This tahini sauce for brussels sprouts is also perfect for any brassica or other more bitter vegetable, as the selection of seeds & spices balances out bitterness perfectly. It also makes an excellent tahini pasta sauce, and can be customized regardless of the spices in your pantry.
Jump To
About this recipe
Middle Eastern-Inspired: slanting away from the usual restaurant’s Asian-inspired brussels sprouts, these veggies are topped with a simple tahini sauce and a customizable dukkah-like blend of herbs, nuts, and spices. All together it’s a protein-rich dish with a whole lot of flavor and simple prep.
Vegan & Grain-Free Side Dish: these brussels sprouts make for a wonderful side dish for your next party, or a vegan-friendly main dish for the family.
Dependable Cool Weather Recipe: in the winter months, for some reason brussels sprouts are one of the few organic vegetables I like and can find pretty consistently. They also stay good in the fridge for at least a week, which is great if you have a procrastinating tendency.
Ingredients
Brussels Sprouts: these mildly bitter vegetables are the base for this dish, using their complex, mildly savory flavor to give heft to a delicious, balanced tahini sauce.
Tahini Paste: along with the fresh lemon juice and garlic, tahini paste forms the base for the ‘sauce’ portion of this dish. It’s made up of ground, hulled sesame seeds, rich in protein, fiber, and heart-healthy oils.
Roasted Almonds: a substitute for the traditional roasted hazelnuts in Middle Eastern dukkah, almonds are a more common alternative that also offer a great crunch and some more protein.
Sesame Seeds: these add just a bit more texture to the dish, plus some extra protein and fiber.
Spices: my chosen blend honors the traditional spice blend with ground cumin and ground coriander seed, but adds in sumac to complement the lemon juice in the tahini sauce.
Pomegranate Molasses: this sweet & sour pomegranate syrup adds a touch of sweetness and a hint of tang when used for topping.
How to make tahini sauce brussels sprouts: step-by-step instructions
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C), and then wash your brussels sprouts. Dry them off thoroughly, to facilitate the bake-frying of the brussels, and then chop off the bottoms enough to be able to slice each sprout into 2 or 3 pieces.
Step 2. Cut the remaining sprouts in halves or thirds, then put them with any stray leaves into a mixing bowl, and toss them with 1/2 teaspoon of salt & lard or oil of choice. Bake for 5 minutes, then move them around and turn the tray to ensure even baking. Cook for 4-6 more minutes, until crispy and somewhat browned, but not burnt.
Step 3. While your brussels are cooking, prepare the nuts & spices and tahini sauce. Add the tahini, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, garlic, gochujang (if using), and water or oil to your food processor and whip well (about 1 minute), then taste it. If the tahini sauce is too bitter, whip in up to 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup, then set aside.
Step 4. Next, chop the almonds and add them to a small bowl along with the sesame seeds, sumac, cumin, and coriander. Once your brussels sprouts are cooked, put them into your serving bowl, top them evenly with the tahini sauce, sprinkle on the spice blend, and then drizzle on the pomegranate molasses. Serve & enjoy!
Recipe notes & tips
Don’t Burn Them! Keep an eye on your brussels sprouts during the last couple minutes of cooking, because that’s when they’re crisping up the most (or even maybe burning).
Pomegranate Molasses: If you choose not to use pomegranate molasses, date syrup or a mixture of agave syrup & lemon juice would make for decent subs.
Whipping the Tahini Sauce: it’s important to whip the tahini sauce during its stage of preparation, because otherwise it won’t have the same level of impact. If you still find the sauce too thick to spread when you’re adding it to the brussels sprouts, add another tablespoon of oil or water to the processor with the remaining sauce, and blend until re-whipped.
Homemade Tahini Sauce Recipe Card
As always, if you like the recipe, I really appreciate a review or comment!
Spiced Tahini Sauce for Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts
- 2 Tablespoons lard or other high-heat oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons Tahini
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove raw garlic
- 2 Tablespoons water or oil of choice
- ½ Tablespoon gochujang or hot sauce optional
- 2 Tablespoons chopped roasted almonds
- ½ Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon sumac
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon coriander seed
- 1 Tablespoon of pomegranate molasses for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C), and then wash your brussels sprouts. Dry them off thoroughly, to facilitate the bake-frying of the brussels, and then chop off the bottoms enough to be able to slice each sprout into 2 or 3 pieces.
- Cut the remaining sprouts in halves or thirds, then put them with any stray leaves into a mixing bowl, and toss them with 1/2 teaspoon of salt & lard or oil of choice. Bake for 5 minutes, then move them around and turn the tray to ensure even baking. Cook for 4-6 more minutes, until crispy and somewhat browned, but not burnt.
- While your brussels are cooking, prepare the nuts & spices and tahini sauce. Add the tahini, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, garlic, gochujang (if using), and water or oil to your food processor and blend well (about 1 minute), then taste it. If the tahini sauce is too bitter, blend in up to 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup, then set aside.
- Next, chop the almonds and add them to a small bowl along with the sesame seeds, sumac, cumin, and coriander. Once your brussels sprouts are cooked, put them into your serving bowl, top them evenly with the tahini sauce, sprinkle on the spice blend, and then drizzle on the pomegranate molasses. Serve & enjoy!