The Best Way To Remove The Bitter Taste In Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts can be a bit of a polarizing veggie. Some people simply love them and some hate them. Although sprout-centric preparations have come a long way in recent decades, sometimes a recipe can just go wrong, leaving you with a pile of bitter cabbages. Essentially, Brussels sprouts taste bitter because they contain compounds called glucosinolates that are released when cell walls are broken down, causing the bitter taste. This doesn't mean that all Brussels sprouts are overly bitter, but they all contain the compound, so there's going to be some bitterness, regardless. But if you end up with Brussels that are just far too pungent, what can you do?

To learn the best way to remove the bitter taste in Brussels sprouts, we reached out to an expert for an exclusive on how to get it done. Marina Schulze is a recipe developer at HelloFresh, which recently released its 2025-2026 State of Home Cooking Report. Schulze says it's mostly about the preparation. She recommends trimming a bit of the bottoms and cutting the sprouts in half lengthwise. "Then sear them, cut-side-down in an oven-safe pan to get lots of color before transferring to the oven to finish cooking," she says. She explains that the caramelization will bring out the sweet, nutty flavor that will help tamp down on the bitterness.

But if they're still too bitter once you've finished the recipe, what can you do? Schulze says it's all about understanding flavor. "You can easily combat bitter with sweet. So adding a drizzle of maple syrup or honey is great. Or even sprinkling on some candied pecans." But for even sweeter Brussels sprouts, it all starts before you cook.

Not all Brussels sprouts are created equal. You can learn how to choose the best Brussels sprouts at the grocery store — go for the smaller ones, and, although some yellow leaves are okay, they should be mostly bright green. Once you get them home, the best way to clean and prep the sprouts is to properly wash and dry them, which will help them cook more evenly, so they won't have burnt and bitter leaves.

Yet, Marina Schulze points out that you might just be judging your Brussels sprouts off of past memories and don't need to worry about all that bitterness too much these days. She explains that regular supermarket Brussels sprouts are much less bitter than they were 20 years ago. "In the [1990s]," she says, "Dutch scientists identified the compounds that make Brussels sprouts bitter and crossbred them with sprouts with lower levels of these compounds to grow the modern and sweeter Brussels we have today." So, when it comes to removing the bitter taste, you might just be holding their past against them. "Now is a great time to reintroduce yourself if you were convinced you hated them as a kid," she says. And if they still turn out too bitter, you can welcome them to the table; just bring a sweeter companion along. Schulze says, "Embrace the bitter and use it as a complementary flavor."