Buffalo Brussels Sprouts
Craving that spicy buffalo sauce flavor? Make this irresistible buffalo Brussels sprouts recipe. It's the perfect healthy game day appetizer!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 1, 2024
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Buffalo sauce on Brussels sprouts? Yes. Yes indeed, a very good idea. I only thought to try this combination after, oh, eight failed attempts at buffalo cauliflower. (I think I’ve just figured out the trick to that one, but trust me, you’ll definitely want to give these sprouts a try this weekend.)
These buffalo Brussels sprouts are a fantastic Super Bowl appetizer. They’re fresh and irresistibly spicy at the same time. You can have your fill of these and feel good about it later.
This recipe starts off with a base of golden, roasted Brussels sprouts drizzled with a simple, three-ingredient homemade buffalo sauce. Top them off with ripe avocado or blue cheese (your choice, both optional) and fresh herbs.
These sprouts will offer some balance to a full-blown snack spread. I hope you love them as much as I do!
Buffalo Brussels Sprouts Notes & Tips
This dish is simple and straightforward. Some of the garnishes and seasonings are optional, so I’ll walk you through it below.
- Buffalo sauce is inherently salty. So, we’re not salting our Brussels sprouts before they go into the oven, and only adding salt to the finished dish if it needs it.
- Buffalo sauce is easy to make with Frank’s hot sauce and butter. It might seem like the two won’t mix together at first. Just keep whisking! If you’re following a dairy-free or vegan diet, check the recipe notes for butter alternatives.
- If the buffalo sauce tastes too spicy for you or someone in your crew, whisk in some honey. Honey will temper the heat and offers an irresistible sweet-and-spicy component.
- Avocado and blue cheese are optional, but so nice. They both offer some creaminess that helps balance the tang and spice of the buffalo sauce. Blue cheese can be polarizing, so you could offer it on the side to be safe.
- This dish isn’t complete without fresh herbs. Sprinkle it liberally with chives or green onions and cilantro or parsley.
More Game Day Appetizers
- Baked Jalapeño Poppers
- The Best Guacamole
- Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Creamy Vegan Queso
- Crispy Baked Tostones
View all of my Super Bowl recipes here! Please let me know how your buffalo sprouts turn out in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Buffalo Brussels Sprouts
Craving that spicy buffalo sauce flavor? Make this irresistible buffalo Brussels sprouts recipe. It’s the perfect healthy game day appetizer! Recipe yields 4 to 6 side servings.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red hot sauce, such as Frank’s
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Up to 1 tablespoon honey, to taste (optional)
- 1 small avocado, diced, or ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese (both optional)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or green onion
- 1 tablespoon torn fresh cilantro or parsley
- Fine salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- To prepare your Brussels sprouts, slice off the nubby ends and remove any discolored or damaged leaves. Cut each sprout in half from the flat base through the top.
- On your baking sheet, combine the halved sprouts and olive oil. Toss until the sprouts are lightly and evenly coated. Arrange the sprouts in an even layer with their flat sides facing down.
- Roast the sprouts until they are tender and deeply golden on the edges, about 18 to 24 minutes. Remove the sprouts from the oven and transfer them to a large serving platter or shallow serving bowl.
- In the meantime, prepare the buffalo sauce by whisking together the hot sauce and melted butter in a small bowl. Season to taste with black pepper. If the mixture tastes too spicy, whisk in some honey to temper the heat a bit. Set aside.
- Once the roasted Brussels sprouts are on the serving platter, drizzle the sauce all over them. If desired, sprinkle avocado or blue cheese over the sprouts. Finish the dish with a sprinkle of chives and fresh cilantro. Taste, and sprinkle lightly with salt if needed. Serve.
- These Brussels sprouts are best consumed fresh, especially if avocado is involved. Leftovers without avocado will keep for several days in the refrigerator, covered.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: You might enjoy the sauce without butter, especially if using avocado to help balance the flavors. Another option would be to drizzle Frank’s and some of my vegan sour cream on top. Or, you could try using a vegan butter like Miyoko’s Creamery.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Can’t wait to make this! Even though I’m from Buffalo, I rarely eat wings. Glad to see you adding Franks, and blue cheese. Gotta admit, it would be better if the Bills were in the Super Bowl.
Haven’t made it yet, but I know it will get 5 stars. We love all the ingredients!
Thanks Vince! Hope you get a chance to try this one soon. :)
I will try this out! I love Buffalo cauliflower and this sounds like another good option!
(I make mine with buttermilk or plain yogurt, whichever is handy. Can’t wait to see your recipe though!)
Any other Super Bowl suggestions?
Hey Amy, your buffalo cauliflower sounds awesome! Do you mix the buttermilk/yogurt with the hot sauce? I’m working on a Super Bowl roundup post right now, but I have a whole category for perusing right here. May the best team win! :)
Your Super Bowl Recipes post…oh goodness! I want to make everything!!
The buffalo cauliflower I make by roasting the cauliflower first, then dipping it in buttermilk (or plain yogurt). Then I dust it with a bit of flour, brush on a Red Hot and butter mixture, and throw it back into a really hot oven again. (there is probably a more efficient way to do that….)
