Brussels Sprouts Stir Fry Sabzi

An easy to make recipe; Brussels Sprouts Stir Fry is made with Indian spices. It is a super yummy side with roti or rice. 

It easily doubles up as a warm salad for a meal or for the Holidays!

Stir fries are a big part of Indian cooking. We stir fry so many vegetables, proteins and sometimes even salad!

These stir fries often have interesting ingredients like gram flour, ground peanuts, coconut etc. These bring out the flavor of the veggies SO well! 

Earlier on I was not a big fan of these stir fries, because I ate it too often at home and events.

After moving to the US I almost never saw these stir fries. And that is when I started craving them and started making them at home.

Cabbage stir fry, okra stir fry, Ivy gourd and potato stir fry, Mooli besan and the ever so popular pepper stir fry.

Certain not so conventional combinations did come up like Asparagus as well as Brussels Sprouts. They are easy to make with Indian spices and taste so good.

There are so many recipes on making shaved Brussels. They have a lot of delicious add-ins making them great salads and stir fries. I decided to make an Indian inspired stir-fry using them. This one is a great side for rotis or rice! 

Jump to:

• What are Brussels Sprouts
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Serving
• Recipe FAQs
• More Indian Sabzi Recipes
• Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts

What are Brussels Sprouts

A popular vegetable that looks like small cabbages, Brussels sprouts are delicious and pretty easy to cook.

A seasonal green available on the stalk or as individual small rounds, this vegetable is great for stir fries, appetizers or even main dishes. Learn more about these amazing sprouts on wikipedia here. 

It needs only a few minutes to cook and overcooking them gives them an unpleasant gray color and onion garlic kind of odor. 

They are super popular as baked or air fried appetizers and I have used them to make a delicious Indian inspired stir-fry.

The flavors of Brussels is as is and it combines with Indian spices and roasted gram flour for some extra texture. 

This stir fry is great with rotis, parathas or steamed rice. It is also a great salad. Salty, a hint of spice and sweetness and has all the good for you ingredients. I would totally dig right in with a fork! 

Why this recipe works

• It is super easy to make.
• It is nutritious and super delicious.
• This recipe makes a great side for rotis and rice.
• The recipe comes together in under 30 minutes.
• It works well as a salad too.  
• We can easily make this ahead as part of meal prep.
• This one tastes great when heated or at room temperature.
• It is perfect for lunchbox as well.
• The recipe is naturally Vegan.
• It is also gluten-free.
• This works so well even if you do not like Brussels Sprouts.

This dish is a combination of Gujarati classic sambharia and shaved Brussels sprouts salad and the combination works so well.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Brussels Sprouts: We need these for the recipe. Use big ones or small, the choice is yours. The Brussels are easy to shave using a food processor (my favorite way) or using a madoline. It can also be cut into thin strips using a sharp knife. Using any method, you need a heap of almost evenly sliced brussels.
• Roasted Chana Dal: An essential ingredient to bind the brussels is dalia or roasted chana dal. Available at Indian stores and on Amazon, roasted chana dal is an easy way to make the recipe. However, replace with chickpea flour if need be. The flour needs to be dry roasted on medium heat before using. 
• Spices: This stir fry needs only a handful of spices. The whole spice used here is cumin. Adding some sesame seeds or mustard seeds is an option too. I also added curry leaves and a dried red chili for taste and flavor. Add or skip based on availability.
• Seasoning: The common spices of Indian cooking are used in the recipe. Salt, sugar, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala and dhania jeera powder work well. Red Chili powder can be substituted with green chili. Dhania jeera powder can be skipped. Turmeric powder and garam masala are good to have in the recipe for flavor and color. 
• Oil: Any oil that you use in everyday cooking can be used here. I have used a blend of olive oil for the recipe. 

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- Before starting, wash and pat dry the brussels sprouts. Shave them using a food processor with a thicker blade. Also, process dalia to a fine flour. 

2- Then add oil in a pan and heat it.

3- Once the oil heats up, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and dried red chili. Wait for the cumin seeds to pop.

4- Then add the shaved brussels and toss them to coat in oil. 

5- Add the spices and seasoning and mix well.

6- Let the Brussels sprouts cook for 8-10 minutes. 

7- Once the sprouts soften, add powdered dalia (roasted chana dal), mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.

8- Then add lime juice and cilantro and mix well.

9- Turn down the flame and keep covered for a couple of minutes.

10- Serve with roti and rice. Or transfer to an airtight container to enjoy later.

Expert Tips and Notes

• The recipe calls for dalia or roasted chana dal. In case you cannot find that, lightly roast besan (chickpea flour) and use it after it cools down. The cooking time will increase by a couple of minutes.
• Brussels sprouts come in various sizes. I used the small ones but the bigger ones work equally well after they are shaved. Store bought shaved Brussels helps save a lot of time while making this recipe.
• The same recipe works well with some sliced onions added to the sabzi as well. Onions and Brussels do go well together. And some soaked moong dal works well as well.
• This recipe is great to make with ghee as well. When we sauté shaved Brussels Sprouts in some ghee, it does have a distinct earthy flavor. However, then the recipe is no longer Vegan.
• However, if using super tiny Brussels sprouts, the recipe can be made with halved Brussels sprouts too. 
• Moreover, the same recipe works for chopped asparagus and diced peppers too. It is equally delicious with okra. 

Serving

Serve freshly prepared Brussels Sprouts with Dal, Roti and steamed rice. Add in a delicious raita or salad to complete the meal.

Further, the same salad can also be served as a bowl with some chopped avocado, cooked quinoa, steamed vegetables, and tortilla chips. It makes a fulfilling and delicious meal for sure.

Moreover, the prepared sabzi can be stored to enjoy later as well. Simply cool completely, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Remember to heat through before serving. It stays well for 3-4 days.

Recipe FAQs

More Indian Sabzi Recipes