If you’ve never made roasted brussels sprouts at home before, you’ve gotta try it! There’s loads of fun variations you can make (like with balsamic vinegar, bacon, Parmesan, lemon & more) but really all you need are brussels sprouts, oil and some salt to make your own crispy, buttery, fork tender roasted veggies. Simple & easy enough to make any night of the week, but the results are delicious enough for your holiday table too!
about this easy roasted brussels sprouts recipe
You could say, I’m more than just a little bit obsessed with roasted Brussels sprouts.
If they’re on a restaurant menu, chances are VERY good that we’re getting them for the table!
The good news is that they’re surprisingly simple to make at home too, with just a sheet pan, some oil and salt.
After halving them, you roast them at a high temperature until crispy, caramelized, fork tender, and delicious.
They make the perfect side dish that pairs with almost anything, and the buttery flavor from the oil and salt alone will have you stealing bites straight off the pan.
how to make roasted brussels sprouts
This recipe (if you can even call it that, it’s seriously so simple!) is basically a chop and drop situation.
While many restaurants and chefs may feel that it's better to blanch your Brussels sprouts before roasting, I choose to skip that step to streamline it for home cooking.
After you’ve prepped your veggies you dump them onto the tray, toss them in a bit of oil & salt, and let the oven do the rest.
Test for doneness by finding the largest half you can on the sheet pan, pierce it with a fork and (of course, once cool enough) taste it to see if it’s cooked to your desired doneness. Personally, I like mine tender in the center but caramelized on the outside with crispy edges.
Everyone likes their veggies cooked differently, so if you like them a bit more al dente (with a bit more bite in the center) you can pull them off a bit earlier than in the recipe card below.
Of course, you can add any extra seasoning or flavors you like after baking - like chopped cooked bacon, shaved Parmesan, lemon zest & lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes (or even toss them in your favorite dressing or sauce!).
I’ll put a few fun variations below to get you inspired but honestly I love them as-is!
3 tips for making the best roasted brussels sprouts at home
These are very easy to make but a few of my top tips would be to (1) get Brussels sprouts when they’re in season (2) make sure you’re cutting them into even pieces before roasting and (3) don’t overcrowd the pan!
Try to buy them in season: You can find Brussels sprouts year round in many grocery stores but like most produce, it tastes the best (and is at its most affordable price point) when it’s in season. For me, here in California, that looks like the late winter to early spring months.
Cut them into even pieces: This tip actually applies for all roasting recipes but if possible, try to choose Brussels sprouts that are roughly the same size. If you have any that are very large you can cut them into quarters instead, and if you have any that are very small you can just trim off the ends but don’t cut them in half. When they’re roughly the same size, then everything will be done at the same time (in other words you won’t have that annoying experience where some of them are on the verge of burning while others aren’t even cooked through the middle yet).
Don’t overcrowd the pan: If you’re wondering why your Brussels sprouts aren’t crispy, make sure you’re roasting at a high enough temperature and that you aren’t overcrowding the pan! This tip goes hand in hand with making them the same size. You want the heat from your oven to be able to evenly cook each of your veggie pieces, so giving them enough breathing room on the pan is key. This also helps them to really, truly get that roasted flavor.
If you’re doing an especially big batch you may want to split them up onto two trays. And when it comes time to stir them halfway through cooking, switch the trays places for the most even cooking (so moving the bottom tray to the top rack, and vice versa).
can I use already-cut brussels sprouts?
You can also find Brussels sprouts already chopped for you in your produce section, but I prefer to cut my own at home.
Typically I’m a big fan of anything you can get pre-prepared for you at the store…I mean who doesn’t love using convenient, time-saving, step-saving ingredients like that?
But I’ve noticed when I get Brussels sprouts pre-prepared they have inconsistent knife cuts and I end up with a bag filled with totally different sizes & thickness of the “halves”.
When it comes to roasting veggies, big differences in sizes of the cut pieces generally also means inconsistent doneness and cook time.
And no one wants to end up with a sheet tray filled with some brussels sprout halves on the verge of burning, with others that aren’t even cooked through the middle yet!
Since you’re just trimming off the ends and cutting them in half, they’re super easy to prep at home - a sharp chef’s knife and a cutting board makes quick work of it.
how to avoid burning your brussels sprouts
As you’re trimming and cutting your Brussels sprouts, you may notice that some of the leaves fall off onto your cutting board.
Since they’re much thinner and more delicate than the thicker halves, they’ll take less time to cook.
So if you want to avoid burned or overly crispy leaves, set any of those extra leaves aside while you start roasting the halves.
You can either discard them, or wait to add them on top in the final 10-15 minutes of cooking.
Waiting to add them at the end lets you use everything and they’ll crisp up nicely without that off putting burnt taste & texture.
For extra crispy edges, you'll want them to have as much contact with the sheet pan as possible and as much time to cook undisturbed. So for crispy Brussels sprouts, try placing them cut-side down and skip the stirring step on the recipe card.
ingredients & substitutions
Brussels sprouts: Fresh, not frozen, Brussels sprouts work best for this method. If possible, try to get them when they’re in season for the best flavor.
Avocado oil: I used avocado oil for this recipe for its neutral flavor and ease of use for high heat cooking, but you can use any other neutral flavor oil you like - including olive oil, vegetable or canola oil.
Salt: With such a simple preparation, the salt is key to amping up the flavors in this dish. It turns up the volume on any other seasonings you choose to add. I often use pink salt because it’s what I have on hand, but you could use whatever you like for this recipe. Adjust the amount of salt to taste.
more fun variations to try
This recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Balsamic and Parmesan is a fancied-up version of this delicious base recipe, but here’s a few of my other favorite simple twists to try!
Add black pepper: If you like, you can add some freshly cracked black pepper to the sheet pan just before roasting for extra flavor.
Make them spicy: If you like a little extra kick, toss the Brussels sprouts hot-from-the-oven with some red pepper flakes or chili-garlic oil just before serving.
Add a bit of lemon flavor: For a citrus twist, add some lemon zest to your Brussels sprouts before roasting. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice after cooking for even more bright flavor.
Roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar: You can either use store-bought balsamic reduction (Trader Joe’s has one, and the Nonna Pia brand also has some great options) to drizzle on top just before serving. Or you can mix together a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup (or honey), olive oil, and Dijon mustard - drizzle over top of the warm Brussels sprouts and toss together just before serving.
Roasted brussels sprouts with bacon: Add cooked, crumbled bacon pieces to your cooked Brussels sprouts. Toss them together just before serving for a little extra salty, savory flavor.
Roasted brussels sprouts with garlic: Toss in a few cloves of fresh minced garlic to your Brussels sprouts before roasting for a little extra garlic flavor. You can also use garlic powder for a subtler but still delicious garlic flavor.
Roasted brussels sprouts with Parmesan: Back in my catering days, we used big pieces of shaved Parmesan with our roasted veggies so that's what I love using (and what I see used most often in restaurants too) but grated Parmesan would also be great. Add it on top of the warm Brussels sprouts just before serving.
more easy roasted vegetables recipes
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan
Simple Roasted Butternut Squash
Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Brussels sprouts
- 3 tbs avocado oil or any other neutral-flavored cooking oil you like
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare your Brussels sprouts by trimming off the ends and discarding them. Then slice them down the center from top through the core.
- Add the halved Brussels sprouts to a metal baking sheet. Toss with the oil and then sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the tray from the oven and stir the Brussels sprouts around with a spatula. Bake again for another 10-15 minutes (until softened and brown around the edges).
- Remove from oven, salt to taste and serve warm.
Notes
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