Brussels sprouts have a reputation for being tricky, but prepping them takes less than a minute once you know what you’re doing. In this quick real food kitchen tip, Krista shows you how to trim and cut Brussels sprouts — whether to halve them or cut them into bite-sized pieces — and shares the tip that most people miss: those loose outer leaves are the best part!
What You’ll Need
A chef’s knife
A cutting board
How to Cut Brussels Sprouts — Two Ways
For larger Brussels sprouts:
- Trim the tough stem end off each sprout
- Cut into bite-sized pieces (quarters work well for large ones)
- Keep any loose outer leaves — don’t discard them!
For smaller Brussels sprouts:
- Trim the stem end
- Simply halve them lengthwise
- Again, keep those outer leaves!
🔑 The Tip Everyone Misses: Keep the Outer Leaves
Those loose outer leaves that fall away when you’re cutting? Keep every single one. They roast up crispy and caramelized in the oven — almost like little Brussels sprout chips. They’re the most popular part of the pan!
Even Sizing = Even Roasting
Whether you’re halving or quartering, always aim for roughly equal-sized pieces. This ensures everything roasts evenly — no burnt edges while the centers are still underdone.
Video Transcript
“So when it comes to Brussels sprouts, all I do is trim off the stems. And when you have one about this size for roasting, I normally just cut it into about bite-sized pieces, keeping those outer layers because they’re fantastic in the oven. And then depending on how small they are, you could just cut them in half. And then they’re all even size.”