Red Wine Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts

Whoever is still convinced that they do not like brussels sprouts has never made them with red wine.

It’s hard to hate anything cooked in wine. I mean, a delicious arrabbiata pasta sauce simmered with a full bodied Chianti, or coq au vin made with a bottle of your favorite burgundy. Are you hungry yet? I sure am! Like many other great red wine dishes that came before them, these Red Wine Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts deserve a spot in the league of legends. The red wine, balsamic glaze offers a subtle sweetness and brightness from the acid, while the prosciutto bread crumbs round out the dish, bringing in crunchy texture and the perfect amount of salt. Okay, now I am definitely hungry.

These Red Wine Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts are incredibly easy to make, and can be ready in under 30 minutes! However, because there are three separate components, timing is everything. To help make sure it is all ready on time, I recommend you follow this order:

I suggest you keep an eye on your breadcrumbs, because while baking them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes worked for me, the same might not be true for you. This all depends on the type of bread you are using. If you are using evenly sliced white or sourdough bread, your cook time may be less than if you used thick, hand-torn pieces of French bread. The thicker the bread, the more time it’ll take to get toasted and crunchy. And don’t forget to use my favorite hack when making these bread crumbs! Lay the prosciutto on top of the bread when you bake it. This will let the oil from the prosciutto drip into, and flavor the bread while everything toasts. This gives the bread crumbs a delicious salty, umami flavor. Added bonus: because the bread will be flavored with prosciutto, it really does not matter what type of bread you use! So no need to run to the store for a loaf of fancy French bread, use what you have on hand!

Reducing red wine and balsamic vinegar into a delicious and sweet glaze is a worthy, but time consuming step. This part of the dish can take 15-20 minutes. I suggest you begin making the glaze as soon as you pop the breadcrumbs in the oven.

The brussels sprouts should take 12-15 minutes to pan fry, depending on how crowded your pan is, and how browned you want them. To make sure the brussels sprouts do not overcook, I recommend letting the red wine balsamic glaze reduce for 10 minutes before beginning the brussels sprouts. This 10 minute waiting period is by far the most important of all my steps. It really doesn’t matter if the bread crumbs cool down, or if the red wine balsamic glaze isn’t hot when you add it to the brussels sprouts. I mean, it’s going to heat right back up once you start satuéeing the brussels sprouts in it. Overcooking the brussels sprouts however, can be a problem. So I highly, highly encourage you to wait just a bit before pan frying them.