The two fall vegetables I somehow never cooked together
Nothing says fall more than Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, and I’d spent years cooking both of them without ever once putting them in the same pan.
There were already skillet sweet potatoes on this site, plus a whole pile of Brussels sprouts recipes like these maple bacon shredded Brussels sprouts. And somehow the two of them had never actually met.
So I finally sliced the sprouts thin, cut the sweet potatoes small, and let them go in the same skillet until the edges caramelized. (Turns out they’re a lot better together than either one is alone.)
These Skillet Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes work because of three small things: the sweet potatoes go in first so they get a head start, the sprouts get sliced thin instead of halved so they cook in about four minutes, and the maple sriracha sauce goes in at the very end so the syrup glazes instead of scorches.
Now I can’t really think of a reason to cook them separately.
Wow, delicious! I was looking for a different flavor combo for my sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts and this was PERFECT. I left out the bell pepper simply because I didn’t have one, but I also added 1 lb. of ground turkey. To offset the extra ingredients, I added extra sauce mix. SO GOOD. I will be making this again. Thanks!
– Charity M.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes: Peel them and cut them into small, even pieces so they finish at the same time as everything else. Regular orange sweet potatoes are what I use, and garnet or jewel work exactly the same way.
- Brussels sprouts: Trim the stem ends and slice them thin instead of halving them. Thin slices give you way more surface area on the pan, which is how you get caramelized edges in a few minutes instead of a full roast.
- Sweet onion and green bell pepper: These two go in first and build the base under everything else. A yellow onion works if that’s what you have, and any color bell pepper is fine.
- Olive oil: You’ll add it in two rounds, once for the onion and pepper and again for the sweet potatoes. A good olive oil is worth it here since there’s nothing else to hide behind.
- Maple syrup: Real maple syrup is what makes the sauce cling to everything instead of pooling in the pan. Honey works too, and it’ll taste a little more floral.
- Apple cider vinegar: A splash of vinegar cuts the sweetness so the whole thing doesn’t read like dessert. White wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice will do the same job.
- Sriracha: This is what makes it just a little spicy, not actually spicy. Leave it out completely if you’re cooking for people who don’t want any heat, or use garlic chili paste instead.
- Garlic: Crush it rather than mince it, since it’s going into the sauce and not into the pan on its own.
- Ground sage: Sage is the ingredient that makes this taste like fall instead of just like sautéed vegetables. Fresh sage works too, minced fine.
How to Make Skillet Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Start with the onion and pepper.
Heat some of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the diced onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the onions start to turn translucent.
The Cast-Iron Skillet I L❤️VE!
A good cast-iron skillet is the reason this dish gets that perfect sear. I use my my Staub 12-inch for this recipe (and honestly almost every dinner at this point). It holds heat like nothing else and gives you that restaurant-quality crust a regular pan just can’t match.
Give the sweet potatoes a head start.
Add the rest of the olive oil along with the sweet potatoes. Let them cook for 6 to 8 minutes before anything else goes in.
This head start is the whole trick. Sweet potatoes need about twice as long as thinly sliced sprouts, so throwing them in together is exactly how you end up with mushy sprouts and hard potatoes.
Add the Brussels sprouts.
Add the sliced Brussels sprouts, cover the skillet, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. They’re ready when they’re almost tender but still have a little bite.
Whisk the sauce while everything cooks.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the crushed garlic, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, sriracha, salt, and ground sage. It takes about a minute, and you can do it standing right at the stove.
The Maple Syrup That Makes the Difference
I always use Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup for this recipe. The darker the grade, the bolder the maple flavor, and that’s what you want when you’re trying to recreate that Quaker taste from scratch.
Pour in the sauce and scrape the pan.
Add the sauce to the skillet and scrape the bottom to loosen up all the browned bits. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the potatoes and sprouts are cooked through.
Wait until the very end to add the sauce. Maple syrup burns fast over direct heat, so pouring it in early gives you scorched sugar on the bottom of the pan instead of a glaze.
Serve it up.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve. It’s great as a side dish, or piled into a cassava flour tortilla for a vegan and Paleo taco.
Oops! What went wrong?
My Brussels sprouts turned out bitter.
Bitterness usually shows up when sprouts cook too long or too slow. Sliced thin over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes they stay sweet, so pull them while they still have a little bite.
My sweet potatoes are still hard.
They were probably cut too big. Anything much larger than a half inch needs more time than this recipe gives it, so keep the skillet covered and give them a few extra minutes before the sauce goes in.
Everything came out soft instead of caramelized.
