Four words you don’t often see together: mouth-watering Brussels sprouts.
I can see it now, you’re raising an eyebrow and giving me the stink eye because your “b.s.” detector is going off. In fact, you probably didn’t even click on this post!?
*sings* I’m all by myself.
Or, maybe you share my excitement for this misunderstood vegetable. There are many of you out there! I know this based on my Instagram comments recently. In fact, one of you said the photo made your “mouth water” which served as inspiration for this recipe title!
I loathed these green, leafy orbs most of my life until that one glorious day when I roasted the heck out of them with some good oil and sea salt. I forgot to set the timer and consequently “over-cooked” them a bit, but as I stood there over the pan popping them into my mouth, one by one, I realized I hit the jackpot. Browned, almost caramelized bottoms, crispy, blackened leaves, and a tender yet “meaty” texture. Yes, I just said meaty texture. For a veggie, that is.
I also converted Eric into a Brussels sprouts fanatic with this method, and I’m sort of regretting it.
“I never thought I’d see the day when I’d eat an entire pan of Brussels sprouts.”
(That is a direct quote from Eric recently. What have I done?)
In this post I’ll divulge my go-to method for roasting these misunderstood sprouts, and I’ll share my favourite ways to flavour them. They really are the perfect canvas for creating all different kinds of flavours depending on your mood.
The elephant in the room: Brussels sprouts are a bit of a pain to prep (ok, I won’t sugar coat it, they are my nemesis!), however I timed it and 2 pounds takes me 10 minutes to trim so it could be worse?). You can’t go wrong coercing a helper to cut the prep time in half. Or why not just designate the entire task to your favourite relative? wink, wink. muhauha.
The Brussels prepared below are lovely as is, but I encourage you to try all kinds of different spices, glazes, dips, sauces, etc. Here are a few of my favourite flavours:
A drizzle of pomegranate molasses or balsamic reduction with pomegranate arils (very festive!) – you can skip the Harissa here.
Garlic infused – try minced garlic cloves, garlic-infused oil, garlic salt
Teriyaki sauce – pairs well with sesame seeds
Barbecue sauce (I’ve been known to use BBQ sauce as a dip!)
Coconut curry sauce or your favourite curry powder
Sriracha or other hot sauce
Hummus (we’re loving roasted red pepper hummus with these lately)
Ground toasted nuts or seeds like pecans or sesame seeds. I want to try hemp hearts too.
I really had fun with this photoshoot; I hope you enjoy! I thought it would be fun to start adding “glow tips” to some photos. Let me know what you think!
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Mouth-Watering Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Yield
4 side servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This is my current go-to method for preparing Brussels sprouts. I lightly coat them in melted coconut oil, season with sea salt and Harissa spice blend, and then roast until charred and crispy. Keep in mind that the amount of roasting time will vary depending on your oven and how fresh the Brussels sprouts are. It's best to keep an eye on the first batch. After roasting I love to drizzle the smallest amount of melted coconut oil on top and then toss them again - this just takes them over the top on the mouth-watering scale and it also rehydrates them after roasting. This recipe can be changed up so many ways too. For a festive twist, try drizzling Pomegranate molasses or Balsamic reduction on top (you can skip the Harissa for a more neutral flavour) and serve with fresh pomegranate arils. We also love dipping the sprouts in roasted red pepper hummus or a sweet Barbecue sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, outer leaves removed (6 cups prepped)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted or olive oil*, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon dry Harissa spice blend**
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- With a paring knife, trim off the ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise, and pick off any loose outer leaves. Place the prepped sprouts into a large bowl.
- Add the oil onto the sprouts in the bowl and stir or toss with hands until throughly coated. Add the Harissa and salt, and stir until combined.
- Spread the Brussels sprouts onto the prepared baking sheet in a uniform layer. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast the sprouts for 20 minutes, then flip with spatula, and continue roasting for another 5-15 minutes until browned to your liking. I tend to "overcook" these because I like them crispy and charred (I usually brown mine more than the photos show). Smaller sprouts will brown faster than larger ones.
- Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of melted coconut oil and quickly toss to coat. This infuses with flavour and moistens them a bit after roasting. Sometimes I also sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds if I have some on hand. Taste and add another tiny pinch of salt, if desired, and serve immediately - the hotter the better.
