Gordon Ramsay's Trick That'll Make Brussels Sprouts Your New Favorite Side Dish

Gordon Ramsay is no stranger to a challenge. Not only does he help failing restaurants bounce back in front of national audiences, but he's also come up with some pretty snazzy tricks to upgrade controversial veggies. Brussels sprouts have gotten a bad rap in the past, as they were typically boiled or steamed with no embellishment. However, Ramsay shares a recipe for Brussels sprouts on his YouTube channel that, in his words, is a "modern, 21st-century approach to cooking an old-fashioned vegetable."

The magic to his recipe lies in the ingredients he pairs with the sprouts that bring an incredible depth of flavor as well as a textural upgrade to the dish. His secret weapons are pancetta, roasted chestnuts, and lemon. Ramsay adds halved and blanched Brussels sprouts to a frying pan with pancetta, which he says "is brilliant for adding a rich, meaty flavor" to complement the earthiness of the Brussels sprouts. Plus, the fat that melts out of the pancetta as he fries acts as an umami-rich seasoning that infuses into the Brussels sprouts, crisping their exterior surfaces.

At the end of their stint on the stove, Ramsay adds chopped roasted chestnuts to the mix to bring a crunchy sweetness to the earthy and umami savoriness of the pancetta and Brussels sprouts. He tosses them in at the end so that they heat up without losing their crunch. Finally, the celebrity chef finishes off the dish with lemon juice and zest, which rounds out the flavor profile with tangy brightness. For the full recipe, be sure to visit Gordon Ramsay's official website.

Getting creative with flavor combinations is a crucial tip to make the most of your Brussels sprouts, and Ramsay's pan-fried Brussels with pancetta, chestnuts, and lemon is a well-rounded trifecta of savory, sweet, and tangy. Sticking with underseasoned, boiled sprouts would be a mistake that'll ruin Brussels sprouts for everyone. That said, Ramsay's choice to blanch the Brussels sprouts is a smart move to prep them for pan-frying.

Blanching doesn't mean fully cooking the Brussels sprouts, but instead ensures that they get crispy edges in the pan while remaining tender on the inside. Of course, you can always swap the professional chef's double cooking method for the oven or air fryer. Whichever cooking method you choose, overcooking Brussels sprouts will render them inedible, in Ramsay's opinion.

Additionally, pancetta is a type of Italian bacon that has two different varieties, both of which are salt cured and full of unique flavors. However, if you don't have pancetta, streaky, smoked bacon is a great alternative. In fact, bacon is the ingredient that Anthony Bourdain used to make Brussels sprouts a total hit. Bacon is also a key ingredient in many of our Brussels sprouts recipes, like these maple bacon Brussels sprouts. We'd also recommend finishing off your sprouts with a drizzle of balsamic reduction to highlight the tangy and sweet aspects of the lemon and chestnuts. Toss Brussels in a balsamic glaze before pan-frying, air-frying, or roasting them to really up their game.