I could eat the whole pan. Ha ha!
Thank you for getting back to me, Amy! That sounds like a great way to do it. I’ve been skeptical of recipes that suggest coating the cauliflower with a batter before roasting (tried one and was disappointed). Your method sounds like a better way to do it!
These look so good! I’ve also tried making buffalo cauliflower about 7 or 8 times now with no success. They’re always way too spicy for me. I really like the tip about the honey here. I’m not a big football person but I still want to make these this weekend!
Hope this recipe makes an appearance at your place this weekend! Buffalo sauce can be super potent. I think it’s critical to mix in some butter to help balance the hot sauce, and honey helps from there. You can add as much honey as you want for a nice sweet-and-spicy effect!
Saw this recipe today and realized we had all the ingredients sitting in the fridge. Made it, devoured it (amazing!) and will be making it over and over again this weekend. Comfort food that puts a smile on your face in the dead of winter! Perfect veggie Super Bowl snack as well.
Hooray! Happy to hear it, Matt. Thank you for letting me know!
Wondering if there is air fryer directions for this recipe? Sounds so delicious!
No, sorry, I haven’t ventured into air fryers yet. You can get delicious crisp Brussels in 20 minutes in the oven, I know that!
That looks like a fun twist for Brussels sprouts!
Thanks, Lisa! Hope you enjoy it.
It was so good, my husband and I ate the whole pan.
Hooray!
Wow! This is a tasty dish!!! Perfect Super Bowl appetizer. This is a keeper for sure. Thank you!!!!!
Thank you so much, Karen!
Awesome recipe!!!!
Hooray! Thanks, Beth.
Amazing!! Only thing we left out was the butter. Definitely adding to the family rotation. Thank you!!
So glad to hear it!!
Decided to try this today for the Superbowl. My honey and I were very satisfied with this vegetarian treat. We topped the Brussels with a heady blue cheese we crumbled ourselves; and parsley and scallions added a nice fresh note. Thanks for another great recipe, Kate!
Sounds perfect! Thank you for reporting back, Tara!
I made this yesterday although with slightly less sauce and it was amazing. I loved this so much! I also paired it with leftover veggie loaf so I’ll be including this in my Xmas dinners going forward!
You’ve made me like Brussels sprouts which I used to hate. You’re so talented, Kate.
Thank you so much, Anujot! :)
As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it for Super Bowl Sunday! It tasted great and was so easy. For the hot sauce I used a medium heat Chipotle Hot Sauce from KCK company Spicin Foods. I chose it because the sodium level was significantly lower than the Frank’s. I loved the avocado on top and probably would have liked cilantro too, but I was busy making other snacks so I forgot.
I will definitely make this again.
Thank you for your review, Janet! Great idea to look at the sodium content on the hot sauce options.
This recipe is delicious! I love it. We’ve made it twice since you posted it. We made brussel sprouts in air fryer versus baking and put on salad with sunflower seeds for some crunch.
I’m happy you loved it! Thank you for your review.
I never had a brussle sprout and I never use hot sauce but these were amazing! The sauce was not too hot due to the honey. My husband was thrilled! I made them for him and I thought I would brave and try one and they were amazing! I will be making again for sure :)
Patty, so glad to hear it!
Made this as part of my non-Super Bowl spread (watched Cool Runnings instead) and they were so delicious! The Brussels sprouts were so crispy and the homemade buffalo sauce was such a perfect pairing. I actually skipped the avocado and blue cheese. I added a little feta instead. So simple and a delicious way to add some greens to the spread!
I’m happy you loved it! Thank you for sharing, Kate. Feta would be delicious.
Saw this recipe and knew I had to try it. Made it last night and it is a keeper! Delicious!
That’s great, Jennifer! Thank you for your review.
I thought this recipe was so good! Mg family does not live spicy food, so I only spiced up half of the Brussels sprouts, but I still loved it. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any sort of Tabasco sauce, so I used sriracha and it seemed to work fine. I added avocado, but no blue cheese. I also added garlic salt to add flavor.
Thank you for sharing, Maya! I’m glad you were able to enjoy it.
Hi Kate. I made this recipe for dinner and it is so tasty. I used maple syrup instead of honey and also used vegan butter instead of dairy butter. I served it with some tortilla chips on the side because… why not?
I loved it and will definitely make it again… for dinner!
Awesome! Thank you so much for reporting back, Dana!
I made these today & now it’s my new favorite way to eat Brussels sprouts. SO GOOD.
I love to hear that, Erin! Thank you for your review.
These were super easy and the best tasting Brussel sprouts I have ever had!!
This was delicious!!!! Two of us are the whole batch.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Lori! I appreciate your review.
Delicious! We had instead of fries alongside veggie burgers. Really tasty.
Sounds like a delicious combination, Lori! I appreciate your review.
Delightful. A simple combination of ingredients yielding big flavors…your usual formula!
Thank you, Terri!
Made this and these Brussels were delicious. The avocado and blue cheese crumbles added nice touch drizzled ours with homemade ranch dressing. Great side. Wish I had taken pic before we devoured.