Get your greens fix with this quick and easy Maple Lime Fried Kale & Brussels Sprouts side dish recipe.
I know fried brussels sprouts have been in since like 2015 but, like most trends, it's one I come to 4 years late. With almost every new restaurant I order them at, I’m obsessed anew with the possibilities of all the ways to dress them. Yuzu juice? Sure. Cranberries? Of course. Anything else you got? I’m down.
Up until a few months ago, my first thought at the phrase “deep frying” was to the heavy, huge, and clunky deep fryer I used in high school to fry chicken wings for my brother and his friends. Though that fryer brought many good memories, it was my brother's -- and even if it was mine, it likely wouldn't have made the cut in my many cross country movies. Such space was already reserved for my stand mixer.
As it usually does, curiosity got the best of me after ordering brussel sprouts again recently at a happy hour. What if I deep fried them on the stove top? I might not have to waste so much oil that way either.
The Maple Lime Fried Kale & Brussels Sprouts Origin Story.
I started out the other week making them the first time for company. 'Cause when else do you want to try something you haven’t done in 15 years?
Following some guidelines I read online, I burnt the first batch to a crisp. Classic. The second time was the trick, however, and I cut the time in half. Due to the burning, I lost half my brussels stash so I subbed in kale. What resulted was a dish that (gratefully) reminded how some of the best ideas come from making “mistakes.”
This fried brussel sprouts recipe is...
- Tangy
- Sweet
- Salty
- Crispy
- Full of umami
- Antioxidant-rich
I mean, can we get any better than that?!
Is fried kale healthy, though?
Since this kale is deep fried, it isn't necessarily health food but all things within balance -- especially when you're living a healthy and active life.
What can I do with kale?
You can do so many things with kale! Salads, smoothies, and -- as we see here -- deep frying it. Since kale is hearty, but still not too dense, it fries up quickly.
Is this a quick recipe?
Yes! The kale fries up in about 2 minutes and the brussels in about 3. Dinner will be ready in no time!
Is this recipe gluten free or vegan?
Yes! This kale and sprouts recipe is gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian. A perfect side for when entertaining people with dietary restrictions!
Maple Lime Fried Kale and Brussels Sprouts Cooking Notes:
- If you have and prefer to use it, a deep fryer is fine to use here too.
- To save time, you can chop the veggies and mix up the glaze while the oil preheats.
- If your veggies are holding too much oil in the colander after shaking them, lay them out on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels to drain them further.
- These are best served right after cooking and don't reheat well so if you're afraid you won't eat them all in one meal, halve the veggies and sauce.
Questions or comments about this recipe? Post in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
Maple Lime Fried Kale & Brussels Sprouts
Tangy & crispy, serve these sprouts up for a restaurant dish in the comfort of your own home!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut in half; thoroughly dried if rinsed
- 3 c. pretty tightly packed chopped lacinato or dinosaur kale, thoroughly dried if rinsed
- Enough light (high heat) oil to cover the bottom few inches of your dutch oven or to fill your deep fryer , canola, light olive, or grapeseed oil are all good picks
- 2.5 T. lime juice
- ¼ c. maple syrup
- 1 T. olive oil
- ½ tsp. Salt
Instructions
- Heat your oil in dutch oven or fryer to 350 degrees. I prefer to use a candy thermometer to gauge this.
- Prepare a pasta strainer over a dinner plate covered with paper towel and set it right to the side of the stove.
- Combine the lime juice through olive oil in a small dish and set that aside.
- Begin frying the veggies once the oil has reached 350 degrees: add half the brussels sprouts to the fryer or pan (cover with a frying guard if it’s popping oil too much) and fry for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and add to the colander to drain. Let oil reheat to 350 degrees and then repeat with the rest of the brussels, reheating to 350 degrees again once brussels are cooked.
- Next, fry the kale by adding all the kale to the oil and covering with guard if needed. Fry for 2 minutes, stirring periodically and then add to the colander with the brussels. Give the colander a few shakes to release the rest of the oil then move into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss with the maple-lime mixture.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 107Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 0mgSodium 173mgCarbohydrates 14gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 2g
This nutrition breakdown is an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dieticians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.