Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts are the perfect vegetable side dish - simple to prep and even easier to cook. You won’t be able to get enough of these Brussels!

In my experience, there are only two types of people when it comes to Brussels sprouts. You either LOVE them or you’d pretty much eat anything else instead of them. I used to be in the second camp. My favorite food groups were chocolate and pizza. Thankfully, I’ve seen the light and now belong to the group that finds Brussels simply irresistible.

There’s something about the crispy outer layers when they’ve been roasted - they are perfectly crunchy and delicious! I usually do a simple sea salt and pepper on my brussels along with a simple toss/drizzle in extra virgin olive oil. Sometimes I’ll sprinkle on garlic or onion powder if I’m looking for just a little more flavor.

How do I prepare Brussels sprouts?

The most painstaking (I say “painstaking” because this is pretty much the only part of the recipe that feels like work) part of preparing Brussels sprouts is cleaning and cutting off the ends that were attached to the stalk and then cutting the sprouts in half so that they roast the insides throughout. Did you know that Brussels sprouts grow on a stalk like this?

After cleaning, drying, cutting off the ends and cutting the sprouts in half, simply spread evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you prefer, you can mix up the sprouts, oil and spices in a bowl before spreading out on the sheet pan - but I will avoid doing more dishes whenever possible so I like to mix it all up on the sheet pan and roast.

How long do I need to roast the Brussels sprouts for?

This will all depend on how crispy crunchy you like your Brussels sprouts. I like to roast on a fairly high heat (around 400°F) for at least 15-20 minutes. I watch them through the oven window to make sure they aren’t burning. Sometimes I will stir them halfway through so that all the sides are evenly roasted.

What pairs well with Brussels sprouts?

I personally like to enjoy Brussels sprouts with a grilled steak or grilled/roasted chicken. Brussels are a great home cooked dinner vegetable side dish and could definitely be dressed up to make as a holiday side dish. Think turkey, prime rib, etc.

How could I make these Brussels even MORE flavorful?

Pro tip: if you keep bacon grease in the house, melt that down to liquid state and toss the sprouts in the grease instead of olive oil. Sometimes I like to pre-cook bacon to a mildly crispy texture and let it cool. I’ll then chop the bacon into bacon bits and toss the bacon bits into the roasted Brussels. The saltiness of the bacon is SO nice with the roasted Brussels sprouts. I could almost eat them as a meal alone!

If you’re a converted Brussels sprouts lover from a Brussels hater, what was the recipe that changed your mind?