PF Chang's Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts - Crispy, tender Brussels sprouts wok-fried in a deliciously spicy kung pao sauce. It's easy to make at home and a perfect side dish for any Chinese meal!
Can't get enough of PF Chang's? Try my Sesame Chicken next!
๐ฅก About This Recipe
If Iโm being honest, Iโm not a huge fan of Brussels sprouts, but the Kung Pao Brussels sprouts at PF Changโs are next level. They're wok-fried and tossed with spicy peppers, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and rice vinegar- basically a lot of flavorful ingredients to cover up the taste of the Brussels sprouts ๐.
The most important thing is to sear the Brussels sprouts at a very high heat so that they develop a beautiful char on the outside. In my personal experience, Brussels sprouts just don't taste that good without a nice char.
I'm using a carbon steel wok for this, but you can probably use a cast-iron pan or stainless steel skillet as well. However, I highly recommend a wok because its large and curved sides make it much easier to toss the ingredients.
๐ง Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts: These should be cut in half so we can get a good sear on the inside layers.
- Aromatics: Dried Chinese peppers, minced garlic, and ginger are all you need. You can find dried Chinese peppers at almost all Asian markets. You can also use ยฝ a teaspoon of chili flakes instead.
- Seasonings: Soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sriracha, and a little bit of cornstarch for thickening.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients.
STEP 2: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat. Wait for the oil to start smoking gently. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for 1 minute undisturbed until they start charring on one side. Toss and cook for another 2 minutes (this final 2 minutes is just to cook them through).
STEP 3: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining three tablespoons of oil to the wok. Add the dried chilis, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. If at any point the aromatics start burning, remove the wok from the heat and stir vigorously to cool the oil down.
STEP 4: Give the sauce mixture a stir and pour into the wok. Stir it gently for 1 minute and you should see the sauce start to thicken.
STEP 5: Add back the Brussels sprouts along with the roasted peanuts. Stir to coat everything with the sauce and cook for 1 minute until everything heats up. Enjoy!
Another Option Instead Of The Wok
If you are not comfortable with cooking on high heat in the wok, you can also roast the Brussels sprouts in the oven to give them the necessary charring.
To do so, preheat your oven to 450ยฐF. Toss the sprouts with oil and spread them on a baking sheet. Make sure there is a little space between each one so that steam can escape. Roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing halfway through. If they're not charred, broil them on the top rack at 500ยฐF for a few minutes. Follow the rest of the recipe as directed.
๐ Recipe
PF Chang's Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha (or any other chili paste)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Stir-Fry
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil (divided)
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved)
- 8 dried red chilies
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
- ยฝ cup roasted peanuts
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients.
- Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for 1 minute undisturbed until they start charring on one side. Toss and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining three tablespoons of oil to the wok. Add the dried chilis, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Give the sauce mixture a stir and pour into the wok. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce bubbles and thickens.
- Add back the Brussels sprouts along with the roasted peanuts. Stir to coat everything with the sauce and cook for 1 minute until everything heats up. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply