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Brussels sprouts are a funny vegetable. Only a few years ago everyone hated them.
When I was growing up my mom would always say that there wasn’t a food she didn’t like. Except for Brussels sprouts.
That’s probably because she had them steamed or boiled until they were a pile of bitter mush. Gross. I don’t blame her.
Then someone in the foodie world tried roasting them. Trimming their ends off, slicing them in half and letting them get nice and charred and crispy.
Suddenly Brussels sprouts were all the rage. They became the popular vegetable. All the cool kids were eating them!
The first time I made roasted Brussels sprouts for my mom she changed her mind about hating them. Now she can officially say that there isn’t a food she doesn’t like.
One of the biggest things I have learned since starting this food blog is that how you prepare certain foods can make all the difference in the world of whether you may or may not like them. Squash is another example. I used to hate squash because I only had it prepared boiled or steamed. Once my college roommate roasted up some spaghetti squash it was like the wool was removed from my eyes. I fell in love with all the different kinds of roasted squash.
Since Brussels sprouts have become the popular veggie I have had some served to me that were less than ideal. That’s why I’m here today to show you how to make roasted Brussels sprouts and have them turn our great every single time.
Ready?
Let’s do this!
Basic rules to roasting Brussels sprouts (or any vegetable for that matter):
- Preheat your oven to a high heat – 400 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for Brussels sprouts. Allow it to come up to that temperature before you stick those sprouts in there. If the oven isn’t hot enough then the Brussels sprouts won’t get crispy.
- Make sure your Brussels sprouts are bone dry – TBH I don’t wash my Brussels sprouts (or any veggie I am going to roast) I can never seem to get them dry enough. If you are going to wash them then lay them out on a towel on your counter for several hours until they are nice and dry. If they are wet they will steam and won’t crisp up.
- Cut the Brussels sprouts in half – a whole roasted Brussels sprout doesn’t get crispy. Crispy Brussels sprouts are key for ultimate flavor.
- Don’t overcrowd your baking sheet – You want your Brussels sprouts to be in an even layer. If they are on top of each other they will steam and be mushy (see a theme with the mushiness here?). When in doubt divide them among two baking sheets.
- Use enough oil – oil helps to crisp things up and prevent sticking. My general rule is 1.5 tablespoons for 2 pounds of veggies.
- Don’t toss the Brussels sprouts – this isn’t true for all roasted veggies, but for roasted Brussels sprouts I find they get charred best when left alone. More char = more flavor
- Roast the Brussels sprouts just the right amount of time – they should be fork tender and nice and charred. Keep an eye on them at the end.
- Eat them immediately out of the oven – once cooled they loose their crispiness. They’re still flavorful leftover but that crispy crunch is best!
That’s all there is to it!
You are on your way to the best roasted Brussels sprouts you’ve ever eaten!!!
Simple yet so delicious and satisfying.
Most of the time we keep things simple by only salt and pepper. If you’re looking for a way to jazz them up check out these recipes:
- Brussels sprouts and bacon with orange tahini sauce
- roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts with pomegranate (a favorite around the Holidays)
- crispy Brussels sprouts with basil cashew sauce
- one pan maple chicken with Brussels sprouts and bacon (not roasted and not crispy but a very delicious one pan meal!)
The only thing left for you to do is buy all of the Brussels sprouts. Now is the time, winter is their season!
I hope you love roasting your Brussels sprouts as much as we do!
P.S. Please let me know in the comments below if this how to post was helpful for you.
I have been thinking of doing more how to posts on the blog. Some ideas I have are: how to roast garlic (a few different methods), and how to cook bacon in the oven.
These posts are simple methods of cooking that have become go to ways of cooking in my kitchen. Let me know in the comments below so I can provide content that is helpful for you.
Thanks! And I appreciate all of you for being here! 🙂
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How to Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Sides, Appetizers, 1 pan, 30 minutes, healthy, easy
- Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free
Description
A simple guide on how to make roasted Brussels sprouts & guarantee they turn out crispy, charred, and tender every time. Makes the perfect side to any meal.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Brussels Sprouts
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- salt and pepper
- Optional spices you could add
- garlic powder
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim the ends off your Brussels sprouts and slice in half. Also pull off any bad looking leaves at this time. Leaves that fall off naturally and look healthy are fine to add to the pan – they crisp up and are delicious.
- Mix: Transfer the trimmed Brussels sprouts to a large rimmed baking sheet. Add the oil, salt and pepper, and any other spices you want – use your hands or tongs to toss the sprouts in the oil and spices so that everything is well coated. Arrange the Brussels sprouts so that they are all cut side down and spread out in an even layer. You don’t want them to be too crowded otherwise they will steam instead of roast.
- Roast: Roast for 15 to 25 minutes (depending on the size of your Brussels sprouts), or until the Brussels sprouts are fork tender and have a nice char on the cut side, also any stray leaves will be crispy.
- Serve: Serve immediately while the Brussels sprouts are hot. Once the Brussels sprouts cook they loose their crispiness. Although they are still really flavorful leftover they are best straight from the oven.
Notes
You can easily half the recipe or scale the recipe up depending on how many people you are serving. If you scale the recipe up you might need an extra large baking sheet or to separate them between two baking sheets so they have enough room to get crispy.
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