Red Lobster Brussels Sprouts (Copycat Recipe)
If you’re familiar with the crispy brussels sprouts on Red Lobster’s menu, then you already know they’re the best! With these easy-to-follow instructions, you’ll make perfect copycat Red Lobster Brussels Sprouts in the oven or air fryer. You’ll have a stunning bowl of perfectly crisped sprouts topped with a sweet soy-ginger glaze and scrumptious crispy-fried onions.
If you’re a brussels sprouts skeptic, I encourage you to give them another shot, and there’s no better way to do so than with these copycat Red Lobster crispy brussels sprouts.
These brussels sprouts are roasted to perfection in the oven or air fryer, then finished in a soy-ginger glaze. As a result, the sprouts are crispy on the surface, juicy in the center, and have an irresistible sweet, tangy, and umami flavor.
But wait, there’s more! Just like Red Lobster, these brussels spouts are topped with crispy fried onions for maximum CRUNCH and flavor. The variety of dynamic tastes and textures will keep you coming back for more. Fortunately, this crispy glazed brussels sprouts recipe is easy to double!
🦞 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These sprouts are a perfect copycat of Red Lobster’s sweet, salty, and crispy brussels sprouts.
- They’re perfect for dinner parties and holiday meals and served as a quick weeknight side.
- The ingredients are easy to find. In fact, you may already have most of them in your pantry.
- The recipe is super flexible. The flavors are easily adjusted to your preference, and you can even bulk up the dish with more vegetables.
🧾 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Brussels sprouts – Fresh sprouts are best, but you can use frozen brussels sprouts -just be sure to thaw and dry them well before beginning this recipe. Keep in mind smaller brussels sprouts are picked before maturity, so they’re sweeter and less earthy than larger ones.
- Avocado oil – This is my favorite healthy cooking oil with a high smoke point. You can also use olive oil.
- Salt & black pepper – To lightly season the sprouts before cooking.
- Crispy fried onions – You can usually find them stocked near the croutons and salad dressings. If gluten-free, most stores offer gluten-free crispy fried onions as well. See the FAQ to learn how to make them yourself.
- Soy-ginger glaze – It’s so simple yet so flavorful. You’ll need soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and dried ginger. You can use coconut aminos or tamari sauce instead of soy sauce for a soy-free and gluten-free substitution.
🥣 How To Make Red Lobster Brussels Sprouts At Home
1️⃣ Prep brussels sprouts. Prepare the brussels sprouts by washing them thoroughly and removing any bruised or damaged leaves. Cut the stems and slice the sprouts in half with a sharp knife. Toss with avocado oil, salt, and pepper.
2️⃣ Roast brussels sprouts. Spread the seasoned brussels sprouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook at 400°F for 40 minutes or until the brussels sprouts are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
3️⃣ Make glaze. 10-15 minutes before the brussels sprouts are finished, make the glaze. Add the soy-ginger glaze ingredients to a small saucepot and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat, and gently simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
4️⃣ Assemble and serve. Add the roasted brussels sprouts to a serving bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the top and gently toss to coat the sprouts thoroughly. Top with crispy fried onions and serve hot.
♨ Air Fryer Red Lobster Brussels Sprouts
- To make Red Lobster brussels sprouts in the air fryer, prep and season them as instructed in the oven directions and preheat your air fryer to 375°F.
- Place the seasoned brussels sprouts in the air fryer basket and cook, tossing occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until the brussels sprouts are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- Prepare the glaze, assemble the dish as instructed in the oven instructions, and enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Chef’s Tips
- For the crispiest brussels sprouts, preheat the sheet pan (or air fryer basket) before spreading the brussels sprouts in a single, even layer on top. Be sure not to overcrowd them.
- Whisk the glaze mixture continuously as it heats so the brown sugar doesn’t begin to burn. If it becomes too thick, whisk in a splash of water to thin it out.
