How Long Do Brussels Sprouts Last? (2024)

FAQs

How Long Do Brussels Sprouts Last? ›

Brussels sprouts last for about one week in the fridge or 1 year in the freezer. If freezing, be sure to blanch the Brussels sprouts first. Rotten Brussels sprouts will have brown or yellow spots or be soft to the touch.

Even though Brussels sprouts can last up to a week in the fridge, sometimes a little longer, their taste gets stronger and less sweet with time. They are at their best when prepared within three to four days of purchase. Avoid washing Brussels sprouts until you're ready to prepare them, as the moisture can cause decay.

Throw out fresh brussel sprouts that have a foul odor, yellow or wilted leaves, a mushy or slimy texture, or dark spots. Use fresh brussel sprouts within 1–2 weeks of getting them. Store the brussel sprouts in a plastic bag inside your fridge, and wash them before cooking them.

When storing Brussels sprouts whole, place them loose in a bowl and cover with a food-safe plastic wrap, like Glad^® Press'n Seal^® or Glad^® ClingWrap. Poke a few holes in the wrap and place your bowl in the fridge. Doing this should mean your Brussels sprouts will last in the fridge for about five days.

How long can you keep Brussels sprouts on the stalk? Brussels sprout stalks will keep for up to 10 days in the refrigerator. You can also store them on the countertop or suspend them by their leaves. Without refrigeration, the sprouts and stem should stay fresh for four or five days.

Place the sprouts in the fridge as soon as you get home and use them before the best-before date. Use within two days of purchase if they are not pre-packaged. Throw away any sprouts that are past their best-before date or that have lost their crispness, look wilted or smell musty.

Consume stored sprouts within a few days. Finally, you do not want to consume sprouts that have been languishing for weeks in the refrigerator. A good turnaround time is 5-7 days. Plan on sprouting small batches of seeds, so that only a small amount will be stored at one time.

You “can” eat them, as in they're not harmful (technically I suppose they'd be protein), so it won't hurt if you ingest a few — but they don't taste good.

It's hard to beat the caramelized crispness of roasted Brussels sprouts (perhaps with a maple-Dijon glaze), but these little green guys can also be eaten raw. They're delicious when shaved in a salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, to start.

The bitter taste of Brussels sprouts comes from compounds called glucosinolates and their degradation products, he explains. These bitter tasting compounds are an important part of the plant's defence mechanism against leaf-eating enemies, such as insects, nematodes, slugs, and herbivores, like pigeons and deer.

How do you make Brussels sprouts last longer? ›

You should store brussels sprouts on the stalk like cut flowers. Trim off the end and put it in a small vase or mason jar (something that will not tip) and store them in the fridge. Those stalks will last the longest. Oh, you might have to cover the stalk with a bag depending on your fridge.

Your sprouts should feel dry to the touch afterwards. Sprouts treated this way can normally be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or more, but we still recommend you to eat them as soon as possible. After all, the fresher is always the better.

As soon as you get home, wash the sprouts and discard the ones that don't look good. Place the sprouts in a container with water, cover and refrigerate for UP TO 7 days, replacing the water every 1-2 days.

The Bottom Line

Brussels sprouts last for about one week in the fridge or 1 year in the freezer. If freezing, be sure to blanch the Brussels sprouts first. Rotten Brussels sprouts will have brown or yellow spots or be soft to the touch.

If the stem of the brussel sprout is black or brown, or there are black spots on the leaves, it is starting to go bad or has gone bad. Sometimes you can remove a bad outer leaf, similar to cabbage, and still eat the inside, if there are no other signs of decay.

If you've blanched your sprouts, you can stash them in the freezer for up to 12 months without compromising their texture, however if you're freezing them raw, they'll only be good for up to 3 months.

Your sprouts should feel dry to the touch afterwards. Sprouts treated this way can normally be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or more, but we still recommend you to eat them as soon as possible. After all, the fresher is always the better.

It's as simple as spreading the leftover Brussels sprouts in a single layer on a baking sheet (use two to avoid overcrowding if there's a lot) and heating them in a 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. When the sprouts come out of the oven they'll be hot and crispy all over.

Packed into an airtight container, shaved Brussels sprouts will last up to five days in the refrigerator. Put them to use in recipes like the following: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad. Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta.