Brussels Sprout Tacos with Spicy Peanut Butter

Ummm, hear me out... these tacos sound super weird ~and kind of are, tbh~ but the result is just as weirdly satisfying. The brussels sprouts pair super well with the umami flavors in the peanut sauce and really make this dish stand out. As a peanut butter fan, this really fit my thai-inspired peanut sauce cravings.

Ingredients

Salty-Sour Vinaigrette

• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• ¼ cup sliced scallions
• 1 ½" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
• Kosher salt

Tacos

• 2 Tbsp. Aleppo-style pepper or 1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• ¾ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts plus ¼ cup crushed
• Kosher salt
• 1 lb. brussels sprouts, preferably small ones, trimmed, divided
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 8 6" corn tortillas
• ¼ cup finely chopped white onion
• Sliced avocado, sliced serrano chiles, cilantro leaves with tender stems, flaky sea salt, and lime wedges (for serving)

Recipe

Salty-Sour Vinaigrette

Heat a small saucepan over medium. When hot, pour in 1 Tbsp. fish sauce. It should bubble up vigorously and then get thicker and slightly darker, about 30 seconds. Repeat with remaining fish sauce, incorporating 1 Tbsp. at a time. Carefully add vinegar (it may spatter), then transfer mixture to a small bowl; let cool. Stir in scallions and ginger. Taste and season with salt.

Do Ahead: Vinaigrette can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Tacos

Purée red pepper and ¾ cup whole peanuts in a food processor until a smooth butter forms, about 2 minutes. Season with kosher salt and scrape into a small bowl.

Very thinly slice one-fourth of brussels sprouts; transfer to a medium bowl. Cut remaining brussels sprouts in half. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Shallow-fry halved brussels sprouts in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then add to sliced brussels sprouts. Drizzle with ¼ cup Salty-Sour Vinaigrette and toss to coat; season with kosher salt.

To serve, heat a medium skillet over medium-high. Working one at a time, cook tortillas just until warmed through; transfer to plates. Spread tortillas with some spicy peanut butter; spoon brussels sprouts over. Top with onion, avocado, chiles, cilantro, and ¼ cup crushed peanuts; sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with lime wedges.