Starring crispy sautéed Brussels sprouts and a scrumptious brown butter sauce, this easy Brussels Sprouts Pasta is a simple yet filling dish that wows with rich fall flavors and ingredients!
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5 Star Review
“Made this tonight and it was outstanding! Whole family gobbled it up. Thanks for an easy recipe that tastes like a dream. Will be adding to our rotation!”
— Cora —
With just pasta, butter, a squeeze of lemon, and the vegetables you have on hand (Brussels sprouts are my darling at the moment), you can make this rich, all-in-one recipe for a spectacular meal.
If you’d like to make the pasta extra special and harvest-y (because “harvest” anything always makes my heart flutter this time of year), I have easy tips to enhance the fall flavors with herbs, dried fruit, and nuts for you too.
Topping the Brussels sprouts pasta with a light-but-luxurious brown butter sauce is surprisingly easy, and the payoff is outstanding. It gives it a fancy touch that’s sure to bring life to any evening.
The brown butter adds a nutty warmth that helps this meal taste like the very essence of autumn.
(If you’re looking for a thick, creamy Brussels sprouts pasta, check out this picky eater-approved Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese.)
Brown Butter: A Must-Try Pasta Delight
The easiest way to elevate your pasta to fancy restaurant quality is to enjoy it with brown butter sauce.
It’s a delectable change of pace from standard red sauce. Plus, it is so E-A-S-Y to make!
- Brown butter sauce is basically regular butter that you gently cook and stir until it browns, which takes only 3 to 5 minutes.
- The “browning” is the milk solids in the butter toasting. The butter changes to a rich, nutty flavor with an alluring caramel aroma.
- So, with minimal time, you have an elegant brown butter sauce that is beyond delish to use for ravioli or any pasta you choose!
Brussels Sprouts Pasta: Next-Level Upgrades
Here are the easy, fantastic ingredients I chose to add to the pasta for more texture, nutrition, and fall flavor. Pick and choose one, two, or all of the below. You will wow yourself!
- Dried Cherries. These add a slight sweetness that makes the dish taste balanced and well-rounded. Dried cranberries work nicely too.
- Butternut Squash. Butternut squash just tastes like fall. Plus, it’s low in calories and high in vitamins (A and C) and minerals (magnesium and potassium). You could also use cauliflower, mushrooms, or additional Brussels sprouts.
- Pecans. Adding pecans gives the pasta a light crunch that complements the sautéed Brussels sprouts.
- Lemon. With a dash, this lemon brown butter pasta feels fresh and zesty, as the lemon helps the other flavors pop. If you only add one other ingredient to this recipe, make it a lemon.
- Herbs. An upgrade that goes the distance. I used thyme because I still had some in my garden, but brown butter pasta with sage is delicious and classic too.
How to Make Brussels Sprouts Pasta
- Toast the pecans at 350 degrees F. Cook the pasta and sauté the Brussels sprouts and squash (or any other vegetables you are using).
- In a separate pan, brown the butter.
- Add the cooked pasta and remaining ingredients to the pan with the vegetables, then pour that luscious brown butter sauce over the top.
Wine Pairing
Pair this pasta with a dry Riesling, Pinot Gris, or a lightly oaky Chardonnay. For those who prefer reds, try a Merlot or Pinot Noir.
What to Serve with Brussels Sprouts Pasta
Brussels Sprouts Pasta with Brown Butter
Video
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Ingredients
- ½ cup raw pecans
- ½ pound short whole wheat pasta of choice: orecchiette, farfalle, penne, or rotini (or whatever shape you like)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups ½-inch cubed butternut squash about 1 small squash that’s roughly 1 pound; if you have extra, save it for another time
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus additional to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper plus additional to taste
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts ends trimmed and thinly sliced
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup dried cherries or cranberries
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans in a single layer on an ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the pecans are fragrant and toasted, tossing once halfway through. Set a timer—nuts love to burn.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a very large deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high. Once hot, add the butternut squash, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the squash is just barely beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Add the Brussels sprouts. Cook until the sprouts are starting to crisp at the edges and are crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes more. Stir periodically but not constantly so that the sprouts have time to crisp on each side.
