Please meet green Brussels sprouts sweeter, nuttier and much more purple-licious counterpart: the purple Brussels Sprout!
Yes purple brussels sprouts are REAL! Let’s learn about them and celebrate their beauty!
What are Purple Brussels Sprouts?
The term purple brussels sprouts refers to any variety of brussels sprouts whose color is … PURPLE!!!!
Generally, Brussels sprouts are green. However, there are TWO purple cultivator exceptions!
These purple varieties range from green-purple leaves with purple veins to more purple leaves veined with green. The purple color ranges from a deep, dark purple to a vivid red-purple to a lighter violet. They lose some color when cooked, with the purple often becoming more blue (or even brown) with the heat.
Brussels sprouts are members of the Brassicas Family and cousins with cabbage.
A Super Brief Purple Brussels Sprouts History
Botanists date Brussels sprouts back to Medieval Europe and they’re named after the capital of Belgium (Brussels). They were introduced in the US via French settlers in the 18th century. The first US plantings were on the California's Central Coast in the 1920s and significant production began in the 1940s.
Food historians credit Dutch plant geneticist and botanist, C.N. Vreeken with developing purple Brussels sprouts. He did so in the early 1940s, by cross breeding green Brussels sprouts with red cabbage and voila! The purple Brussel sprouts was born! The specialty variety has some of the red cabbage's purple colors and greater sweetness.
The purple varieties are hybrids between purple cabbage and regular green Brussels sprouts. However, the purple Brussels sprout Rubin, which dates back to 1954, is now qualified as an heirloom plant.
Varieties
There are two main purple brussels sprouts available: Rubine & Falstaff.
The Rubine
Dating back to 1954, this variety was developed in 1954 by crossing green Brussels sprouts with red cabbage. Because of it's age, it now qualifies an heirloom plant (though true heirlooms are open pollinated and never hybridized…).
The Rubine is what you'll most likely find in seed catalogs and garden supply centers; currently the most popular purple Brussels sprout variety.
Falstaff
A more recent cultivar and much easier to grow that the Rubine. It’s open pollinated.
Flavor
Very similar to green brussels sprouts!
Purple sprouts are a little sweeter, slightly nuttier and less pungent than their green counterparts with an earthy flavor.
Differences Between Green & Purple Brussels sprouts:
Purple brussels sprouts are even healthier than their green counterparts! That’s because the purple color comes from the pigment anthocyanin, which acts as an antioxidant. And more anthocyanins means more antioxidants.
Other notable differences are that purple brussels sprouts do not grown in a uniformed fashion and will range in size on the same stalk (unlike green one’s). And the leaves on the sprout heads looser and not packed as tightly as green ones, resulting in faster cooking times.
Cooking Methods
Cook purple Brussels Sprouts in all the same ways as their green counterpart!
Just keep in mind that that purple Brussel sprouts tend to cook a bit faster since their leaves aren’t packed as tightly.
Ways to cook sprouts: boil, steam, frying, roast, sauté or shred in a salad and eat raw!
Heads Up: The purple color in the sprout leaves often turns quite blue with heat from cooking. Sometimes even a bit brown.
Tip: Add a splash of vinegar when cooking purple brussels sprouts to help maintain their vivid purple color!
raw sprouts tossed with olive oil, salt & pepper post oven! raw purple Brussel sprout leaves tossed with oil, salt & pepper post oven!
Where & When to Find Purple Brussels Sprouts?
The purple-licious beauties aren’t quite as easy to find as their green counterparts… yet! Ask your local farmers market if anyone grows them in your region, try your luck at the grocery store or order online.
In California I've found them at the farmers markets, Whole Foods and Trader Joes in California.
Season: Purple brussels sprouts are available in the fall and winter months.
Purple Brussel Sprout Tips & Fun Facts
For Picking: Choose sprouts that have tight, small heads with no wilting or discoloration
For Storing: Store fresh sprouts in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
For Cooking: Add a splash of vinegar when cooking purple brussels sprouts to help maintain their vivid purple color!
