Miso Brussels Sprouts and Shiitake Mushrooms, Healthy Can be Easy

If you're making Miso Brussels sprouts for an easy weeknight dinner, why go to the effort of turning on the stove? Get the same toasty roasted effect in a dry pan on the stovetop and then glaze with an umami-rich salty and subtly sweet miso sauce for a healthy and delicious vegetable dish. Shall we?

Health Benefits of Brussels Sprouts

"Brussels sprouts are good for you" is common knowledge, but do you know why and how they're good for you? Like their cousins in the Brassica family, broccoli, cauliflower and kale, Brussels sprouts:

• are anti-inflammatory from phytonutrients
• contain glucosinolates, sulfur-based compounds found in brassicas that have been shown to inhibit the growth and proliferation of cancer cells
• fiber-rich which contributes to good gut health and blood sugar regulation
• particularly high in vitamins C and K. One serving of Brussels sprouts (1 cup cooked) exceeds 100% of the recommended daily value of each.

Health and Dietary Considerations

As printed, this recipe for Miso Brussels Sprouts and Shiitake Mushrooms is :

• 100% plant-based/vegan
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• dairy-free
• refined sugar-free
• paleo
• keto and Whole30 adaptable if you omit the maple syrup from the dressing

What Ingredients You Need for Shredded Brussels Sprouts

For the Brussels sprouts:

• Brussels sprouts, 2 pounds
• Shiitake mushrooms, 1 pound
• Avocado oil, ~ 2 tablespoons

For the miso sauce:

• White miso, ¼ cup
• Rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons
• Maple syrup, 1 tablespoon
• Garlic, 1 small clove
• Sea salt, ¼ teaspoon plus more to taste

Crushed red pepper or togarashi Japanese chili spice for some heat is optional!

Additional Ingredients Notes and Resources

Brussels sprouts. Look for individual Brussels sprout heads that are heavy for their size, with tightly closed leaves, and generally unblemished. Small blemishes and a little dryness is ok since the outer leaves can be peeled off and discarded.

Shiitake mushrooms. You can buy fresh shiitake mushrooms in grocery stores in the section with other fresh specialty mushrooms and at farmers’ markets. There is a mushroom farmer at the farmers markets here in Los Angeles who sells baby shiitake mushrooms, which are not actually babies, they are just really small. If you can find these, they work great because they are about the same size as the Brussels sprouts. Otherwise, any size shiitake mushrooms cut to the same size as the Brussels sprouts works. The following are where I have found fresh mushrooms near me in southern California:

• Whole Foods Market grown by Far West Fungi
• Erewhon Market
• Beverly Hills Farmers Market, Sunday
• Hollywood Farmers Market, Sunday
• Mar Vista Farmers Market, Sunday
• Culver City Farmers Market, Tuesday, from Golden State Papayas
• Santa Monica Farmers Market, Wednesday, from GoldenStatePapayas
• Venice Farmers Market, Friday, from LAFungHi

Avocado Oil. For cooking, I use this avocado oil that's pretty widely available. A good olive oil is a perfect substitute.

Miso. Use any light-colored white or yellow miso that is labeled "organic" or "non-gmo." My favorite brands are all organic—this brand, this brand (pictured above), and this brand—and I have been able to find them in Whole Foods Markets in southern California. If you are able to get to an Asian market or specialty store, check out the miso section. It's huge! And you'll probably find these brands there too.

Rice vinegar.

Maple syrup. I use an organic maple syrup. You can substitute with honey (though the dressing will no longer be vegan), or other sweetener of choice.

All other fresh herbs and produce from either the Santa Monica Farmers' Market on Wednesday, or Whole Foods Market when I can't find what I need at the farmers' market.

Instructions for How to Make Miso Brussels Sprouts

These Miso Brussels Sprouts are roasted on the stove-top to keep the recipe faster and more efficient. You roast the Brussels sprouts and shiitake mushrooms on the stovetop first. Then, toss the Brussels sprouts with an umami-packed salty and subtly sweet miso sauce. The Brussels sprouts are perfect as is, but they definitely welcome a flash of heat from crushed pepper, togarashi, or my current favorite, Calabrian peppers.

If you haven't already, prep the Brussels sprouts.

Wash Brussels sprouts and peel off any wilted or browned outer leaves. Trim the bottoms off the Brussels sprouts and remove any wilted, bruised or blemished outer leaves.

Slice each Brussel sprout in half through the bottom. Place the halves cut side down on a cutting board and slice again into quarters.

Cook Miso Brussels Sprouts

Wash shiitake mushrooms, trim off stems (save stems for vegetable stock or other use later). Cut shiitake mushrooms into roughly the same size as the Brussels sprouts quarters. For small/baby shiitakes, cut caps into halves; for larger shiitake mushrooms, cut caps like you would a pizza, into quarters.

Heat avocado oil in large pan over medium heat. When hot, add the Brussels sprouts, turning the quarters so one of the cut sides faces down. Allow to cook until starting to brown, about 3 minutes, then turn each Brussels sprout so the other cut side is down. Allow to cook for another 3 minutes.

While the Brussels sprouts are cooking on their first side, whisk together the miso, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.

Turn the heat under the pan to medium-high. Add the shiitake mushrooms to the pan with the Brussels sprouts. Cook while stirring so the shiitake mushrooms do not stick to the pan.

Can You Cook Brussels Sprouts in the Air Fryer?

Yes! And you absolutely should if you're making a small batch, or the ovens are occupied with other dishes! Air fry at 350° for 10 minutes, depending on the type of air fryer you have.

Substitutions and Variations

There are many recipes for roasted Brussels sprouts, and they are all pressed from the same template: roast Brussels sprouts + toss with something sweet tart + add umami with mushrooms, nuts or cheese. Sometimes, there are other things for texture, salt, heat, sweet, flavor, seasonal interest, body, and/or protein. Here are some suggestions:

• Instead of miso sauce, you can dress the roasted Brussels sprouts and shiitake mushrooms with Maple Mustard Dressing or my other all-time favorite dressing Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette, or any tart dressing with subtle sweetness that can stand up to robust flavors of Brussels sprouts
• If shiitake mushrooms aren't available, try any other kind of flavorful mushrooms

Pro Tips and Techniques for Miso Brussels Sprouts

1. Advance Prep. Miso Brussels sprouts are the perfect dish for advance preparation, whether in a large batch for entertaining or a Holiday dinner or for weekly meal prep. You can quarter the Brussels sprouts, make the miso sauce up to five days in advance, then roast and assemble right before serving.
2. Advance Cooking. If you want to actually cook in advance so all you have to do is re-heat, you can also roast the Brussels sprouts in advance by one day. Store everything separately though, until right before serving.

Tools and Equipment

As I always say, you don't necessarily need any special equipment beyond a sturdy cutting board and a sharp chef's knife to make any recipe. However, that doesn't mean a few handy tools and gadgets might make it easier. And in the case of this particular recipe, either a mandoline or food processor will make lightning-fast work of shaving Brussels sprouts.

• Salad Spinner.
• Large Cutting Board.
• Chef's Knife.
• Mandoline.
• Food Processor with Slicing Blade.
• Vegetable Wash.
• Baking Sheet.
• Parchment Paper.
• Air Fryer.

Leftovers and Storage

Store cooked Brussels sprouts separate from sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for three days, or in the freezer for a month.

If you've already dressed the roasted Brussels sprouts and tossed with the other ingredients, keep it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for one day.

Combined together, these ingredients do not freeze well.

What to Serve with Miso Brussels Sprouts

These Shaved Brussels Sprouts are the perfect side dish for essentially any protein main dish like:

• Roast Chicken from Marcella Hazan
• Seared Salmon with Citrus
• Prime Rib from Chef Thomas Keller

You can also make these Shaved Brussels Sprouts into a main dish salad by tossing in shredded cooked chicken, canned flaked tuna or salmon, or cooked quinoa to keep it plant-based.

Best Brussels Sprouts Recipes

In case you couldn't tell, we love the skin-smoothing, gut health-supporting, anti-inflammatory benefits of Brussels Sprouts. Here are more recipes to make sure you have Brussels sprouts on heavy rotation in your kitchen:

• Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Shiitakes
• Shredded Brussels Sprouts Hash with Shiitake Bacon
• Shaved and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Pears
• Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi and Bacon

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Pan-roasting versus oven-roasting: There is a good reason I choose to pan-roast this dish for larger Holiday-type dinners like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. The oven is likely going to be occupied first by a large main dish like turkey or prime rib, then by any number of side dishes that need quick re-heating in the oven once the main dish comes out to rest.
2. Oven-roasting the Brussels sprouts. If you have the oven space, this dish is easily adaptable to an oven-roast. Toss the Brussels sprouts and shiitake mushrooms with about 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil. Spread out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in a 400ºF oven for about 25 minutes. Give the pan a shake or stir the sprouts and shiitake once about halfway through roasting. Toss the roasted sprouts and shiitakes with the miso mixture and serve.
3. I toss the Brussels sprouts and shiitake mushrooms with the miso mixture after they are roasted, rather than before they cook. I haven't done a deep-dive into the science, but it seems like "cooking" the miso would kill any of the probiotic benefit of the miso. Even for soup, miso is whisked into hot liquid after it has been removed from the cooking heat, so I figure there must be a reason.

Print Recipe

4.58 from 7 votes

Miso Brussels Sprouts and Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe

Course: Vegetables

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Keyword: brassicas, brussels sprouts, miso, mushrooms

Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

• 10" - 12" stainless steel pan

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts
• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral flavored oil for high-heat cooking (you may need more)
• ¼ cup shiro white miso white miso
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 small garlic clove very finely minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste depending on how salty miso is
• optional: crushed red pepper or togarashi Japanese chili spice

Instructions

• Wash Brussels sprouts and peel off any wilted or browned outer leaves. Trim the base of each Brussels sprout, then cut into quarters length-wise. Wash shiitake mushrooms, trim off stems (save stems for vegetable stock or other use later). Cut shiitake mushrooms into roughly the same size as the Brussels sprouts quarters. For small/baby shiitakes, cut caps into halves; for larger shiitake mushrooms, cut caps like you would a pizza, into quarters.
• Heat grapeseed oil in large pan over medium heat. When hot, add the Brussels sprouts, turning the quarters so one of the cut sides faces down. Allow to cook until starting to brown, about 3 minutes, then turn each Brussels sprout so the other cut side is down. Allow to cook for another 3 minutes.
• While the Brussels sprouts are cooking on their first side, whisk together the miso, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Turn the heat under the pan to medium-high. Add the shiitake mushrooms to the pan with the Brussels sprouts. Cook while stirring so the shiitake mushrooms do not stick to the pan. Once the shiitake mushrooms are browned and the Brussels sprouts are just starting to char, remove the pan from the heat. Pour in about half the miso mixture and stir to coat the Brussels sprouts and shiitake mushrooms. Taste a Brussels sprout. Add more miso mixture if necessary. Season with salt to taste. Miso is salty so you may not need any salt.
• Transfer Brussels sprouts and shiitake mushrooms to large shallow serving bowl (or serve straight from skillet). If you are using chili pepper or togarashi for heat, sprinkle over Brussels sprouts and shiitake mushrooms.
• Serve immediately.

Storage Instructions

• Leftovers will keep in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for about 2 days.

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