- You don’t want the heat and moisture from the brussels sprouts to soften the crispy fried onions, so it’s important to add them to the dish immediately before you’re ready to serve.
🔪 How to Trim Brussels Sprouts
If you’re new to cooking brussels sprouts, here’s a quick brief on how to prep them for roasting and air frying.
- Place the brussels sprouts in a colander and rinse well under cold water. Dry thoroughly. Remove any discolored or bruised outer leaves.
- Using a sharp knife, trim away the hard, woody stem on the bottom. Then, slice the sprouts in half vertically.
🍽 Variations & Serving Suggestions
Glaze variations: The glaze is easy to modify with other sweeteners and flavors. You can:
- Substitute the brown sugar for honey or maple syrup.
- Use VERY finely minced fresh garlic and ginger instead of the dry spices.
- Turn up the heat with a teaspoon or two of spicy sriracha or chili-garlic sauce.
Add more veggies: Feel free to cook other vegetables with the brussels sprouts. Select ones that cook similarly, like sweet potato, carrots, and butternut squash.
Serving: You can serve this as an elegant appetizer with garlic aioli or as a side for special occasions or any day of the year. Make it a meal with these recipes:
- Sous Vide Steak & Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
- Stuffed Turkey Tenderloin & Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
- 7-minute Salmon & Sous Vide Rice
♻ Storing & Freezing
Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, add them to a pan with a bit of avocado oil and reheat over medium heat until the sprouts are re-crisped and warmed through. Likewise, you can reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer at 375F for 5-8 minutes.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing brussels sprouts once cooked. They will inevitably become soggy during the thawing process.
❔FAQ
The crispy brussels sprouts from red lobster are made with deep-fried brussels sprouts tossed in a sweetened soy-ginger glaze (like this recipe) OR a browned butter sauce. Both options are topped with crispy fried onion.
If they aren’t crisping, it’s most likely because they’re overcrowded. For vegetables to become crispy as they roast, they need space. Otherwise, they’ll begin to steam and become mushy.
This is most likely because of two reasons: the brussels sprouts are deep-fried or cooked in a ton of butter.
Of course, although I personally prefer store-bought to homemade in this recipe. To make them from scratch, coat sliced onion in a thin layer of flour, then fry in preheated oil over medium heat until they are golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain before using.
🥬 More Brussels Sprouts Recipes
- Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apples
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Asian-shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Bacon-wrapped Brussels Sprouts with Garlic Aioli
- Sous Vide Brussels Sprouts
Red Lobster Brussels Sprouts
Equipment
- baking sheet OR air fryer
- saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 pound brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspooon black pepper
- ½ cup crispy fried onions
For the glaze
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried ginger
Instructions
Oven instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the brussels sprouts by washing them thoroughly and removing any bruised or damaged leaves. Cut the stems off and slice the sprouts in half with a sharp knife.
- Add the prepared brussels sprouts to a mixing bowl and toss with avocado oil, salt, and pepper until coated.
- Spread the seasoned brussels sprouts on the parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes or until the brussels sprouts are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- 10-15 minutes before the brussels sprouts are finished roasting, make the glaze. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and dried ginger to a small saucepot and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat, and gently simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the glaze thickens.
- Add the roasted brussels sprouts to a serving bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the top and gently toss to coat the sprouts completely. Top with crispy fried onions and serve hot.
Air fryer instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for 3-5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the brussels sprouts by washing them thoroughly and removing any bruised or damaged leaves. Cut the stems off and cut the sprouts in half with a sharp knife.
- Add the prepared brussels sprouts to a mixing bowl and toss with avocado oil, salt, and pepper until coated.
- Place the seasoned brussels sprouts in the air fryer basket and cook, tossing occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until the brussels sprouts are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- 10-15 minutes before the brussels sprouts are finished, make the glaze. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and dried ginger in a small saucepot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and gently simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the glaze thickens.
- Add the air-fried brussels sprouts to a serving bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the top and gently toss until coated. Top with crispy fried onions and serve hot.
