Easy Brussels Sprouts Stew

Name: Easy Brussels Sprouts Stew
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp coconut oil; 1 medium red onion (finely diced); 1 tsp black mustard seeds; 2 tbsp cilantro (minced); 1 sprig curry leaves ((about 12 individual leaves, optional)); 4 cloves garlic (smashed with a knife or in a mortar and pestle until they are almost a paste); 2 medium tomatoes ((diced)); ½ tsp turmeric; ½ tsp cayenne ((or paprika. Use more or less according to your preference)); 2 tsp garam masala; 1 pound Brussels sprouts ((use the smallest sprouts you can find. Halve any sprouts larger than an inch in diameter)); ½ cup raw cashews; 14 oz coconut milk; Salt to taste; Juice of 1 lemon ((or lime, optional))

by Vaishali Honawar · Aug 15, 2025 · 87 Comments

5 from 74 votes

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Total time: 25

In our home, Brussels sprouts make happy dinners -- and diners. Especially when I serve them in this easy Brussels sprouts stew with the creamy goodness of coconut and cashew nuts.

Brussels sprouts are seasonal in winter. Enjoy them in recipes like this stew, roasted Brussels sprouts with rosemary and garlic and air-fryer Brussels sprouts.

There are so many rich and delicious textures in this Brussels sprouts stew, it would be hard to pick a favorite: the rich, creamy coconut milk sauce; the toothsome yet tender cashew nuts; the silky, perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts.

Or maybe it's those vivid flavors you will love: the sweetness of the coconut and cashews with the spice of garam masala and a hint of bitter from the sprouts. Even the sprouts, after cooking, become sweeter. It's a good dish to try on someone who doesn't love these small but mighty veggies that nature has so generously stocked with oodles of nutrition.

This is a simple stew, perfect for weeknights. If you can get your hands on tiny Brussels sprouts you can add the sprouts whole to the stew, cutting down further on the short prep time. And you can make this recipe with either fresh or frozen Brussels sprouts. In fact, frozen sprouts work even better because they cook up faster.

The recipe is gluten-free and soy-free and you can make it nut-free by skipping the cashews. If you are a low-carb eater, this recipe, with just 13 net carbs per serving, is perfect for you. The stew is ready from scratch in under 30 minutes and all you need is one pot to make it and a bowl of steaming hot rice to serve it with.

Table of Contents

Ingredients
How to make Brussels sprouts stew
Serve
Recipe FAQs
More delicious vegan stews
Recipe card
Reviews

Ingredients

Coconut oil. There's coconut milk and curry leaves in this recipe, and the flavor of unrefined coconut oil works beautifully with those flavors. You can also use any other neutral oil.
Spices: black mustard seeds, cayenne or any red chilli powder, turmeric and garam masala.
Herbs: curry leaves, cilantro and garlic.
Vegetables: red onions, tomatoes and Brussels sprouts. Choose sprouts that are firm, fresh green, and compact, with no brown leaves or spots. You can use frozen Brussels sprouts in this recipe.
Coconut milk. Use canned, full-fat coconut milk. You can also use coconut milk you've extracted at home using freshly grated coconut.

I love the way the house smells when this is cooking! Easy and fun to take for a work lunch as it gets people asking questions. - Kathy

How to make Brussels sprouts stew

As you cook, follow along with the pictures below to see what the recipe should look like at every stage, and for additional tips. You can jump to the recipe card below for a compact version of this recipe.

Heat coconut oil in a large pot or saute pan. Add the mustard seeds and wait a few seconds until you hear them pop. The oil needs to be very hot for mustard to pop.

Cilantro, curry leaves and garlic in mustard.

Lower heat to medium. Stir in the cilantro and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Then add garlic and mix it in until the garlic becomes very aromatic. This should also take just a few seconds.

Mix in the onions along with a pinch of salt. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes until they begin to soften.

This is what it should look like when you add tomatoes and spices to the pot.

Stir in the tomatoes, cayenne, turmeric and garam masala. Saute for a couple of minutes until the tomatoes are soft but not fully broken down. This will retain some of the sweetness of the tomatoes.

This is what it should look like when you add Brussels sprouts to pot.

Add the Brussels sprouts and cashews to the pot and mix them in.

Add ½ cup water and bring it to a boil. Cover the pot and let the Brussels sprouts simmer for 8-10 minutes or until they are very tender. The sprouts won't cook anymore after this point so make sure they are as tender as you want them to be.

Add the coconut milk to the pot and mix it in.

Check for salt, add more if needed, and let the coconut milk warm through without coming to a boil. Turn off heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve the stew hot.

Serve

The stew tastes best with a bowl of steamed basmati rice. You can also soak it up with crusty bread, like French bread or Italian bread, or sourdough French bread. You don't really need a side but if you like you can serve it with a roasted vegetable side, like these Greek lemon potatoes or roasted beets.

Recipe FAQs

Making the recipe oil-free

Pop mustard in a dry, hot pan and use a tablespoon of the coconut milk (thick portion) to saute the cilantro, curry leaves and onions.

If using frozen Brussels sprouts how would I tweak the recipe?

The only difference is that the frozen sprouts will cook a little faster that fresh sprouts, so you can cut down on the total cooking time.

I don't have curry leaves. Is there a substitute?

Leave it out and just use the cilantro.

Storing Brussels sprouts stew

Refrigerate the stew for up to five days and freeze for up to four months. The coconut milk sauce will assume a slightly powdery texture after freezing, but this won't affect the taste. Thaw and reheat the stew before serving.

More delicious vegan stews

Recipe card