Simple, crispy balsamic roasted brussels sprouts made with just 3 ingredients are a delicious and healthy veggie side dish to go with all of your favorite weeknight meals! (vegan, gluten-free)
This post was originally published January 2016 and has been updated.
Can we all agree that brussels sprouts are the best vegetable out there? Yes? good. Poor guys had to go through a horrible couple of decades with a reputation as the worst vegetable out there due to people boiling the ish out of them, resulting in grey mush. But by now, hopefully you know that brussels sprouts are absolutely delicious if you just cook them right. The right way to cook them? Roasting, of course.
Why You'll Love These Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasting brussels sprouts results in delightful little sprouts with crispy outer leaves and soft (read: not mushy) interiors. A generous dose of salt and balsamic vinegar add a hit of flavor as the natural sugars in the balsamic vinegar caramelize in the hot oven. And with only 3 simple ingredients (not counting salt and pepper), these delicious brussels sprouts are easy enough for weeknight dinners!
Are Brussels Sprouts Healthy?
We can all agree that eating more vegetables is healthy. But I especially love brussels sprouts for their cancer protective properties. Brussels sprouts are part of a family of vegetables called Brassica (which also includes cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage) that have been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.1 So eat all the brussels sprouts!
How do you make crispy roasted brussels sprouts?
These simple roasted brussels sprouts couldn't be easier:
Look for brussels sprouts that are on the smaller side, with tightly closed leaves that are bright green.
You want your brussels sprouts to roast, not steam, so make sure they have plenty of room on the baking sheet. Spread them in a single layer.
Keep the single stray leaves that escape during trimming. They roast up super crispy during cooking!
Using enough oil is key for getting crispy sprouts. You also want to wait until after they've cooked before adding the balsamic vinegar so that they don't just steam in the liquid.
You can also use a large cast-iron skillet that has been preheated in the oven instead of a sheet pan.
What to Serve with Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
Perfect Pork Tenderloin
Easy Honey Garlic Salmon
Rosemary Orange Grilled Chicken
Slow Cooker Balsamic Braised Short Ribs
Blackberry Glazed Salmon
Coffee Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
Honey Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Plums
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Crispy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
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Simple, crispy balsamic roasted brussels sprouts made with just 3 ingredients are a delicious and healthy veggie side dish to go with all of your favorite weeknight meals! (vegan, gluten-free)
Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Wash brussels sprouts, trim ends and cut in half vertically.
Toss brussels sprouts with oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Spread them evenly onto the lined cookie sheet with cut sides down.
Bake at 425° F for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and turn oven up to broil.
Pour balsamic vinegar over brussels sprouts and stir to coat. Return to oven and broil for about 5 minutes, watching carefully so that they do not burn. Remove from oven and serve hot.
Notes
Look for brussels sprouts that are on the smaller side, with tightly closed leaves that are bright green.
You want your brussels sprouts to roast, not steam, so make sure they have plenty of room on the baking sheet. Spread them in a single layer.
Keep the single stray leaves that escape during trimming. They roast up super crispy during cooking!
Using enough oil is key for getting crispy sprouts. You also want to wait until after they've cooked before adding the balsamic vinegar so that they don't just steam in the liquid.
You can also use a large cast-iron skillet that has been preheated in the oven instead of a sheet pan.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian in Abilene, Texas, as well as a member of the Baby Led Weaning Dietitians Network. Kaleigh can be found at kaleighmcmordie.com.
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Sue Psays
Super simple! We have these (at least) once a week! Also, instead of balsamic, try drizzled maple syrup, garlic, slivered almonds, and just a few red pepper flakes. Mmmm mmmm good! (They went well with the coffee rubbed pork tenderloin)
Why Are My Brussel Sprouts Not Crispy? Spread them out into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet to avoid overcrowding. If they're too close together, they'll steam instead of roast which stops the crisping process.
Your first step should always be to blanch the brussels sprouts. This is basically when they get submerged in boiling water just for a few minutes, not until they're fully cooked, but just enough to take away some of the bitterness. Blanching also softens them and preserves their beautiful bright green color.
The crispy exterior, however, is achieved by preheating the sheet pan itself in a 450° oven. You're essentially treating the baking sheet like a sauté pan, searing an entire side of the brussels sprouts. Without preheating the pan, they'd overcook before they got to the ideal crispy state.
Don't be shy with oil when roasting veggies. Stick with olive oil or grapeseed oil, but avocado, canola, or vegetable oil work fine too. Just make sure there's enough fat on the brussel sprouts (and the pan) to help them get crispy. A good rule of thumb is at least 1 Tbsp olive oil per pound of brussel sprouts.
Preheat the oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the Brussels sprouts in half, toss with drizzles of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper, and spread on the baking sheet. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown around the edges.
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.
Parboil them in salted water. Both Martha Stewart and Gordon Ramsay tout this cooking hack, advising us to trim and halve the Brussels sprouts, before tossing them in salted boiling water for 2 minutes and then roasting or sautéing them with their final flavors.
The other secret to ridiculously crispy Brussels sprouts is tossing them in plenty of oil. We like to use olive oil, but plain vegetable oil is great too. If the sprouts are well-coated, they'll caramelize and char instead of simply softening in the oven.
This could be caused by using too little oil for roasting. You need a nice coating of oil—enough to make the heads shiny or if they're cut, enough oil to get inside the folds of some of the leaves. Without oil, Brussels don't brown and soften—they dehydrate.
Eating a lot of Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous veggies may help protect against cancers of the stomach, lungs, kidney, breast, bladder, and prostate. Crunchy veggies like Brussels sprouts may also help you stave off other health issues, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.
Wash sprouts under cold running water and remove any leaves or yellow spots you may see. Place sprouts in a pot and cook for about 10-15 minutes. Sprouts are done when a knife will easily cut through them. Season with butter, salt, and pepper to taste.
Slice off and discard the bottom end of each Brussels sprout, as well as any wilted or discolored leaves. Slice vertically to halve the Brussels sprouts. Then place the halves cut-side-down, and thinly slice horizontally to shred by hand.
The only difference is that we'll lower the oven temperature for reheating. A high oven temperature is ideal for roasting, but since the sprouts are already cooked, we just want to heat them through and bring back their crispy char, without burning them.
Sprouts on the stalk will stay fresher longer than sprouts that have been picked off and sold loose. Plan on about 1/2 pound (8 ounces) of raw brussels sprouts per person.
There's nothing wrong with soft and chewy Brussels, but if your goal is the type of crispy Brussels that they're serving at your favorite bistro you MUST thoroughly dry the surface of the sprouts before sautéing and/or roasting them. If they are wet they will steam instead of crisp.
The usual cause is poor soil, lack of growth and especially the use of non-hybrid cultivars. Only hybrid cultivars can be relied on to produce firm sprouts.
While you can make roasted Brussels sprouts whole or halved, I recommend trimming and halving them for this easy recipe. To trim: Using a knife, trim off the bottom of the tough stem end of each Brussels sprout. Then, remove any yellow or damaged leaves, and cut each Brussels sprout in half lengthwise.
It should be green, slightly al dente and never sulphurous. In fact, cooked well, they have a lovely nutty flavour. The key to how to cook the perfect Brussels sprouts is to cook them for a very short time. Anything over six minutes is probably too much.
Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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