How are your holiday preps coming along guys? I’ve yet to start preparing my Christmas goodies! And I’m so excited this Holiday season, as I will be spending it with my family here in Mumbai after 5 long years! Also, I’ve been yearning to enjoy my Mom’s Christmas goodies for the longest time, so I’m really looking forward to Christmas! I’m excited to share this oven-baked brussels sprouts recipe with you today! Don’t you love it when you can whip up a really easy side dish or appetizer that requires minimal effort and yet yields delicious results? These balsamic brussels sprouts are just that! They are easy, requiring hardly10 minutes of prep time, and the oven does the rest of the job. I happened to taste these sprouts while I was in the US since we don’t get them in India. These miniature cabbages taste quite like cabbage but are much milder. The small sprouts tend to be tender and sweeter than their larger counterparts which are usually bitter, especially if eaten raw. Handy tip: While buying brussels sprouts, remember to buy the ones that are firm and compact. Avoid those with yellow leaves or black spots. You can store the sprouts in an airtight container in the crisper for at least a week or you can store them in a cool, dark cabinet.
Ways to cook brussels sprouts
There are a number of ways of cooking brussels sprouts, such as;-
Roasting in the oven Pan-seared Grilling Air fryer Boiling Steaming Pressure cooking Braising
You can also enjoy raw brussels sprouts, in the form of a shaved brussels sprouts salad with your favorite dressing. Although there are quite a number of ways, I think the best way to cook brussels sprouts is by roasting or grilling them. Even air-fried sprouts are tasty. Roasting concentrates the sugars and brings out the natural sweetness. It is hands down my preferred way of cooking brussels sprouts. What makes these sprouts top-notch is that sweet and tangy balsamic maple reduction. After the sprouts are roasted, they are tossed with that syrupy and thick balsamic glaze, that’s like an icing on the cake. Sometimes, we simply enjoy this as a healthy snack. It is so good, that I can actually devour the entire thing as a meal. Even my kids enjoy this and that’s a bonus!
Oven-roasted brussels sprouts recipe
To begin this easy and simple brussels sprouts recipe, you will need these ingredients;
Fresh or frozen brussels sprouts Olive oil Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper Red pepper flakes, which are completely optional Balsamic glaze, which is nothing but balsamic vinegar reduced with a sweetener, until thickened. You do not need to splurge on an expensive balsamic vinegar for the glaze. Use whatever you have at hand, or else you can also buy balsamic glaze from the store. But I do suggest that you try making it at home, it is so simple with just 2 ingredients.
You just need a few simple steps to make the best oven-roasted brussels sprouts!
Prepare the sprouts by rinsing them, patting them dry, and slicing them into half lengthwise Toss them with some olive oil and seasoning of your choice Roast until tender-crisp Toss with the balsamic maple glaze Dig in!
Seasoning for brussels sprouts
I think the best seasoning for brussels sprouts is some coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper. You don’t need a ton of ingredients to make these taste good. The roasting process itself eliminates that characteristic bitter flavor of brussels sprouts, and turns them into this sweet poppable deliciousness, that are truly addictive! Feel free to add other seasonings like lemon pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, etc
Main dishes to serve with brussels sprouts
These glazed brussels sprouts pair well with any protein of your choice, such as;
Grilled chicken breasts or tandoori chicken Grilled or pan-seared salmon Seared or Grilled steaks Pork chops
Variations of this balsamic brussels sprouts recipe
I always like to add variations, to avoid getting bored. Although there is absolutely no reason you would ever get bored with this recipe as it is packed with flavors. But you can always use these ideas to vary things around! Bacon and shallots: Dice 3-4 slices of thick-cut bacon into 1-inch pieces, also thinly slice about 2 medium shallots. Add the chopped bacon and sliced shallot to the pan (in step 4 below), and roast as directed. You may also use a small red onion in lieu of shallot. You can also substitute the bacon with pancetta or prosciutto Honey balsamic: Swap the maple syrup for honey Pesto: Instead of tossing the roasted sprouts with maple balsamic glaze, toss it with a couple of tablespoons of fresh pesto instead and finish off with a sprinkle of parmesan! Yumm! Fresh or dried herbs: Add finely chopped fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley, dill, etc after the sprouts have roasted. If using dried herbs, add it before roasting. You can add about a teaspoon of dried herbs along with the olive oil, salt, etc Cheese: Sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan cheese, as soon as the sprouts are out of the oven. Other cheeses like goat cheese or feta are also good alternatives. Garlic: Roughly chop about 3-4 cloves (or as much as you like) and add it along with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the sprouts well, and roast as directed below. Lemon juice: Squeeze fresh lemon juice on the roasted sprouts Nuts or seeds: Toss the cooked sprouts with either of these toasted nuts – walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, slivered almonds or seeds like pepitas, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, etc to name a few. Raisins/cranberries: Toss in some raisins or dried cranberries in the end for a festive touch.
