If you can't think of anything worse than plain boiled brussels sprouts, then try our slow cooker version. Slow Cooker Brussel Sprouts are perfectly cooked in oil and butter and then sprinkled with parmesan cheese for a Christmas side dish with a twist. The perfect dish to wow even the biggest sprout haters.
On Christmas Day, or whenever we are making a roast dinner, our oven and hob are packed full with cooking the meat and all the sides. So, why not free up some space by cooking a classic (but which causes a big divide in opinion) side dish in the slow cooker. Perfectly cooked sprouts, with no prep needed. Just dump them in and leave them to cook.
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Why should you try it?
- Perfectly cooked sprouts
- Space saving side dish
- No prep needed
- Can be cooked from frozen
What you will need
- Brussels sprouts - Make sure to choose fresh brussels sprouts, as this will make all the difference to the finished dish. There are more tips on how to choose them below.
- Butter and oil - These not only add flavour, but they help with give them a little crispiness on the outside.
- Salt and pepper - Sea salt and cracked black pepper are the perfect seasoning.
- Parmesan cheese - This makes the perfect topping to the slow cooker brussels sprouts. You could use shredded mozzarella if you prefer, but it doesn't have the same flavour.
Step by step
One: Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker, mix well and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
Love them or hate them, brussels sprouts are a must on the Christmas table. Why not try to change a few opinions this year, by giving our Slow Cooker Brussel Sprouts a try.
Perfectly cooked, sweet and tender sprouts cooked in butter and oil and then sprinkled with parmesan cheese to make them deliciously indulgent. Personally, I love sprouts. But roasting them or cooking them in the slow cooker is the way to go.
Health benefits of brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts are high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making them a nutritious side dish this Christmas. They can also reduce the risk of cancer, decrease inflammation and improve blood sugar control.
Brussels sprouts are high in vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting and bone health. They are a good source of vitamin C, which helps to promote iron absorption and is involved in tissue repair and immune function.
They also contain small amounts of potassium, thiamine, vitamin B6, iron, phosphorus and magnesium.
How to choose brussels sprouts
They key to delicious tasting brussels sprouts is choosing the best ones. So, here are some of our top tips for choosing them at the supermarket.
You want to look for bright green heads that are firm to touch and heavy for their size. The leaves should be tightly packed too. Avoid brussels sprouts that have yellowing leaves (this is a sign of old sprouts) or black spots, which could indicate fungus. Smaller brussels sprouts are usually sweeter and more tender than larger ones, so choose those if you don't like any bitterness.
What to serve them with
These are a must with any roast dinner. So, here are some of our favourite roast meats and side dishes for you to try:
- Easy Roast Potatoes
- Leftover Roast Beef Sandwich
- Broccoli Cheese
- Slow Cooker Green Beans
- Cranberry Chicken
- Slow Cooker Roast Beef
- Turkey Pie
- Perfect Roast Chicken
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
FAQs
No, there is not need to cut them in half. Just throw them in to the slow cooker whole. You just need to cut the stem off.
The key is in how you cook them, and also what you top them with. Basically, if you don't want bitter brussels sprouts then just don't boil them. Cook them in the slow cooker, sauté them, roast them. Also, make sure that you get them really fresh - they should feel firm and be a vivid green.
Yes, if you are boiling them then it is easy to overcook them and they turn really mushy and release excess sulphur which is where that smell comes from that so many people hate about sprouts. Perfectly cooked brussels sprouts should be sweet and crisp and that's what you get with the slow cooker. Slow cookers are very forgiving and it's very hard to overcook something in them.
They're in a family. Brussels sprouts look like baby cabbages not because they are baby cabbages, but because they're part of the same family. With cabbages, we eat the head that grows out of the ground. Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, are buds that grow along the length of a thick, fibrous stalk.
Yes, if you don't have any fresh or you just want to save yourself some time then you can use frozen. With frozen they are already trimmed and cleaned, so there is no prep at all. They are also really budget friendly and it means you can make this out of season.
If you have any leftovers of these, then once they have come to room temperature they can be put in to an air tight container and stored in the fridge for for 3 days.
To reheat them, transfer them to an ovenproof dish in a single layer and put them in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 until they are warm. You could also heat some oil in a frying pan and fry them to reheat.
Extra tips
- Add some extra flavour by cooking some fresh cranberries at the same time as the sprouts.
- If you want to make these slow cooker brussels sprouts more indulgent, then why not fry up some chopped up bacon and add it to the slow cooker. A bit like what we do with our slow cooker green beans recipe.
- Add a touch of sweetness with drizzle them with some balsamic glaze before serving.
- Some chopped shallots would also be a nice addition.
- A sprinkle of pine nuts before serving adds some nice texture.
- If you want really crispy sprouts, but with the ease of cooking them in the slow cooker, after cooking you can transfer them to a heatproof dish and put them under the grill for 3-4 minutes.
More vegetable side dishes
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients
- 500 g brussels sprouts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 40 g Parmesan
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and mix well
- Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
Notes
- Add some extra flavour by cooking some fresh cranberries at the same time as the sprouts.
- If you want to make these slow cooker brussels sprouts more indulgent, then why not fry up some chopped up bacon and add it to the slow cooker. A bit like what we do with our slow cooker green beans recipe.
- Add a touch of sweetness with drizzle them with some balsamic glaze before serving.
- Some chopped shallots would also be a nice addition.
- A sprinkle of pine nuts before serving adds some nice texture.
- If you want really crispy sprouts, but with the ease of cooking them in the slow cooker, after cooking you can transfer them to a heatproof dish and put them under the grill for 3-4 minutes.
Claudia Lamascolo
One of all time favorite vegetable is cabbage but brussels are so much easier and we make them often I have never even known they could be done in a slow cooker this is awesome!
Emmeline
If you add parmesan you can get me to love anything, even brussels sprouts! Delicious!
Katherine
Such a great way to save space in the oven on Christmas! These sprouts look incredible.
Charla
The only way I will eat sprouts are in the air fryer so it will be interesting to see if I will like this method too. Challenge accepted!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
A great idea when there is so much going on with a Christmas dinner and no soggy sprouts either!
Adrianne
What a great Christmas side dish Dannii I love using my Slow Cooker so this is my kindof recipe!
Toni
This is so good!! Such a perfect addition to our holiday menu!
Liz
I never thought of cooking Brussels in the slow cooker! Sounds like they come out just perfect. Can't wait to try them this way!
Laura
Such a great way to make brussels sprouts without having to steam or roast them. Totally hands off.
Shanna
These were so good and there is nothing that I would change about them.
Little Home in the Making
Looks so delicious! The secret with making brussels actually delicious is what you add to them, and this looks like a solid recipe!
Maria
Looks yummy! I'm sure even the biggest brussel sprouts hater would love this!
Jen
Such a lifesaver to not have to take up stove top or oven space to make these. That space is so limited during the holidays. Plus, this makes it an easy to take dish for potlucks in the future. Thanks!
Jess
I have never made brussels sprouts in the slow cooker before. This is life-changing!
Beth
This looks so delicious and yummy! I can't wait to give this a try! My husband and I are going to love this recipe!
Ipsa
Amazing brussel sprouts. I ll try this slowcooker method.