How to Parboil Brussels Sprouts

If you've tried your hand at roasting or grilling Brussels sprouts, you might have been disappointed — which is where learning how to parboil Brussels sprouts comes into play.

What sometimes happens is that the outer leaves become blackened before the insides are properly cooked, leaving them crunchier than they should be! There are few things more disappointing than having to toss food you were about to eat.

The answer is parboiling — a quick and easy extra step that can be used when you're preparing all different types of foods. Including Brussels sprouts, obviously!

What is Parboiling?

In a nutshell, parboiling a food means to partially cook it before finishing it off with another cooking method. Think of it as prep work, or like stretching before a run.

You simply place the food you are cooking in a pan of water — or a more flavorsome liquid like apple cider — and then bring it to a simmer.

After letting it bubble away for a few minutes (or longer, depending on the type of food you are parboiling) you drain it, so that it is softer than when it was raw, but still not fully cooked.

You can then finish off cooking the food in whatever way you prefer. Parboiling is great for grains like rice or brown rice, as well as vegetables like potatoes, green beans, peppers, and broccoli. 

But it works really well with meats, too! You can cut the cooking time of a whole chicken or chicken wings by parboiling first, or parboil ribs so that they drop right off the bone when fully cooked.

You can even parboil sausage and brats — it makes the casings stronger so they won't split and helps them cook evenly, too.

Why Parboil Brussels Sprouts?

Brussels sprouts are quite dense little vegetables, so parboiling them gives you a headstart on the cooking process.

It is especially helpful for dishes involving grilled or roasted Brussels sprouts, because it softens them in the middle.

That way you can focus on getting the outer leaves deliciously caramelized without having to worry about them being undercooked in the middle.

Some people even find that parboiling Brussels sprouts helps cut down on their bitterness.

How Long to Parboil Brussels Sprouts

Bearing in mind that the aim of parboiling foods is to only partially cook them, it takes very little time at all to parboil Brussels sprouts.

Just three to four minutes is all you'll need to soften them and you can tell when they are ready to drain because they will turn bright green.

It's exactly the kind of extra step that home cooks often skip because of a time crunch but is the sort of effort that restaurants make and could be why you're always wondering why your homemade creation doesn't taste as good as what you'd find when eating out.

In that sense, making the effort to parboil your Brussels sprouts is just one more way to convince yourself to stay home and spend less money, without sacrificing on taste.

4 Steps for How to Parboil Brussels Sprouts

First, trim the Brussels sprouts by removing the hard ends and any discolored or wilted leaves. It should look like this.

Next, place the Brussels sprouts in a deep saucepan and pour in enough water to completely cover them.

Add a large pinch of kosher salt to the water and heat over medium-high heat until the water comes to a low boil. Boil for around 3 to 4 minutes until the Brussels sprouts start to turn bright green.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, drain, and then rinse with cold water. Finally, pat the Brussels sprouts dry. They are now ready to continue to cook in whichever way you desire. You've successfully parboiled!

How to Use Parboiled Brussels Sprouts

• Parboil Brussels sprouts before roasting — try these amazing Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha, which are deliciously spicy and tangy.
• Parboil Brussels sprouts before grilling — in a grill basket or on skewers with shaved parmesan on top.
• Parboil Brussels sprouts before sauteéing — in butter with garlic - a classic but simple side dish.
• Parboil Brussels sprouts before adding to other dishes — like this satisfying Chicken, Potato and Brussels Sprout Sheet Pan Dinner.