Gochujang Brussels Sprouts Recipe: Crisp-Edged, Sticky and Spicy, the Gen Z Thanksgiving Side

Brussels sprouts have spent decades as the Thanksgiving side that gets politely moved around the plate. Spicy glazes may be changing that. In its 4 November report on how Gen Z hosts are reworking the holiday, USA Today pointed to gochujang Brussels sprouts as one of the spicier dishes appearing on TikTok, alongside harissa honey carrots, and noted that gochujang, chili crisp, miso and harissa now show up in glazes, butters and dressings on younger hosts' tables.

The appetite for sides is real, too. A Campbell's survey, as reported by Sporked on 7 November, found that 86 per cent of respondents plan to serve at least four sides this year and that 80 per cent enjoy preparing sides more than the turkey. A glossy, fiery sprout dish is a cheap way to add a fifth.

The glaze rests on gochujang, the fermented Korean paste made from chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, malt and salt. Its sweetness comes from the rice starch converting during fermentation, which is why it caramelises so well with honey. The oven method borrows from America's Test Kitchen's roasted sprouts: halved sprouts go cut side down, covered with foil to steam through, then uncovered to brown. The glaze goes on only at the end, because honey and chili paste scorch in a hot oven within minutes.

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6 as a side. Total time about 45 minutes.

• 750 g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• For the glaze: 2 tbsp gochujang
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• To finish: 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

1. Put a large rimmed baking tray in the oven and heat it to 240 C (220 C fan). A hot tray gives the cut sides a head start.
2. Toss the halved sprouts in a bowl with the oil, water and salt until every one is coated.
3. Carefully tip the sprouts onto the hot tray and turn each one cut side down in a single layer, with a little space between them.
4. Cover the tray tightly with foil and roast for 10 minutes, so the trapped steam cooks them through.
5. Remove the foil and roast for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the cut sides are deeply browned and the leaves at the edges are crisp.
6. While they roast, whisk the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, melted butter and garlic in a large bowl until smooth.
7. Tip the hot sprouts into the bowl and toss to coat, scraping any browned bits from the tray into the glaze.
8. Return the glazed sprouts to the tray and roast for 3 to 4 minutes more, just until the glaze turns sticky and starts to blister at the edges.
9. Scatter with sesame seeds and spring onions, and serve at once with lime wedges to cut the sweetness.

Tips, swaps and storage

Dry the sprouts well after washing, since damp ones steam instead of brown. Gochujang varies in heat by brand, so start with 1 1/2 tablespoons if yours is hot, and taste the glaze before it goes on. Maple syrup can replace the honey, and a spoonful of white miso whisked into the glaze adds depth.