Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Brussels Sprouts

Unlock the perfect flavour pairings for Brussels sprouts according to data science. Explore unique recipes and discover the hidden mathematics of flavour.
Brussels sprouts conjure the embrace of sulfur and the kiss of mustard, yet its initial umaminess is only the opening note. Beneath lies a complex tapestry of delicate malt, whispers of glutamate, and the pungent vegetal notes of cabbage. These are the notes that lend it such remarkable, resonant depth. And the culinary wizardry begins when we seek out pairings that allow these notes to truly sing, to harmonise in unexpected and delightful ways.
To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our exploration reveals, for instance, how the earthy, fungal 1-octen-3-ol in parsnip can embrace Brussels sprouts, and how roast potato's starchy notes forge a beautiful synergy with its intense aroma.
Flavour Profile Of Brussels Sprouts Across 150 Dimensions Of Flavour
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Brussels sprouts: Sulfurous, Mustard, Brassica, Glutamic, Caramel, Maltol, Almond, Hazelnut, Charred, Onion
An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. vegetal, maillard, and earthy) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.
The Flavour Code
To understand how flavour notes harmonise, we analysed more than 50,000 popular ingredient combinations. By exploring these pairings, we identified specific flavour notes that frequently occur together, indicating they share a harmonious relationship.
The Flavours That Harmonise With Sulfurous Notes
Strength of Association Between Flavours
The flavours most associated with sulfurous notes are: Starch, Glutamic, Proteolytic, Fatty, Charred, Poultry, Wheat, Lactic, Resin, Ferrous, Smoky, Porcine, Toast, Bovine, Saline.
Our analysis reveals a strong connection between sulfur and starch flavours. Since Brussels sprouts has a distinct sulfurous flavour, try pairing it with the starchy flavours of roast potato.
The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing Brussels sprouts with roast potato.
Harmonious Flavours Of Brussels Sprouts
Just as our analysis highlighted that sulfur and starchy flavour notes frequently pair together, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour notes present in Brussels sprouts. For instance, the mustardy accents of Brussels sprouts are strongly associated with rooty and rosemary accents.
The aroma notes linked to the various aromas of Brussels sprouts can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.
Flavour Profile Of Brussels Sprouts And Its Complementary Flavour Notes
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Brussels sprouts: Sulfurous, Mustard, Brassica, Glutamic, Caramel, Maltol, Almond, Hazelnut, Charred, Onion
Matching Flavour Profiles
The flavour profile of parsnip offers many of the accents complementary to Brussels sprouts, including parsnip and starch notes. Because the flavour profile of parsnip has many of the of the features that are complementary to Brussels sprouts, they are likely to pair very well together.
Prominent Flavour Notes Of Parsnip Are Represented By Longer Bars
Flavour wheel chart showing the dominant flavour notes of Parsnip: Honeyed, Parsnip, Starch, Caramel, Resinous, Maltol, Sugary, Grassy, Fennel, Potato, Maple, Chamomile, Squash, Pine, Hay, Molasses, Celery, Cinnamon, Poivre, Hazelnut, Charred, Buttery
The chart above shows the unique profile of parsnip across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with Brussels sprouts.
Recipes That Pair Brussels Sprouts With Parsnip
Linked Flavour Notes
Looking at the aroma notes that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of Brussels sprouts, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.
Brussels Sprouts's Harmonious Flavours And Complementary Ingredients
Brussels sprouts's Strongest Flavours
Complementary Flavours
Ingredients with Complementary Flavours
Flavour groups:
Nectarous
Acidic
Herbal
Spice
Vegetal
Maillard
Earthy
Woody
Carnal
The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of Brussels sprouts, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma accents complementary to Brussels sprouts.
What To Drink With Brussels Sprouts
The rosemary notes in côtes catalanes make it a perfect pairing with brussels sprouts. Likewise, the rosemary flavours in tuscany create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of brussels sprouts below.
How Flavonomics Works
We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.
Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.
Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.
We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.
These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Brussels sprouts), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.
Explore More
Discover more ingredient profiles and expand your culinary knowledge. Each ingredient page offers detailed analysis of flavour profiles, pairing insights, and culinary applications.
The content on our analysis blog is semi-automated. All of the words were manually written by a human, but the content is updated dynamically based on the data.