How to use frozen brussels sprouts for this recipe?
Though I prefer using fresh sprouts when it comes to roasting, you can definitely use frozen brussels sprouts for this recipe as well. Place the frozen sprouts directly on the baking tray, drizzle a generous amount of oil, sprinkle salt, and pepper, toss everything well, and roast as directed. You may halve the sprouts after they are done roasting, be careful as they are hot. You can broil them if you like them more charred.
If you love the deep, caramelized flavor of roasted vegetables, you will absolutely enjoy this not-so-likable vegetable in its roasted form. Served with balsamic-maple glaze, this does look like one fancy, gourmet meal. It will make an impressive addition to your Holiday table! Try it if you haven’t already!
How to make the best oven-roasted brussels sprouts with maple balsamic glaze – Step by step instructions
Step 1: Prepare the brussels sprouts for roasting
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Wash 1 lb of brussels sprouts well under running water. Pat dry completely with a clean kitchen napkin or paper towel.
Trim the ends of the brussels sprouts, discard the outer leaves or any other leaves that are yellow. Slice lengthwise.
Step 2: Toss the sprouts with oil and seasonings
Transfer the brussels sprouts to a sufficiently big bowl, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Toss to coat well. You may also add the outer leaves which fall while slicing the sprouts in half. They make for some delicious, crispy brussels sprouts chips.
Step 3: Transfer to a baking sheet
Place the brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side down in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan or stack them, they will steam instead of roasting and turn mushy. You may also line the baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier clean-up.
Step 4: Roast
Roast for 20-25 minutes, shaking the sheet halfway through during roasting. If you like them really charred, turn on the broiler towards the end and broil for 1-2 minutes, keep a close eye or else they might burn.
Step 5: Toss with balsamic-maple glaze
Once the bottom of the Brussels sprouts has caramelized, remove the tray from the oven, transfer to a serving platter and drizzle 2 tablespoons of balsamic-maple glaze balsamic glaze all over the roasted brussels sprouts. Toss gently to combine and serve immediately, with some more maple balsamic glaze on the side.
Notes
For the balsamic-maple glaze: While the brussels sprouts are roasting, prepare the balsamic maple glaze. Add 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to bubble, lower the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the glaze has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the saucepan off the heat, and transfer the glaze to a glass bottle or Mason jar. Refrigerate leftover glaze for up to 2 weeks, or store in a cool dark cabinet. This will hardly make about 1/4 cup of glaze, you can combine the rest with olive oil and whisk well to make an easy dip and enjoy it along with some crusty bread or simply drizzle leftover glaze over salad greens. Make-ahead brussels sprouts: I really do not recommend roasting these ahead of time. These are best served fresh when they are right out of the oven. They will lose their crispiness if left to sit for long. The most you can do is prepare the sprouts as mentioned in step 1 and refrigerate in an airtight container until you are ready to use them. Then simply coat with oil and seasonings and roast. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheating brussels sprouts: Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, heat it in the microwave for a minute.
★ If you try this roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic reduction recipe, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Feel free to share your feedback and suggestions at [email protected]. Thanks so much 🙂 You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
