochujang fermented Chile paste instead. I don’t wish to ruin a good recipe so I’m wondering if you think that I need to add 1/2 Cup of paste to the recipe or dilute the paste to make 1/2 cup? I appreciate any advice you might have :)
Hi Ida, it will depend on what ingredients are in the product you bought? Is it just chilis or does it have other ingredients?
natalie null says
i left out the chili garlic sauce and used red pepper flakes and it was great. i kinda improvised the sauce for what i had (used tamari and sesame oil) but it was so delicious. make sure when cooking the Brussel sprouts not to stir them too much or they will be cooked but not browned. so let them brown for about a min then stir and repeat as needed.
Kara T says
These are delicious! We paired with some leftover white (probably jasmine?) rice and used a tiny bit of extra sauce to throw a few shrimp (although could have easily been tofu) into the pan afterward. We served these brussels and rice with a side of shrimp! SO EASY and completely kicked a craving for asian takeout.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Kara! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
nikki says
I like this so much and make this so often that I have all the measurements for 2 servings memorized! Thank you for always coming out with new and scrumptious recipes!
Ardra says
??????
Ardra says
First off. You won me when the title had Gochujang! When I tell you… (munching food) that this is the best brussel sprouts I have ever had in my entire life !!!!! OMG!!! You never fail me Dana! This is so good I recommend that everyone makes this. I had extra sauce so I drizzled it onto some tempeh and baked it. Double bam bam! Thank you for the deliciousness. You are truly blessed with a gift of creativity in the kitchen. Yaaaaaaas! ?
Thanks so much for the sweet note and lovely review, Ardra. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Julie says
If I don’t have coconut aminos biybindo have soy sauce, is it a 1:1 ratio?
Hi Julie, we recommend starting with less soy sauce than coconut aminos and working your way up if it needs more saltiness. Hope that helps!
Jenni Wells says
I loved this recipe. It’s easily my new favorite way to prepare Brussels!
Adam says
Really gorgeous! I substituted honey for maple syrup as I can’t find it here in Spain very easily. I sprinkled sesame seeds on it at the end as well as some freshly grated ginger. Yum! Thank so much for your beautiful recipes and photography. All the best.
doyle says
The wife and I made this and it turned out really well. Thank you for posting the recipe.
Maneesha says
delicious recipe! My family and I loved it! I’ve always had brussels sprouts with balsamic and thyme, and this was such a cool new way to eat them! Thank you!
Paul says
Made it, loved it. I’ve never been a fan of brussel sprouts but they were irresistible in this recipe. Thanks for another great recipe.
Great! We are so glad to hear that, Paul!
Leah says
I hate to be this person, but I found this under soy-free and gochujang is made from fermented soybeans.
Otherwise this looks amazing and I’m so sad I’m allergic to soy and can’t try it
Jessica says
In the ingredients list she links to her own recipe for gochujang sauce which uses chickpea miso, making it soy-free :)
Leah K Bauer says
Awesome! Thank you so much!!!! Didn’t see that when I was reading the list
Danielle says
Dana:
Looks fabulous! Can’t wait to try it.
If I’m subbing monk fruit for maple syrup would it equate measure for measure
Hi Danielle! I think that should work, though we haven’t used monk fruit syrup and can’t say for sure. If you experiment with it, report back on how it goes!
Megan Brenton says
This Recipe is easy and amazing! My family Literally couldn’t stop saying “wow this is delicious”. Great if you’re trying to get them on the Vegan train ;)
Mina says
OMG, this was fantastic!! I used root vegetables with tofu and I sprinkled a handful of sunflower kernels on top for that little extra crunch. (I also subbed the chili paste with my Trader Joe’s Harissa paste) My miso was organic soy. Thank you!
Christine says
This recipe is super easy and delicious – just a note though, no way the sprouts were done cooking after 6 minutes, plan for longer unless you like em raw! :)
Sara says
We had a jumbo sized bag of sprouts from Costco, so I made this twice this week! I didn’t make any changes to the recipe, though I doubled the sauce and stir-fried some tofu in it. Incredibly easy and so delicious! The reduced/carmelized saucey bits are a real treat! Thanks for another keeper!
leigh-ann says
Hi there – could I sub harissa for the Gochujang sauce, or would that be too variant a flavor?
Fraxoe says
This is SO GOOD that it became a classic in my kitchen ! This sauce works well with nearly anything (tofu, any greens, …). Thanks a lot for this one !
Andrea Martin says
We made this recipe for dinner a few nights ago and absolutely loved it. We served the sprouts on top of brown rice and since we aren’t vegan, we added an over easy fried egg to the top (the yolk made everything a bit more creamy and saucy). We garnished with a generous portion of sliced green onions. With or without the egg, it’s a hearty satisfying meal. Thanks for another winning recipe!!!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Andrea!
Donna says
Thank you so much for getting back to me. Being a 5yr old, I couldn’t wait!! Lol.
I defrosted the brussel sprouts and dried them.
Clearly, fresh ones would have been better, but it was still delicious.
I then got creative. I’m sure this makes no sense, but since i only needed half the sauce (I didnt have a lot of sprouts,) I added the juice and some zest of an orange to the remaining sauce. Yum. I’m using it on tofu.