Tip:
*If using melted coconut oil, make sure that your Brussels sprouts are at room temperature before mixing in the oil. If the sprouts are chilled from the fridge, the oil will harden when mixing. Keep in mind that using virgin coconut oil will impart a very light coconut flavour. You can use flavourless refined coconut oil if you prefer.
**I found the Harissa spice blend at Whole Foods in the US (it’s the Whole Foods Market brand). It contains: paprika, caraway, chilis pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, garlic, peppermint, sea salt. I’ve also been told that it can be found at Bulk Barn and Sobey’s in some Canadian locations. You can also find it online here.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Wow! As always, Angela, you are on the forefront of food trends. Just the other day I bought Brussels Sprouts chips, and thought, “Angela could totally make these sing!” Like you, I was not a fan of them for, like, all time. For Thanksgiving, I’m trying a recipe using these and I’m mixing maple-roasted pecans, dried cranberries, and sweet potatoes.
Oh I love them with sweet potato…such a perfect combo of textures and flavours. Have a great Thanksgiving!
I totally agree with you, Angela — Brussels sprouts are entirely misunderstood. They are one of my favorite vegetables. :)
I’m curious to know why you bother taking off the outer leaves. I usually don’t (I’m a bit lazy, haha), and I’ve never noticed any problems with leaving them on. Do you find that the outer leaves taste different or have a different texture?
I like the glow tips, by the way!
Hi Sarah, I find the outer leaves often have dirt or imperfections on them, so if that’s the case I will pop them off. I also can’t find organic sprouts all the time, so I guess it’s a bit of piece of mind to remove the outer leaves. Either way though, it’s your call. Hope this helps. :)
When you’re able to get organic Brussels sprouts, definitely throw those outer leaves on the pan to roast!! When I take mine out to flip halfway through, I just start eating those crispy little sprout chips right off the pan (so they don’t burn, I tell myself). Holy wow – just perfect. I’d make a whole tray of Brussels sprout chips if that didn’t sound like the most work ever to peel all of those bad boys.
Can I just pop in here and say….I save my outside trimmings, put in a freezer bag and freeze until I’m making a pot of veggie soup! But those sprout chips sound better!!!!
Another great idea for Brussels sprouts scraps (or any veggie scraps!) is to put all those trimmings into a gallon-sized zip baggie and store in the freezer until the bag is full. When it’s full of veggie scraps/trimmings, put them into a slow cooker, fill with water and cook for 8+ hours then strain out the veggies. You will have a wonderful no-sodium veggie broth. If you don’t have a slow cooker (Crock Pot) you can simmer this on the stove in a large pot for several hours.
The cooked veggies can be added to your home compost heap too- no waste!
Such a great idea. I was just thinking of doing that the other day but my outer leaves were questionable, hah. I’ll have to try that soon!
We love them with sliced chestnuts mixed in toward the end of the roasting time (about five minutes or so). They add such an amazing flavor and texture. I grew up thinking that all Brussels sprouts when destined to taste like old stinky shoes because my mom always boiled them to death. Now roasted brussel sprouts are my favorite veggie. I get excited as soon as we have our first frost because I know I’ll see them at the farm stand.
I LOVE chestnuts roasted along with Brussels sprouts. I also roast mine with minced garlic and add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, along with grated parmesan before serving. So good!
This sounds yum! I think I’ll have to try Harissa for the first time! I have come to love Brussels sprouts if they are roasted (not boiled, which how I had them as a child). I also like to add slices of fennel to the roasting pan – it adds a sweetness which is nice with the sprouts.
damn you make brussel sprouts fun and yummy to eat. I wasnt a fan until seeing this. thanks so much
These brussel sprouts look amazing! I’m definitely going to try this recipe soon!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Your Brussel Sprouts are truly photogenic ~ all these photo’s made me smile they are so good! I grew my own this year, tiny ones but like you said, they were so tender and delicious my 3-year-old was willing to eat them plain, just steamed. Big score for mom. I’ve also read that Brussel Sprouts are the #1 hunger suppressing food. This is 100% true. When I was trying to loose a few pounds, I’d eat 2 servings an hour before dinner and my typically voracious appetite went poof. Now if I could only get my husband to eat them. And bok choy, he always scoffs at bok choy.
I have a recipe for bok choy w/ garlic & orange juice that is really delicious. I bet you could find something similar on web that he might like.