A crowded pan steams instead of browning. Use the biggest skillet you own, or cook it in two batches and combine them at the end.
My sauce burned onto the bottom of the pan.
The maple syrup went in too early, or the heat was up too high. Keep the skillet at medium, save the sauce for the last few minutes, and keep scraping the bottom while it cooks down.
FAQs
Not really. There’s just a small amount of sriracha in the sauce, so across six servings it reads more like warmth than actual heat, and you can leave it out entirely without changing anything else.
Yes. It’ll taste a little more floral and it clings a bit thicker, but it works exactly the same way in the sauce.
The recipe is written with them peeled, since the skins can turn chewy in a skillet without the long dry heat of an oven to crisp them. If you love the skins, scrub them well and leave them on.
Prep everything ahead, but cook it the day you’re serving it. It reheats well, but those caramelized edges are best straight out of the pan.
Absolutely. One reader added a pound of ground turkey plus extra sauce and turned it into a full meal, which is basically the same idea as my ground turkey sweet potato skillet.
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Skillet Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
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Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ sweet onion finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound sweet potatoes peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound Brussel sprouts ends trimmed, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- Parsley optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat add 2 tablespoons olive oil, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onions begin to become slightly translucent.½ sweet onion, 1 green bell pepper
- Add additional olive oil and sweet potatoes. Sauté for 6-8 minutes.1 pound sweet potatoes
- Add Brussel sprouts and cook for 3-4 minutes covered, or until Brussel sprouts are almost tender.1 pound Brussel sprouts
- While vegetables are cooking whisk together garlic, syrup, vinegar, sriracha sauce, salt, and ground sage in a medium-sized bowl.2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- Add sauce to skillet, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up any bits. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until potatoes and sprouts are completely cooked.
- Serve as a side dish with a sprinkle or parsley or in a cassava flour tortilla for a vegan and Paleo taco and enjoy!Parsley
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Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes to bring back the caramelized edges.
- Freezing: Not recommended. Both vegetables hold a lot of water and turn soft and watery once they thaw.
- Make ahead: Chop all the vegetables and whisk the sauce up to two days ahead, then cook it the day you are serving.
- Heat level: The sriracha makes this just barely spicy. Leave it out for zero heat, or use garlic chili paste instead.
- Substitutions: Honey works in place of the maple syrup. White wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice can stand in for the apple cider vinegar.
- Pro tip: Add the sauce in the last few minutes only. Maple syrup burns fast over direct heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes
This one goes with just about any protein you’d put on a fall table, and because it never touches the oven you’ve got the whole thing free for the main. Bacon wrapped stuffed pork tenderloin is the one I’d point you to first, since it roasts while the skillet handles the vegetables.
For a weeknight, honey balsamic chicken picks up the same sweet and tangy notes as the maple sauce. French onion chicken is the cozier pick when it’s cold out.
Spinach artichoke stuffed chicken breasts and sundried tomato goat cheese chicken both work if you want something that feels a little more special without much more effort.
And if you’re cooking for a crowd in the fall, pork chops with apples and onions or a ground turkey meatloaf both taste great next to something sweet and caramelized.
More Brussels sprouts and sweet potato recipes
Once you start cooking these two on repeat, you’re going to want options. These are the ones my readers keep coming back to.
Is this dish very spicy? Is the hot sauce a necessity? Also this is on a board marked “dishes to make in advance”. Does anyone know how this would be reheated and how to reheat it – oven or stovetop?
There is a bit of spice, but you can absolutely leave the hot sauce out. This dish is perfect to prep the parts in advance (cut veggies, etc). If you do cook it beforehand, you can either reheat it in the oven or in a skillet.
Thank you so much for the reply! I’m pretty sure that this dish will be on the Thanksgiving table!
So delicious! My husband says it’s his new favorite side dish.
Yay! So happy to hear that, Carrie. Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Can I substitute honey for the syrup?
Absolutely! Honey and pure maple syrup are interchangeable in most recipes 🙂
Wow, delicious! I was looking for a different flavor combo for my sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts and this was PERFECT. I left out the bell pepper simply because I didn’t have one, but I also added 1 lb. of ground turkey. To offset the extra ingredients, I added extra sauce mix. SO GOOD. I will be making this again. Thanks!
What a great idea to add the ground turkey and make it a full meal!! I’ll have to try that out next time, Charity. Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
Oh my gosh yum! My two favorite side dishes, combined!! I am for sure trying this ASAP 🙂
Yay for yummy combos!! Can’t wait to hear what you think, Jenna! 🙂
What a great idea for a side dish. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
It’s such a yummy recipe! Thanks for your comment and rating!