- While the vegetables cook, brown the butter: Set a bowl large enough to hold the butter once melted by the stove. Place the butter in a small/medium light-colored saucepan and heat over medium-low. Let the butter melt slowly; it will take several minutes. Continue to heat until butter melts completely, foams and crackles, turns clear golden (the crackling will stop), then turns toasty brown. Swirl the pan periodically as it melts and foams. This entire process will take 3 to 5 minutes, depending upon your pan. Once the butter begins to smell lightly nutty, stir it frequently, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Watch the pan carefully in the last few minutes to ensure that the bits at the bottom do not burn (the color will change fast). As soon as the bits turn the color of a pecan, remove the butter from the heat and pour it, along with the toasted bits that are at the bottom of the saucepan, into the bowl to prevent the butter from burning.
- To the pan with the vegetables, add the cooked pasta. Pour the brown butter over the top. Add the thyme, nutmeg, lemon juice, cherries, toasted pecans, and half of the Parmesan. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve warm, sprinkled with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate pasta in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. While you can freeze this dish, be aware that some of the mix-ins and veggies may have a different texture once thawed. It will still be delish!
This is a Fabulous Recipe !! Nice Blog to Follow !! I’ll Definitely Try it !! Thank You so Much for the Recipe !!
I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it, Veenas!
Made this tonight and it was outstanding!! Whole family gobbled it up. Thanks for an easy recipe that tastes like a dream. Will be adding to our rotation!
I am so excited to hear that Cora!! Thanks so much for sharing this lovely review!
LOVE LOVE LOVE!! I made this the day that I received the recipe. A simple, earthy dish that has so many layers of flavor that you can’t get enough of it!! The presentation in itself a work of art!! Thank you Erin for sharing your passion!
I’m SO happy that you enjoyed it, Annette! Thank you for sharing this wonderful review!
My family all raised their eyebrows walking through the kitchen when I was making this because of the combination of ingredients. I wasn’t sure myself exactly how it would turn out. I made it as prescribed with the exception of using curly lentil noodles. We were all amazed how YUMMY this was, the combinations were mouth inspiring!!
I’m so happy that it was a hit, TinaMarie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Erin! I’ve been a follower for a few years now. Cookbook in hand, website recipes under my belt.. I shared this recipe with the husband the other day and he said, “yum”. I purchased a big bag of fresh brussels sprouts and who decided to make YOUR recipe? My husband. He said, “hey, want me to make your milwaukee girl recipe tonight”? Heck yes! It was so yummy and he did it perfectly. He is in the military and makes his food days in advance for the upcoming work week and the leftovers will serve as his lunch the next few days. Golden! Thanks for making us happy campers.
I’m SO happy that it was a hit, Hannah! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Thank you for another great recipe!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Made it last night with fettuccine instead of the shaped pasta and it was absolutely delicious.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Ines! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Hi Erin,
Love your recipes~yummmmm and really want to try this one as it’s cold today-hello Fall.
I only have frozen brussel sprouts- how would I use them in this recipe? I’m concerned they will get mushy. If it wont work would you recommend an alternative?
Hi Shadie! I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen Brussels sprouts, and I am afraid that they might become mushy. The flavors should still be delicious though. If you decide to experiment with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Hi Erin,
Made this tonight with the frozen brussels sprouts- I roasted them for 12 mins then sliced them in half & roasted another 15 mins. They browned nicely but still had a bit of softness- nonetheless it was very tasty. Also used orecchiette, roasted sweet potato, walnuts & dried cranberries- VERY tasty- we had with NY strip and it was plenty. Thank you for another delicious meal…:-)
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Shadie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This turned out SO GOOD and looked great on the table. It was easy to make with no changes. I’m definitely adding this to my must have recipes!
