BRUSSELS SPROUT HASH
This hash makes a wonderful side dish or an amazing breakfast, either on its own or with the addition of eggs. I love how crispy the sprouts can get, and when paired with the spicy sausage, this dish is enormously satisfying. SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
2 teaspoons (10 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
½ onion, diced
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound (454 g) spicy Italian sausage
1 pound (454 g) Brussels sprouts, shredded
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and stir. Add the sausage, and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Move the sausage to one side of the pan, and add the Brussels sprouts. Stir them around so they get coated in some of the sausage fat, and then slowly incorporate everything in the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high, and cook until some of the pieces start to get crispy, about another 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve.
VARIATION 1 BRUSSELS SPROUT HASH WITH PANCETTA: Substitute the sausage for ½ pound diced pancetta, and follow the recipe as written. Using pancetta instead of hot Italian sausage takes this from somewhat spicy to a lip-smacking, fattier dish.
VARIATION 2 BREAKFAST BRUSSELS SPROUT HASH: Serve topped with 1 or 2 fried eggs for a hearty breakfast—drizzle some olive oil into a hot skillet, and crack the eggs gently into it. Cook on one side until the whites are no longer runny, and then carefully flip and cook for a minute or two on the other side, depending on how done you want the yolks.
PREP TIP: Chop the veggies the night before, and cook everything quickly the morning you plan to serve this dish.
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Brussels sprout hash is the one-skillet breakfast that made me a morning-vegetable person. Spicy Italian sausage and onions get a heap of shredded sprouts, everything crisping together in the sausage fat until the edges turn crunchy. Eat it straight from the pan, or crack a couple of fried eggs on top and call it the best part of the weekend.
Pro Tips
- Break the sausage into small crumbles as it browns — you want every bite to mix with sprouts, not pockets of plain meat.
- Don't stir the sprouts constantly after adding them; leaving them alone lets the shreds catch and crisp against the pan.
- Mild Italian sausage makes this kid-friendly, while hot sausage and a pinch of red pepper flakes take it in the other direction.
- Topped with fried eggs, this goes from side dish to full breakfast — the runny yolks act as the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Brussels sprout hash ahead of time?
Yes — cook it through, refrigerate for up to 3 days, and rewarm in a hot skillet to re-crisp. Add the eggs fresh when you serve.
Can I use a different sausage?
Any loose sausage works. Pancetta or diced bacon makes a fattier, less spicy version — just drain off some of the rendered fat before adding the sprouts.
Do I need to precook the Brussels sprouts?
No. Raw shredded sprouts cook in about 5 minutes in the skillet and stay pleasantly crisp. Precooking would make the hash soggy.
Is this hash Whole30 compliant?
It can be — just check that your sausage has no sugar or non-compliant fillers, and cook the eggs in ghee or coconut oil instead of butter.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
- Sauté the onion until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and stir.
- Add the sausage, and break it up with a wooden spoon.
- Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve.