Both green and purple, are among the top 20 most nutritious foods! And purple ones are even healthier than green!
Brussels Sprouts have more Vitamin C in them than an orange!
Stoked on purple Brussels sprouts? I’d love to hear about it and see your purple-licious sprout creations too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with #chefdanielagerson.
Check out some of my purple-licious Brussel Sprout dishes:
Sweet & Sour Purple Brussel Sprout Sauté see how the purple turns a bit blue? Purple Brussel Sprouts & other veggies & tofu sheet pan dinner Post oven! Salmon & Purple Brussels sprouts sheet pan dinner. Purple Brussels sprouts & Bacon Hash
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious (and especially purple-licious!) food and all sorts of awesome adventures!
Such a useful purple Brussels sprouts post! I just ate them for my very first time and they are indeed sweeties and nuttier! I like them better than the green Brussels :).
Thank you so much Jacquie! Wowie your Brussels sprout palette sounds quite developed! So stoked to her ya found this post so useful + really appreciate you taking the time to leave this epic feedback :)!
This post is so informative. Thanks. Definitely need to check on these healthy purple Brussel sprouts.
Pleasure! I just love purple Brussels sprouts so much I hada write a post dedicated to them! Appreciate the sweet feedback :).
These are gorgeous...the photography too....thanks for that brilliant tip on adding vinegar to retain the beautiful color. I had no idea. I love green sprouts, but you're right, these are even better....a little sweet with that savory!
Purple brussel sprouts are pretty! I actually had no idea they were a thing. Will have to keep an eye out for them next time we are roasted up veggies 🙂
Yessss they are totally a thing! They're sweeter and nuttier than their green counterparts... I actually like them better :)! Please know whatcha end up making with them when ya find them :).
This was an excellent read on Purple Brussels Sprouts--- I have never had them and would love to try them after reading your blog post. I love colorful foods, and these purple Brussels Sprouts look wonderful! Looking forward to making some if I can find them in my area.
Heidy
Thanks so much Heidy + hope ya find them in your area soon! They're sweeter and nuttier than the green kind. I like them better and their color is simply WOWIE :).
This is such a fun post! Great information about the purple brussels sprout, which I haven't seen in Colorado but it doesn't mean they might not be around somewhere. That sprouts-bacon hash looks really good.
Thank ya so much Beth! I swear that every single day I see more and more purple sprouts and def think they'll be making their way to Colorado super soon! Thanks so much for the super sweet feedback :).
I never knew there were purple Brussel Sprouts now I know I'll be on the hunt for them. They'd make a wonderful vegetable side during the holidays. I like that they are sweeter and nuttier tasting than the green ones. I can't wait to try them -- this week I'll be certain to include them on my menu.
I had no idea there were even purple brussels sprouts… We already love regular brussels sprouts with bacon so I’m excited to find these and cook them! Thank you for your in depth post!
Absolute pleasure Chandice! And I love the Brussels sprouts/bacon combo ~ so good! If you love green Brussels you'll absolutely adore the preciously purple beauties :).
i have not been able to find purple brussles this year. but, this recipe looks incredible. and i cannot wait to try it!
Crossing fingers and toes that you'll find them soon Kerri! They're sweeter and nuttier than their green counterparts... and I actually love their taste more :)!
Thanks for sharing g these tips. Haven’t seen purple Brussels sprouts but after reading your article I am intrigued.
Yesssss Gunjan be intrigued! They're sweeter and nuttier than their non-purple (aka green) counterparts and I love them more :)!
What?! I had no idea purple brussels sprouts even existed! So cool to learn how the green was crossed with red cabbage. Now I have got to heads to Whole Foods to find this!
Yessss!!! And I know... right? They're slightly sweeter and nuttier than the green kind... I actually like them better. And the color is simply WOWIE :)!