Coconut Free Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Pork Belly and Apples
Crispy pork belly, caramelized Brussels sprouts, and sweet-tart apple come together in one skillet for a dish that feels genuinely restaurant-worthy on a weeknight. The technique here is what makes it special — starting the pork belly in a cold pan coaxes out the fat slowly, leaving you with golden, crackling-edged cubes that are impossible to resist. That rendered fat becomes the flavor base for the whole dish, and a splash of olive oil brings it up to the right heat for getting those Brussels sprouts deeply browned and just a little charred at the edges. A drizzle of maple syrup and apple cider vinegar at the end pulls everything into a glossy, balanced glaze that hits sweet, savory, and tangy all at once. Every ingredient in this recipe is naturally free of coconut in any form — no coconut oil, coconut aminos, or coconut-derived sweeteners sneak in anywhere, which can be a real concern when scanning store-bought sauces or trendy recipe substitutions. Fresh garlic, a good apple, and optional red pepper flakes round out the flavor without any complicated pantry additions. This is the kind of one-pan dinner that looks impressive, tastes even better, and leaves almost nothing to clean up.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 6 oz fresh pork belly, skin removed, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 1 medium honeycrisp or fuji apple, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- salt and pepper, to taste
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the pork belly cubes in a cold large (12-inch) skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the fat has rendered and the pieces are golden brown and crispy on most sides. Transfer the pork belly to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- 2
Pour off all but about 1 teaspoon of the rendered fat from the skillet. Add the olive oil and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the Brussels sprouts cut-side down in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes until the cut sides are deep golden brown.
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