Thank you again for another great recipe. I was in a bit of a ‘vegan rut’.
Thanks for sharing how it went, Donna! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed them!
Donna says
This recipe looks great. I have frozen brussel sprouts on hand. I’ve never cooked fresh ones. Do you think I can defrost and then use them?
Also, how do you think this would go with brocolli?
Hmm I think frozen should work fine, though we haven’t tried using them ourselves! As for broccoli, I think that could work! Let us know if you experiment with this recipe :D
Jessica Sheehan says
Warning! Make sure you use coconut aminos not liquid aminos I made this mistake and it was so salty I could barely eat…can’t wait to try it again. If I were to use just regular soy sauce do you have a recommended amount?
Judy Delperdang says
Delicious. My husband loved the spice, though for me, I should have followed the advice to taste-test as I made it. Just a little hot for me. :) I couldn’t find the miso at the store to make my own, but I did find the Go-Chu-Jang sauce (small-print ingredient list; not gluten-free, but as far as I could tell it was vegetarian).
Lena Cos says
This dish was delicious and easy to make. My husband loved it!
Alia says
No Bones was a STELLAR recommendation for our trip to Portland – my husband is a veg and isn’t used to having so many tough decisions to make on a menu! The sprouts were phenomenal, and I can’t wait to try to make them at home.
So good right!?
chelsea s says
made this tonight and it was so good! I’ll probably go a little lighter on the coconut aminos next time, but other than that this recipe was amazing
Sruthi says
Super simple and excellent!! I roasted my brussel sprouts instead of frying them to ensure they cook all the way, then followed the rest of the recipe. Peanuts are a must, they add crunch and I am in love with them all..
Smart! Thanks for the tips!
Cass says
Super tasty side dish! I put these brussels over some rice noodles with other toppings, and it made a flavorful and quick meal. I’ve never cooked anything like this, but I am happy I gave it a shot!
Thanks for sharing, Cass! xo
Steff says
This is one of my favorite things I’ve ever made, made some tofu done in maple syrup and pepper and red rice to go with the sprouts, and topped with black sesame seeds. Delicious!
Thanks, Steff!
Yay!
JH says
I made this for dinner last night and it’s delicious! The Gochujang is now a staple condiment in my house. I did have to sauté the sprouts a bit longer than the recipe suggests in order for them to cook through- but I had pretty giant sprouts to begin with. I ate it with plain jasmine rice on the side and it was a totally satisfying meal.
As a side note, I would LOVE to see a recreation of No Bones’ crab sando. It’s my go to dinner every time I stop in.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!! I’ll add the sandwich to my list!
Dana V. says
Hello. Still waiting to get clarification on the sesame oil (posted on the 20th). Toasted or regular? Thanks.
answer above! Either work.
Dana V. says
Perfect. Thanks so much. :)
Steff says
I used regular sesame oil, and it was perfect, I don’t think toasted was meant here.
Thanks, Steff! Both can work.
Megan says
I usually do balsamic and chili flakes for my b-sprouts….this is looking like it will be my new go to! Awesome!
We hope you love it, Megan!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Absolutely love Gochujang with fresh vegetables! I have never tried Gochujang-style Brussels sprouts in my entire life. That being said, I must must MUST create this recipe for the perfect first time! I bet that this would be perfect in a Buddha bowl or with some rice and grilled tofu. Hey, you gotta zest up your vegetables in some way!
Christina says
Hi there,
we LURVE our brussel sprouts and usually roast them to perfectionne :-} I make Kimchi so I always have Gochugaru in house. Saw your link to making the Gochujang sauce but wondered if there’s some way to NOT have to use so much sugar (I know it’s maple syrup, one of the ‘healthier’ sugars but STILL, it is sugar). Just curious… Thanks!
Sure! Just leave it out while making the sauce!
Dana V. says
… and isn’t it a concern that there is sodium bisulfite in the chili garlic sauce recommended? Wondering if there is a healthier version (?). … or perhaps it’s so miniscule it isn’t an issue …
Hmm, it’s not an issue for me. But you can certainly use alternatives, like red chili paste or flake.
Dana V. says
Can’t wait to make this, but are we to use toasted sesame oil or just regular? As you know, toasted has a different flavor (which I LOVE) so I want to make sure I’m using the right one for the best flavor for this dish. I guess if it was meant to be toasted, you would say … but I just wanted to make sure. Many thanks … :)
You can use any oil you’d like. I prefer toasted sesame!
Dana V. says
Perfect (and I would too if I had a choice … just making sure the toasted wouldn’t overpower the dish). Thanks so much! :)
Sarah | Well and Full says
This brussels sprouts look TO DIE FOR. I love anything spicy!!
jess@choosingchia says
There’s a Korean restaurant I love to go to that serves this sesame rice dish with the same sauce which I just loveeee! It must be so amazing on these brussels sprouts too!
Nena says
Is the main Korean sauce similar to any other Asian sauces? Ive never seen this one in my local grocery stores… Do you have a recipe for that ingredient? Thanks!
Dana V. says
Nena ~She mentions the sauce (and gives links) twice in the recipe. :)
Rachel says
This looks excellent, but also kind of scary to me as I tried kimcheeing sprouts once, and it did *not* go well!