Name: 5-Minute Steamed Brussels Sprouts with Parsley Butter
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted, softened at room temperature); 1 clove garlic (grated or finely chopped); 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; 1 pound brussels sprouts; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; Salt; Freshly ground black pepper

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Cook perfectly steamed Brussels sprouts in just 5 minutes. Simply steaming Brussels sprouts in the microwave or on the stovetop is really the BEST way to preserve their sweet, nutty flavor and crisp-tender texture. Toss them with a rich-tasting garlic parsley butter for the best quick vegetable side dish!

A platter of steamed Brussels sprouts tossed with melted butter and herbs. — Perfectly sweet and tender steamed Brussels sprouts with garlic butter and parsley.

If you’ve only tried making roasted Brussels sprouts (which are fantastic, btw), preparing them steamed is a game-changer!

Steaming Brussels sprouts preserves more of the nutrients and antioxidants than any other cooking method. And they turn out tasting like crisp-tender, sweet little nuggets. Plus they’re just about the quickest veggie side dish you can cook.

About Brussels sprouts
Ingredients for the recipe
How to cut and prep Brussels sprouts
Parsley garlic butter
How to steam Brussels sprouts

To cook Brussels sprouts perfectly without overcooking, the goal is to preserve their bright green color while keeping the texture tender, not too soft or mushy. Keep reading to learn how to make them!

about Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are members of the Brassica family, specifically brassica oleracea. They’re closely related to cabbage, mustard greens, cauliflower and broccoli. And they look just like little baby cabbages!
They were grown in the 13th century in Belgium (hence their name), but are said to have originated in Rome, Italy.
Brussels sprouts are versatile to eat. Eat them raw, shaved into a Brussels sprouts slaw; roast them on a sheet pan with Parmesan cheese until sweet and caramelized or enjoy them simply steamed.

Fresh Brussels sprouts in a colander, surrounded by dishes of butter, garlic cloves and parsley.

About the ingredients

Brussels sprouts: Look for fresh Brussels sprouts year-round in grocery stores or in late summer and early fall in farmer’s markets. You can sometimes find them still on their stalks, but most likely they’ll be picked and bagged for convenience. Choose firm sprouts with green leaves (yellowing leaves means they’ve been hanging around a while).
Butter: Salted or unsalted butter works deliciously in this recipe. Or splurge on a good, European-style butter for amazing flavor.
Garlic: Use one clove of fresh garlic. I prefer to use a rasp grater to make a quick paste, but you can also chop it finely.
Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley adds a bright flavor and color to the garlic butter. You can blend in other fresh herb you like, such as basil, chives, tarragon or thyme.

How to prep Brussels sprouts:

Trim the stem ends off the Brussels sprouts. Be sure to reserve any outer leaves that don’t have spots or blemishes.
Halve any sprouts that are larger than 1 1/2-inch in diameter so they cook evenly and quickly. Keep smaller ones whole.

Make the herbed garlic butter

Put softened butter, garlic, and parsley in a bowl.
Mash together until blended and creamy.

Techniques for steaming Brussels sprouts

Toss the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then poke the top with 3 or 4 holes with a sharp knife to vent steam.

Microwave the Brussels sprouts on high heat 4 minutes. They should look bright green and and feel fork tender.

Carefully remove the plastic wrap. Add the parsley butter.
Microwave uncovered for one minute.

To steam Brussels sprouts on the stovetop: Place the seasoned Brussels sprouts in a colander or steamer basket that fits into large saucepan with a cover. Bring two inches of water to a boil in the pan, then add the colander to the pan and cover. Cook about 5 minutes, until they’re bright green and a small knife can be inserted easily, with a little resistance. Try not to overcook them. Drain the water from the pan, add the Brussels sprouts and herb butter and toss until the butter is melted.

Different ways to season Brussels sprouts

Try any (or a combination) of these ingredient variations:

Add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest and lemon juice to the garlic butter when blending.
Garnish the dish with grated Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle with chopped nuts — almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts or walnuts are all delicious.
Serve steamed Brussels sprouts along with a roasted lemon chicken, quick brown-sugar brined pork chops or basil-tomato turkey meatloaf.

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