Basic Brussels Sprouts Are 10X More Flavorful When You Make Them Like The Cheesecake Factory

It's true that the Cheesecake Factory's behemoth of a menu can be overwhelming: Between the fresh strawberry cheesecake, fried macaroni and cheese, avocado eggrolls, and chicken Madeira, it can feel impossible to choose. But one of the sleeper hits on the menu is the crispy Brussels sprouts, which elevates a normally bland veggie dish to the sublime with the addition of a maple syrup butter glaze and bacon. The perfect mashup of sweet and savory with a little crunch, it could definitely make the list of must-try Cheesecake Factory entrees for when you just can't decide – if Brussels sprouts were an entree, that is.

Cheesecake Factory's recipe for crispy Brussels sprouts calls for home chefs to remove a few of the outer leaves and set them aside to fry and add later. Cut the Brussels sprouts into quarters, and fry them in a small amount of oil over medium-high heat until they're brown and crisp. Then, place them on paper towels, and add a light layer of salt. Repeat the same process with the outer leaves. In a mixing bowl, add a slice of chopped bacon to the cooked quartered sprouts. Finish up by covering the mixture with a drizzle of Cheesecake Factory's proprietary maple butter glaze and topping it off with the additional fried outer leaves. So, where can you find this legendary sauce?

You can find the recipe for Cheesecake Factory's crispy Brussels sprouts on its website. A footnote says that you can buy the maple butter glaze in fine food markets or find the recipe itself in cookbooks. However, a quick search came up empty handed when it comes to purchasing the pre-packaged Cheesecake Factory maple butter glaze. Luckily, there are enough fans of the crispy Brussels sprouts that there are plenty of dupe recipes out there. Most describe the sauce as a roughly 2:1 ratio of butter to maple syrup that adds a melt-in-your-mouth flavor with a touch of sweetness to the dish. You can certainly play around with that ratio when cooking at home to see what you like best, but the goal is to coat everything in a creamy, buttery dressing with a touch of sweetness. This recipe will change your mind about Brussels sprouts, even if you're normally not a fan.

Cheesecake Factory's crispy Brussels sprouts make a great side dish to meals like pork chops, glazed ham, pot roast or prime rib, rotisserie chicken, or even a Thanksgiving turkey (though those of us who are familiar with the viral TikTok food trend of girl dinners know it could be a meal itself). This just might be the Brussels recipe that makes you a convert.