Brussels sprouts used to be strictly a fall vegetable, but speedy importing means you can find them year-round now. Keto Italian Brussels sprouts with sausage takes advantage of that, since this is a dish worth making more than once a season.
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A quick sautee is the whole trick to keeping the sprouts bright green with a bit of crunch, instead of the dull, mushy version a lot of people grew up eating. Pork and Brussels sprouts genuinely work well together.
I always make a double batch. The sprouts are usually the first thing gone at my table.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Italian Brussels Sprouts with Sausage
Overcooked Brussels sprouts turn dull and mushy fast, and there is nothing worse than a soft, bitter sprout after all that prep work. Use your biggest skillet for this reason, a crowded pan steams the sprouts instead of searing them, and steaming leads straight to that mushy texture.
Cut each sprout in half, then slice each half into three or four pieces, working from the rounded side down to the flat side. A food processor with a slicer blade speeds this up considerably for a big batch.
Sausage choice changes the whole flavor direction here. Spicy Italian sausage adds real kick, a garlic sausage adds depth, or use whatever your favorite happens to be. I usually make this with bacon instead, but some nights call for the extra spice Italian sausage brings that bacon just does not.
This is easily halved or doubled, and it holds up well for meal prep through the week. It is not a great candidate for freezing though, sprouts turn soft and lose their texture after thawing, so plan to eat this fresh or refrigerated rather than frozen.
What You’ll Love About Italian Brussels Sprouts with Sausage
- Easily halved or doubled, so it scales to whatever size your table needs.
- Meaty enough to work as a main dish, but simple enough to serve as a side.
- Ready in about 30 minutes, most of it just slicing sprouts.
Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts – Trim the stem end and peel off a layer or two of outer leaves, checking for bugs as you go.
- Italian sausage – Spicy for more kick, or a garlic sausage for extra depth. Casing removed before cooking.
- Garlic – Fresh, chopped. Skip the jarred kind for this one.
- Dehydrated onion flakes – Onion powder works as a substitute in a smaller amount.
- Olive oil – Add more as needed while cooking if the pan looks dry.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
How to Make Italian Brussels Sprouts with Sausage
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Slice a bit off the stem end of each sprout, and peel off a layer or two of the outer leaves, watching for bugs and discarding any buggy ones.
Cut each sprout in half, lay it flat on a cutting board, and slice each half into three or four pieces, working from the rounded side to the flat side.
Remove the sausage from its casing and add it to a large skillet with the chopped garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil. Brown until mostly cooked through.
Add the onion flakes and sliced Brussels sprouts, plus another tablespoon of oil. Keep the heat fairly high. Sautee until the sprouts turn bright green with some caramelized brown spots and are tender-crisp.
Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Make It A Meal
This works well alongside Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin or Sausage Parmigiana for an Italian-leaning meal. Garlic Steak & Mushrooms is another good pairing if you’d rather serve beef.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet to bring back some of the crisp texture. Freezing is not recommended, sprouts turn soft and mushy after thawing, though if you do not mind that texture, it will still be safe to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe runs about 7 net carbs per 1 cup serving. The number in the recipe card below will recalculate once this post is republished, so use it as an estimate until then.
Yes, spicy Italian sausage adds more kick, a garlic sausage adds depth, or use whatever sausage you already have on hand and enjoy.
Yes, this holds up well in the fridge for a few days, making it a good option for meal prep. It’s not a good candidate for freezing though, since the sprouts lose their crisp texture after thawing.
Use your biggest skillet and don’t crowd the pan. A crowded pan steams the sprouts instead of searing them, which leads directly to a mushy texture.
Add Preferred SourceItalian Brussels Sprouts with Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brussels sprouts
- 2 links Italian sausage
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the brussels sprouts by slicing a bit off the stem end, and peeling off a layer or two of the outside leaves. These are bitter, and watch for little bugs inside when you peel them. Toss any that are buggy.
- Cut each sprout in half and lay it flat on a cutting board, then cut each half into three or four pieces by slicing from the rounded part of the sprout down to the flat part.
- Remove the sausage from the casing and put it in a large skillet. Add the chopped garlic and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Brown the sausage and garlic.
- Once the sausage is mostly cooked through, add the onion flakes and brussels sprouts. Add another tbsp of oil. Keep the heat fairly high and sautee the sprouts until they turn bright green with some caramelized brown spots.
- When the sprouts are tender-crisp, take off the heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve!
Video
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Use your biggest skillet. A crowded pan steams the sprouts instead of searing them, which leads to a mushy texture.
- Slice the sprouts from the rounded side to the flat side for even pieces. A food processor with a slicer blade speeds this up for a big batch.
- Change the sausage to change the flavor. Spicy Italian adds kick, garlic sausage adds depth, and either works well with this technique.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Loving the combination of Brussels sprouts and sausage. What a winning combination. This would be a welcome addition to the holiday dinner table…and devoured in no time.
I always make a double batch because in my house, the sprouts are among the first to get eaten!
These sound interesting> I have never had Brussels and sausage together.
Quick and easy. This is how I like my weeknight dinners. I will make this for sure.
I usually prepared my Brussels sprouts with bacon, but using Italian sausages is just as awesome. We all love this. 🙂
I make them with bacon, too, but sometimes I’m craving a bit of spice. The Italian sausage takes care of that!