Whip up a delicious Indian-inspired Brussels Sprouts curry in just 20 minutes. Whether you're craving sprouts or you've got holiday season leftovers on your hands, this recipe's got your back. Learn the secrets to crafting a fragrant sauce with all the right spices, along with handy tips on prepping, and cooking sprouts, with serving suggestions, storage tricks and more.
When the colder months roll in, there's nothing like a curry to cosy up your body and soul. If you're up for more easy, meat-free curries, try my Roast Squash, Chickpea and Spinach Curry and Thai Red Curry with Tofu and Sweet Potato.
The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!
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5 reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- Ready in 20minutes
- Make ahead and freezer-friendly
- A great way to use leftover sprouts from Christmas or Thanksgiving
- One-pot recipe
- Uses simple everyday ingredients
🛒 Key ingredients:
- Brussels sprouts. Preferably fresh, but you can also use frozen.
- Grated fresh ginger.
- Fresh green chillies for a hint of spice.
- Ground spices: Cumin, Cilantro/Coriander and Garam Masala add warming aromatic flavours.
- Sugar for a touch of sweetness to offset the tangy tomatoes.
- Chopped tomatoes and tomato paste (puree).
- Veg stock
- Yoghurt to add creamy richness.
- Optional fresh coriander to serve.
Selecting and preparing brussels sprouts
Look for sprouts that are fresh, firm, compact, and a vibrant green colour. Avoid those with yellowing or wilted leaves, and woody dry looking steams. These are signs the sprouts are beginning to go bad. Smaller sprouts, are often sweeter and more tender than larger ones.
If Brussels sprouts are in season you can't beat the fresh ones. They have a crisper texture and sweeter flavour. Outside of Brussels sprouts season, frozen sprouts are a convenient option. They lack some of the crisp texture and flavour that fresh sprouts offer, but they work well enough in a curry when they are infused with the spices in the sauce.
To prepare them, start by trimming the stem end and remove any loose or damaged leaves. You can cut an "X" into the stem end so they cook evenly. Then rinse them under cold water and pat them dry.
Substitutions:
Note that the recipe has not been tested with all the substitutions and variations below, so the results cannot be guaranteed.
- Fresh ginger. Switch for ground ginger to taste.
- Fresh chillies. Substitute with chilli powder to taste.
- Ground cumin: Add fennel seeds or increase the amount of ground cilantro/coriander for an earthy citrusy flavour.
- Garam masala: You can use equal parts of ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
- Veg stock: You can use chicken stock instead.
- Yoghurt. You can use cream instead. Add to taste.
Variations:
- Spicy. This curry has a medium level of spice. Feel free to increase the fresh chilli or add chilli powder for a hotter curry.
- Creamy: Incorporate more yoghurt, cream, or coconut milk into the sauce.
- Roasted sprouts: To bring smoky, caramelised flavour to the curry.
- Add cooked lentils for a heartier curry.
- Add more veggies like carrots, beans, peas or bell peppers.
- Sautéed Paneer. Its creaminess works really well with the aromatic tomato curry sauce. It's also a key ingredient in my Paneer Kathi Roll Recipe.
- Leftover chicken and turkey. This curry is a great way to use Christmas/Thanksgiving leftovers.
🧑🍳 Recipe steps
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions! *
Step 1: Fry the onions in neutral oil for a few minutes over a medium heat until they turn translucent. Then add the garlic, ginger, and green chillies and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Step 2: Stir in the garam masala, cumin powder, and ground coriander. Cook for a minute or two to toast the spices but be careful not to burn them.
Step 3: Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and cooked sprouts. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens.
Step 4: Stir in the yoghurt, season with salt to taste, and serve topped with optional fresh cilantro/coriander.
🍽️ Serving suggestions
You can serve the curry as a side or main. Here are some ideas:
- Rice: Basmati is my go-to. The subtle aromatic flavour and fluffy texture works well with Indian curries, but you can use another type of rice like Jasmine or brown rice.
- Bread: Naan, roti or parathas are great for mopping up the curry sauce.
- Raita: To balance the heat of the curry.
- Toasted Nuts like almonds or cashews for extra protein and crunchy texture.
- Poppadums served with chutney as an appetiser or crunchy accompaniment.
Expert Tips
- Gently fry the Brussels sprouts first to give them an extra hint of caramelised and smoky flavour.
- Avoid overcooking the sprouts they can become bitter when simmered for too long.
- Feel free to adapt the recipe. Whether you want to toss in some paneer or finish with some chopped nuts for a heartier meal or make use of other leftover meat and veggies.
🙋 Recipe FAQs
The cooked curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 3 months. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. Do not freeze the curry if you have used frozen sprouts.
This recipe can easily be made vegan by switching regular yoghurt for dairy-free yoghurt.
The curry has a moderate level of spiciness. If you prefer a milder curry, you can leave out the fresh chilli. To dial up the heat, increase the quantity of fresh chilli or incorporate chilli powder or hot sauce.
Fresh sprouts will give you the best texture and flavour, but it is possible to use frozen sprouts too. I recommend thawing before adding them to the curry so they don't add too much water to the curry sauce. Do not freeze the curry if you have used frozen sprouts.
Yes, it is gluten-free, but check the labels on your ingredients to be sure.
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📖 Recipe
Brussels Sprouts Curry
Equipment
- Chopping board
- frying pan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral oil e.g. vegetable, groundnut or canola
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tsp (8 g) fresh ginger grated
- 2 green chillies finely chopped (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 14 oz (400 g) chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (puree)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1.5 cups (350 ml) veg stock (Note 2)
- 4 cups (350 g) Brussels sprouts stems trimmed (Note 3)
- ⅓ cup (45 g) plain or Greek or yoghurt (Note 4)
- salt to taste
To serve (optional)
- fresh cilantro (coriander)
- naan or roti
- basmati rice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until they turn translucent.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and green chillies. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the garam masala, cumin, and ground coriander.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste (puree), sugar, veg stock, and Brussels sprouts. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the tomatoes break down, the mixture thickens, and the sprouts and tender.
- Stir in the yoghurt and add salt to taste.
- Serve the curry with rice or Indian bread like naan or roti. Top with fresh cilantro (coriander) if using.
Notes
- Fresh green chillies: Substitute with chilli powder to taste or omit if you are sensitive to spice.
- Veg stock: You can use chicken stock instead.
- Brussels sprouts: Fresh ones will give you the best results, but you can also use frozen. They lack some of the crisp texture and flavour that fresh sprouts offer, but they work well enough in a curry when they are infused with the spices in the sauce. I recommend thawing them first, so they do not add too much water to the curry.
- Plain/Greek yoghurt: You can substitute with a little cream to taste or use dairy-free yoghurt for a vegan curry.
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