I’m so happy that it was a hit, Erica! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Made this last night and it was very tasty, I absolutely loved the blend of flavors! First experience with browned butter. Wow, so good! Brussel sprouts gave me a hard time though, I slightly burned the bottom of my dutch oven at medium high and they weren’t done after 5-6 minutes, despite being thinly cut. After a moment of panic (I’m a novice cook, so these things happen LOL) I resorted to simmering the potatoes/sprouts (covered) in 1/2 cup or so of low sodium chicken broth. That seemed to do the trick but I’m curious if I missed something obvious? I have to perfect this one…I adore brussels and it was so good! Thank you for giving me something to feel passionate about in 2020. It’s a memorable year for sure, but I’ll will also be the year I learned to cook! Happy holidays to you and yours. Love your cookbook, first one on my shelf!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Lisa! Thank you for sharing this wonderful review!
Just made this tonight, sooo excellent!!! Nutty tasting and full of all kinds of flavors. Thanks again, Erin!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Judy! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I used frozen spirals of butternut squash (all I could find at the store) and they cooked down to be mostly invisible but still providing lots of flavor. My husband doesn’t like winter squash, but he never knew it was there! It’s my favorite vegetable, so I’m thrilled to be able to use it. Also my first experience with brown butter sauce, but now it will become a regular thing. I think I’ll also make this recipe without the pasta some time as a wonderful vegie side dish. This recipe goes into our regular rotation along with your Mediterranean Pasta.
Delicious and enjoyed by the whole family! I love the brown butter and the flavors went together well.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Jenny! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Can you use cauliflower instead of Brussel sprouts? They were out at the store.
Hi Lindsay! I haven’t tested the recipe this way, but you could experiment with it. You may also want to check out my Cauliflower Pasta recipe. I hope this helps!
So good. I used vegan butter which took longer to brown. And didn’t have the nutmeg. I had it with no cheese and added extra lemon to my plate. My husband choose to top it off with Parmesan cheese. We really enjoyed it.
Thanks
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Celly! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This is a fantastic recipe! It has such a unique flavor. It’s the perfect fall pasta and I may even make it for a dish to pass at Thanksgiving!
Hi Allison! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was fantastic!
Hi Kelsey! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Yum! Really really good! Fixed this with some fall shaped noodles that I wasn’t really sure what to do with. The brown butter sauce and the thyme really go well with the Brussel sprouts and squash. All that you could want from a fall meal!
Hi Bai! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is so tasty! I was a little hesitant about the mix of flavors, but the dish came out tasting delicious. I couldn’t stop eating it. Thanks Erin!
Hi Shawn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Great recipe!! I continue to follow all of your recipes, as they are all so delicious! I love that this recipe has a small prep time, yet it’s full of vegetables, freshness, and easy to make! 5 stars. Thank you for sharing. By the way, I’m making the chickpea recipe tomorrow!
So glad you enjoyed it Rebecca!
What is the trick for sauteing the brussels sprouts?
Hi Lisa, medium high heat and 5-6 minutes is what we normally do. Here is another blog post that might help! https://www.wellplated.com/sauteed-brussels-sprouts/
We can’t do butter in our house. All the other ingredients sound amazing. Any suggestions for a non-dairy alternative to the brown butter sauce that is not vegan butter? Thank you.
Hi Olga, do you already have an alternative in place for butter that you typically use? If yes, I’d start there. Otherwise I’d go with coconut oil. Let us know how it goes!
I made this for a family dinner and was worried my kids would pick around the veggies, but they actually ate most of it. The pasta and brown butter helped everything come together, and I just served extra cheese on the side. Easy and filling.
Win! Thank you Alicia!
I’ve never been a huge fan of Brussels sprouts, but I actually liked them in this pasta. I didn’t feel like I was forcing myself to eat vegetables. I like the savory and slightly sweet flavors. I’m really happy with this one. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, Jessica! Thank you!
I served this when my sister came over, and we both enjoyed it. It felt simple but thoughtful, like one of those meals that doesn’t try too hard. The flavors were balanced and nothing felt overwhelming. The pecans and dried fruit added just enough interest to the dish. Definitely something I will make again. Thanks
So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, Kimberly! Thank you!