At my house, its pretty tricky to convince anyone to eat cooked brussels sprouts without bacon…this recipe gives me hope for cooked brussels sprouts that I can prepare in a delicious way and them everyone can choose their own toppings! You made my son fall in love with them raw in a salad, but with the cold (finally) coming to Ontario, this cooked Fall version is going to be a hit. You had me at “caramelized”!
I love the glow tips on the pictures…every bit of advice helps!
You must have read my mind; I’ve been scouring the internet for a few new ways to spruce up boring ol’ Brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving next week. Thanks for the wonderful ideas! (Hummus and Brussels sprouts? I’m dying to try that now!) Like you I always thought I hated Brussels sprouts. That was until I had them heavily roasted with a little garlic on them. Boy, was that a game changer! Now I absolutely love them any way they’re prepared, though roasted is still my favorite.
And I’m loving the glow tips!
Yes! I have been loving the Brussels too this past week! Love the idea of the pomegranate molasses with these. Yum! I have been impatient, and found that cooking them in a hot pan with olive oil/coconut oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt does wonders similar to roasting, only faster. I cook them until they are deeply browned, tossing often, and then add a drizzle of maple syrup at the last moment, toss to coat, then dig in. After nearly clogging my garbage disposal this past week, I can say with confidence to compost those trimmings…bahahaha!
These look lovely, Angela! And the photos… gorgeous! *-*
I also think that brussels sprouts are delicious when roasted and served with balsamic vinegar. Recently, I’ve found out another seasoning, that is olive oil with balsamic vinegar, agave (or honey) and salt and pepper. This actually enhances the slightly sweet flavour of the brussels sprouts, which makes them even better! ^^
Yes Adela, i love roasted brussels like yours…I love, love, love Brussels!!
Love this. Roasted brussels sprouts are like candy to me! THEY ARE JUST SO ADDICTING. No better way to prepare them!!! <3
Oh wow these look amazing! Completely mouth watering! My go-to quickie dinner these days is a veggie burger (our favorite veggie burger courtesy of the cookbook) reheated from the freezer and a sliced bell pepper, onion, and a serving of Brussels sprouts cooked in a pan for like 10 minutes until the onions caramelize. You wouldn’t believe the giant mound of veggies this makes! I cannot wait to try this! Sadly I’m trying to make it to Thanksgiving break before grocery shopping (mom, bring the car and the credit card! Got to love being a college student).
I think I’ll probably have this along with the lentil-walnut loaf for my Thanksgiving feast :) with some other goodies of course… but I need SOMETHING green, right? Ahaha, my turkey-eating friends will be so jealous!
Thanks!
Amberley
I’ve always felt that Brussels sprouts have been misunderstood too. I’ll definitely have to give these new ideas a try
The Brussels Sprouts are one of the things I have to prepare for Christmas dinner this year. I hate them so this is definitely worth a try. Thank you. www.champagneinateacup.wordpress.com
Hi Dara, not sure if it was a mistake or not but you hadn’t tried the recipe and rated it one star?
I didn’t grow up eating brussels sprouts, which might be the reason I love them now! Haha no childhood trauma!
These look so so delicious, crispy & brussels sprouts in one sentence makes my heart swoon. X
Yum!! These look amazing!!! I usually cool Brussels on the stove top but I think roasting is the way to go! What is Harissa? What does it taste like exactly? Can I buy it at the regular store?
I love the sprouts as well!
pictures are great with the words right In make it easier to follow recipe , love it .
great job
Roasting (in my opinion) is the key!! It’s the way I learned how to like Brussels sprouts and beets, and now they’re 2 of my favourite veggies. These combos all sound fabulous Ange! And I hear ya on the BBQ sauce – I’ve been known to use it as a dipper too!
I agree with above commenters -roasted brussel sprouts are like candy – sooo good. and perfect with sweet potatoes – and even more perfect with sweet potato and black beans or black bean burger :)…last Thanksgiving we went away to a lodge in VT that we love with our family. They had a huge buffet and graciously made me a vegan meal which included a sweet potato and sprouts – with a side of maple syrup for condiment. It was SO delicious! And being a holiday – I did not have any guilt about syrup being my dinner condiment ;)
I have a question though – when I roast any veggies, the ones on the outer rim of the pan gets crispy and the ones in the middle do not. Parchment paper seems to make it take longer to get crispy and potatoes have a very hard time with the parchment. Yet I do not want to put the veggies right on the pan as it is not pure stainless steel (I need to make that investment but it is pricey!). Any ideas? Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks for any tips you have.