Soy Sauce and Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated January 8, 2026

Nico Schinco for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Kaitlin Wayne.
Ready In
30 min
Rating
5(436)
Comments
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With cues from wafu pasta, the Japanese-style style of cooking that brings together global and Japanese flavors, this indulgent weeknight dish delivers a powerful umami kick thanks to the combination of butter and soy sauce. Maximize the potential of butter by browning it to produce a headier sauce with nutty notes; adding soy sauce produces a caramel-like richness. A stainless steel skillet, or one with a light colored cooking surface, is preferred so you have a visual cue of the milk solids darkening. Slicing the brussels sprouts helps them cook quickly, while also giving more surface area and edges for browning. This is an adaptable recipe, so it is possible to add other or more vegetables to balance the richness of the buttery soy sauce; mushrooms, spinach, kale and broccoli are all good options. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced 

  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

  • 1 pound long pasta, such as spaghetti or bucatini

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced

  • Grated Parmesan, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

97 grams carbs; 62 milligrams cholesterol; 721 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 29 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 713 milligrams sodium; 21 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

    1. Step 1

      Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high.

    2. Step 2

      Heat a 12-inch skillet (preferably stainless steel, or one with a light colored cooking surface, so you can monitor the butter as it browns) on medium-high. When hot, drizzle with olive oil and then add the brussels sprouts and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the brussels sprouts are tender and caramelized around the edges, 6 to 7 minutes.

    3. Step 3

      Scrape the brussels sprouts into a bowl, ensuring that the skillet is as clean as possible. (You may need to rinse or wipe it out, but take care, as the pan will be very hot.)

    4. Step 4

      Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water.

    5. Step 5

      Place the skillet back on medium-high heat. Add the butter, swirling the pan to encourage it to melt. Once it has melted, continue swirling gently, until the milk solids turn a deep golden brown and smell nutty; this should only take 4 to 6 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and allow it to cool for 1 minute. Very carefully drizzle in the soy sauce (it may sizzle) and add the white parts of the scallions. Stir to lift any burnt bits stuck to the pan. 

    6. Step 6

      Add the pasta and the Brussels sprouts to the soy sauce-brown butter, along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water, and place on medium heat, tossing until the strands are well coated, about 2 minutes. 

    7. Step 7

      To serve, place the pasta into serving bowls, and season generously with pepper. Top with grated Parmesan and the green parts of the scallions.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
436 user ratings
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Comments

EC

I was a little short on brussels sprouts so added spinach to make up the difference. In the future, I think I'd prefer a higher ratio of vegetables to pasta. I also used reduced sodium soy sauce and might use a little more next time for the salt content and so that the flavor is more overt. Nonetheless, even without those modifications, I would gladly eat this routinely.

Nolan

Quite a good easy dish, although I think it needs more. First off, chili flakes and/or a ton of black pepper I think are needed to round out the dish. Secondly, I think cabbage cooked alongside the Brussel sprouts would be fantastic. Next time I will try this. It also needs more garlic and green onion than called for, and parmesan is wonderful on it. Be generous.

Ellie

Actually, Parmesan is vegetarian (it has no meat or fish in it) but it is not vegan. Judge accordingly when serving.

John

I used the dark green leaves I peeled off the outer surface of the sprouts to experiment with this dish. They braised down nicely and were flavorful but a bit more bitter than the lighter green core of the sprouts. I mixed in fatale, which worked very well with the leaf shapes and after cooking together and reheating, the flavors mellowed and blended well together. I was pleased to be able to use up the tougher outer leaves in a dish.

S McG

We liked this! Based on the reviews, I doubled the brussels sprouts and the garlic. It needed a little more sauce but I think the flavor and texture ratio were better for it.

Kellsey

Thought it could use a little sweetness to even out the salty - might consider adding honey next time

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