Sautéed Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pesto

Created by Laura Wright
5 from 3 votes

These sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts are a quick and flavourful vegetable side dish that comes together in one skillet on the stove. Vegan pesto, Tamari, lemon, and balsamic glaze make the finely shredded brussels sprouts extra delicious in just 20 minutes.

An overhead shot of sautéed shaved brussels sprouts in a shallow bowl, topped with balsamic glaze, fresh basil and vegan "parmesan"
An overhead shot of sautéed shaved brussels sprouts in a shallow bowl, topped with balsamic glaze, fresh basil and vegan "parmesan"
An overhead shot shows ingredient prep for a vegetable side dish.
An overhead shot shows a jar of vegan pesto with a wooden spoon sticking out.
An overhead shot shows a cutting board with trimmed brussels sprouts and a chef's knife. The discarded trimmings are to the side.

I am a vegetable side dish fiend, and these simple sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts are my new go-to. The pretty shreds are cooked in a big skillet until tender, and then they’re simply tossed with vegan pesto, a little Tamari for depth, and then we finish them with lemon, balsamic glaze and vegan “parmesan.” While I love roasted Brussels sprouts, a delicious tangle of these shaved ones is really doing it for me lately.

How to trim and shave Brussels sprouts:

  • To trim, simply cut the bottom part off of the Brussels sprout with a knife and loosen any slightly yellowed or dry/damaged leaves.
  • Use a sharp knife and shave each sprout by hand. I like to cut each Brussels sprout in half first so that I can lay the flat side down on the cutting board for maximum safety.
  • Use a mandoline. I have an old Benriner mandoline that is still so sharp. I love using mine for finely cut salads like this. Just be careful when you get down to that tiny end piece of the sprout. This is my preferred method personally.
  • Find the shredding disk of your food processor if you have one and put it to use! This makes the process so easy and fast. One thing to note about this method: the shreds can be on the thicker side. If that doesn’t faze you, go for it.
  • Buy them pre-shredded/shaved. Some grocery stores have this option and it is such a handy luxury!

Can you shave Brussels sprouts ahead of time? Yes absolutely. Once you have them shaved, place them in a sealable container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. The texture of freshly shaved Brussels sprouts tends to be better in this simple sauté, but I can’t deny that the advance prep makes dinnertime a lot easier.

For pesto, I like to make my own when I can, but there are lots of great store bought options these days that make this recipe so easy. Here in Canada, I usually opt for Sunflower Kitchen brand. In the US, Gotham Greens is a great choice.

What to eat with sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts:

An overhead shot shows a mandoline slicer and some shredded brussels sprouts in a wide bowl.
A 3/4 angle shot shows sliced brussels sprouts in a pan.
An overhead shot shows shredded brussels sprouts being sautéed in a pan.
A 3/4 angle shot of balsamic glaze being poured over cooked and sliced brussels sprouts.
An overhead shot of sautéed shaved brussels sprouts in a shallow bowl, topped with balsamic glaze, fresh basil and vegan "parmesan"

Sautéed Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pesto

These sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts are a quick and flavourful vegetable side dish that comes together in one skillet on the stove. Vegan pesto, Tamari, lemon, and balsamic glaze make the finely shredded Brussels sprouts extra delicious in just 20 minutes.
5 from 3 votes
An overhead shot of sautéed shaved brussels sprouts in a shallow bowl, topped with balsamic glaze, fresh basil and vegan "parmesan"
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Vegan “Parmesan” (makes extra)

  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

Sautéed Shaved Brussels Sprouts

  • 1 lb Brussels sprouts
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup vegan pesto
  • 1 teaspoon Tamari
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • splash of water
  • 1-2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
  • cup vegan “parmesan”

Notes

  • You can shave your Brussels sprouts up to 3 days in advance. Just keep them in a sealed container in the fridge.
  • Some stores sell pre-shredded Brussels sprouts if you want to make this veggie side dish happen even faster.
  • My vegan pesto recipe is linked, but I’ve had great results with store bought vegan pesto as well. My favourite brands are Sunflower Kitchen and Gotham Greens.
  • Leftover vegan “parmesan” can be kept in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a month.

Instructions

  • Make the vegan “parmesan.” In a food processor or in batches in a spice grinder, combine the sliced almonds, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pulse until you have a fine, dusty meal-like texture. Place in a container and set aside.
  • Make the sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts. Start by shaving the Brussels sprouts, using either a knife, mandolin slicer or a food processor fitted with the shredding disc.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, pour in the olive oil and swirl it around.
  • Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan all at once and give them a stir. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sauté and stir the Brussels sprouts until shreds are tender and bright green, about 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  • Stir in the vegan pesto, Tamari, lemon juice, and a splash of water. Once everything is nicely combined, transfer to a serving platter. Top the sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts with the balsamic glaze, vegan parmesan, and extra black pepper. Serve immediately.
A 3/4 angle, up close shot of sautéed shaved brussels sprouts in a shallow bowl, topped with balsamic glaze, fresh basil and vegan "parmesan." A brass spoon is lifting some of the vegetable side dish out of the bowl.
16/11/2022 (Last Updated 27/07/2023)
Posted in: autumn, bitter, gluten free, holidays, quick, refined sugar-free, salad, salty, side dish, spring, summer, sweet, vegan, winter

2 comments

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

Recipe Rating





  • Jennifer

    5 stars
    This is DELICIOUS! Easy to make and the return on flavor is great. Everyone loved it.

  • Claudia

    5 stars
    Home run at Thanksgiving dinner. I used TraderJoe’s vegan kale, cashew, basil pesto. Oh so delish & super easy to prepare. I need my own mandolin since I usually borrow my daughter’s :-)