Fried Green Beans, Scallions and Brussels Sprouts With Buttermilk-Cornmeal Coating Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Fried Green Beans, Scallions and Brussels Sprouts With Buttermilk-Cornmeal Coating Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 30 minutes
Rating
4(76)
Notes
Read community notes

This buttermilk batter fries up to a fluffy/crispy coating. When I was deciding what vegetables I wanted to coat and fry with this batter I knew that I would use scallions and green beans. (I used green beans with almost all of my recipe tests this week) Then I found a half-pound of brussels sprouts that had seen better days in my crisper. I trimmed off the yellowing outer leaves, quartered them, gave them a dunk in the batter and eased them into the hot oil. Now I will never throw out old brussels sprouts again. Okra would also be a good choice for this recipe. You can serve these plain or with any number of dips, either spicy (think Sriracha or chipotle aioli) or Japanese.

Featured in: Fear of Frying

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 8

  • ½cup cornstarch
  • 2tablespoons fine polenta or cornmeal
  • ½teaspoon salt, plus additional for sprinkling
  • ½teaspoon baking powder
  • 1cup less 2 tablespoons buttermilk or yogurt thinned with milk
  • 3tablespoons cold sparkling water
  • ½pound green beans
  • ½pound brussels sprouts
  • 2bunches scallions
  • Canola or grapeseed oil for frying

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

208 calories; 16 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 186 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Fried Green Beans, Scallions and Brussels Sprouts With Buttermilk-Cornmeal Coating Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Combine cornstarch, polenta or cornmeal, salt and baking powder in a bowl and whisk together. Add buttermilk and sparkling water and whisk together until mixture is blended and has the consistency of thick cream.

  2. Step

    2

    Top and tail beans. Trim brussels sprouts and quarter. Trim root end off the scallions and cut away dark green ends.

  3. Step

    3

    Pour oil into a wok or wide saucepan to a depth of 3 inches and heat over medium-high heat to 360 to 375 degrees. Set up a sheet pan with a rack on it next to the pan. Cover rack with a few layers of paper towels. Have a spider or deep fry skimmer handy for removing vegetables from the oil.

  4. Using tongs, dip vegetables into batter a few at a time, making sure to coat thoroughly. Transfer to hot oil and fry until golden brown, which should not take more than a couple of minutes. Flip over halfway through with the spider to make sure the coating is evenly fried. It is important not to crowd pan and to let oil come back up to temperature between batches.

  5. Step

    5

    Using the spider, remove vegetables from oil, allowing excess oil to drip back into pan, and drain on towel-covered rack. Sprinkle with salt right away if desired. Allow to cool slightly and serve.

Tip

  • Serve soon after deep-frying, while still nice and crispy.

Ratings

4

out of 5

76

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

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Rami

I tried some brussels fried with batter as written and then rolled some battered ones in cornmeal as another commenter suggested, we preferred those rolled in the extra cornmeal despite the extra mess. the batter alone barely adhered to the brussels. fried to deep golden brown. was crispy and delicious with wasabi/horseradish sauce.

Anna

Didn't need any sparkling water to reach the right consistency. Veggies were great sprinkled with salt and lemon juice.

Danaye

Added more cornstarch in hopes that the batter would thicken—unsuccessful. To remedy, dip veggies in batter, coat in cornmeal, and then fry. An electric fryer worked fine, and I cooked outdoors to avoid the lingering smell.

anna

Only add liquid til consistency is right.

Thom

Not sure what went wrong but the batter would not come to a heavy cream consistency. It came out watery and did not coat the veggies very well. I used all fresh ingredients and followed the recipe in every detail. It tasted ok, because anything fried tastes good. But kind of a waste of time and quality food stuffs, like the buttermilk. Oh well... Might try again and take steps to make sure the batter sticks better.

Gili

Amazing. everyone loved!

Annick

I did something similar with leeks cut so they look like linguine. DE-LI-CIOUS. Of all the vegetables I used, these were the absolute best.

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Fried Green Beans, Scallions and Brussels Sprouts With Buttermilk-Cornmeal Coating Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should I boil my brussel sprouts before frying? ›

It's not always necessary but we think it works here to create a soft middle and crisp exterior in the pan. When you boil them, the water should be well salted which allows seasons the sprouts from the inside out for best flavour all the way through.

What do green beans look like? ›

Green beans, string beans, and snap beans are long and rounded and green. Yellow versions are known as wax beans and purple varieties are also to be had. Heirloom varieties may still have a fibrous "string" running down their sides, but most varieties for sale today have had that inconvenience bred out of them.

Why won't my brussel sprouts get crispy? ›

Roast the Brussels Sprouts at high heat

If you don't hear them crisping up in the oven, add a little more oil and roast them for a few more minutes until your desire crispiness is achieved!

Why do you soak Brussels sprouts before cooking? ›

The soak time tenderizes the sprouts so the middles are softer. Don't worry, they won't be soggy! I would never do that to you. If, like me, you don't mind some chew to your sprouts, you don't need to soak the Brussels sprouts prior to cooking.

What is the most flavorful green bean? ›

Maxibel ~ If you only get one bush bean variety, make it Maxibel. This is a full-size (7-inch pods) French filet bean that has straight, dark green pods. A very gourmet-type bean, Maxibel has a flavor that can't be beat.

What is the white fuzz on my green beans? ›

Powdery mildew, caused by the fungal organism Erysiphe polygoni, is one of the most commonly occurring diseases on many types of beans. Green beans, pole bean, long bean, Italian bean, and snow pea crops are all susceptible to powdery mildew in tropical and subtropical climates.

What's the difference between green beans and Italian green beans? ›

What is the difference between regular and Italian beans? In terms of varieties, string beans or regular beans are long and rounded in shape. Italian, or Romano, are flat and wide with more of a nutty flavor.

Should sprouts be boiled? ›

Boiling them renders them easier to digest, making the nutrient-rich sprouts more tolerable for sensitive digestive systems. Additionally, the boiling process significantly reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses associated with raw sprouts, ensuring safer consumption.

How long do you boil sprouts for? ›

To boil, put into a pan with some salt, cover with boiling water, bring back to the boil and cook, covered, for 5-10 mins. They take 5-10 mins to steam. A sharp knife should easily go through the base then they are done, but with a little resistance. They should still feel firm to the touch.

Should brussel sprouts be steamed or boiled? ›

Not to mention, a quick steam is the perfect way to cook the sprouts and keep their vibrant-green hue intact. For results that aren't too mushy, here's how to steam Brussels sprouts. 1. Place 1 pound quartered Brussels sprouts in a steamer basket over 1 inch boiling water.

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