Did you hate Brussels sprouts as a kid? I didn’t! I never actually ate them as a kid. My mom hated them, so she never made them. But I discovered as an adult that I LOVE Brussels sprouts. Specifically, I love roasted Brussels sprouts. I also discovered that lots of folks who think they hate Brussels sprouts (including mom) had been eating them boiled, which doesn’t sound very good to me. Case in point: a few weeks ago my husband and I, while having dinner out with my parents, split a side of roasted Brussels sprouts. I convinced mom to try one, and she was amazed. “This is good!” she told me. It was! And today I’m going to show you how to make Brussels sprouts that are actually good. Crispy, delicious, and seasoned just the way you like.
4 Flavors
Each of these variations on roasted Brussels sprouts is super easy to make. Pick your favorite flavor. Here are the options:
Sea Salt
In other words, plain. Sea salt just sounds prettier and fancier than plain roasted Brussels sprouts, which actually sounds pretty boring and doesn’t do the dish justice. Roasted Brussels sprouts with nothing more than salt and olive oil are delicious, and they’re also the crispiest of the four variations, so make it if you love crunchy crispy salty stuff!
Maple
This flavor builds on the last — in addition to salt and olive oil, these sprouts get roasted with a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup. The sweetness of the maple provides a delicious contrast to the natural bitterness of the sprouts.
Balsamic
This one also includes olive oil, salt, and maple syrup, as well as (surprise) some balsamic vinegar, for a touch of tangy sweetness.
Chipotle
For chipotle Brussels sprouts you’ll need to crack open a can of chipotle peppers. The peppers will be packed in adobo sauce, which is what we’ll be using to flavor our sprouts, along with a touch of maple syrup, salt, and olive oil for roasting. These sprouts are perfect if you love smoky, spicy flavors.
How to Roast Brussels Sprouts
Start by prepping your sprouts. Remove any wilted outer leaves and trim any stems that look damaged or discolored. Now cut each of your Brussels sprouts in half. If they’re very large you can quarter them.
Arrange your sprouts on a baking sheet and drizzle them with some olive oil. Tip: if you’re planning on making any flavor variation other than sea salt, use a baking sheet with a rim to prevent the sauce from spilling in your oven. Use your hands to rub the oil into the Brussels sprouts, getting a nice even coating. Now sprinkle them with salt.
Pop the baking sheet into the oven. If you’re making the sea salt flavor, they’ll stay in the oven until they’re finished roasting — 25 minutes or so. Otherwise, set the timer for 10 minutes. Gather or mix your sauce while the Brussels sprouts roast. You don’t need to do any mixing for the maple flavor — just grab a bottle of maple syrup. For the balsamic sprouts you’ll mix balsamic vinegar with a bit of maple syrup, and for the chipotle flavor you’ll mix some adobo sauce and maple syrup.
After 10 minutes pop the baking sheet out of the oven. Warning: Don’t taste test the Brussels sprouts at this point. Even though they’re not done cooking, they’re already going to taste really good. You might eat them all before they’re even fully cooked. Pour your sauce or straight maple syrup over the Brussels sprouts and use a spatula to flip the sprouts and distribute the sauce. Don’t use your hand this time, or you might burn yourself!
Place the baking sheet back into the oven and roast the Brussels sprouts for another 15 minutes or so, until they’re tender and browned in spots.
My favorite part about roasting Brussels sprouts is snacking on all the super crispy leaves that come loose during roasting. Those things are seriously addictive!
Serve
Serve your roasted Brussels sprouts right away. They’ll get soft and soggy as they sit (although they’ll continue to taste good).
Are these Brussels sprouts gluten-free? Yup! Every flavor variation in this recipe is gluten-free. How do the leftovers keep? Roasted Brussels sprouts are best served immediately. They will lose their crispness as they sit. Leftovers will taste good, but they may be a bit soggy. Feel free to play with other flavor variations! Add some powdered spices such as curry powder or taco seasoning to the sea salt flavor. Add some hot sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice, or seasoned salt. Get creative! For the balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts, use good quality balsamic vinegar! Cheap vinegars will be runny and overly sour. Good balsamic is thick and slightly sweet. If you’re making the chipotle roasted Brussels sprouts, you’ll have some leftover chipotles and adobo sauce to use up. Try some chipotle roasted potatoes, chipotle baked tofu sandwiches, or vegan chipotle mac & cheese. Do the sea salt Brussels sprouts need to be flipped while cooking? Not necessarily. I never flip mine — they get crispier that way! Do keep an eye on them though, as they can start to burn if you oven runs a bit hot.
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