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These are not the mushy, tasteless Brussels sprouts of your childhood, I promise. Instead, feast on some oven-roasted Brussels sprouts that are perfectly blackened and have a caramelized glaze that adds a touch of sweetness. Paired with some roasted walnuts, they turn into more than just a side dish.
If you’ve ever shared a meal with me then you know I don’t do soft, watery veggies. My Skillet Green Beans are perfectly blacked and my Roasted Cabbage Wedges and still crunchy.
These sprouts are the same kind of deal, easy to make and 100% a crowd-pleaser.
You’re about to make the most delicious roasted Brussels sprouts and there’s no going back from here. They are roasted to perfection, crispy, not mushy, packed with flavor and insanely addictive. (There, you’ve been warned.) Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts are absolutely irresistible.
Once upon a time, this strange vegetable sent children (and adults!) running from the table out of fear. Now you’ll be making double or triple batches of this recipe, then popping them into your mouth like candy!
Table of Contents
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Ingredients
Just like with other side dishes like my Roasted Butternut Squash, I like to keep it simple. You just need a few ingredients to make this a show-stopper.
- Avocado oil: Since I’m roasting these at a high temp, I’m using avocado oil instead of olive oil.
- Brussels sprouts: You can find these still on the stalk, in a bag, already halved. You pick! You can even purchase them at your local farmers market starting in October all the way through February.
- Raw walnut halves: I like to keep a Costco-sized bag of these on hand since they are staples for my Walnut Taco Meat and my favorite Vegan Basil Pesto recipes.
- Maple syrup: Since maple syrup already has a warm, slightly nutty flavor, it’s perfect for caramelizing the walnuts and sprouts. A little goes a long way in this recipe so you get a touch of sweetness, yet it’s not the super candied effect like with candied pecans.
- Sea salt: If there’s a vegetable you haven’t learned to like yet then it probably wasn’t seasoned properly. Sea salt helps bring out the flavor of the sprouts in a lovely way.
- Ground black pepper: No need for a lot of black pepper in this recipe; a few shakes are all you need.
Now that you’ve got your ingredients, let’s get roasting!
How to Make Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
I like this recipe best with a little charring on top, as well as just a touch of sweetness. While you can put this in a pretty bowl with a gorgeous serving spoon and properly serve it, my family often eats it straight from the sheet pan. Here’s how to get that perfectly charred look:
- Heat your oven to 425° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This will keep the ingredients from sticking.
- Once you’ve halved the sprouts, place them in a large bowl and toss well with the avocado oil, salt and pepper. You want each piece to be well-oiled to achieve the perfect roast. Brussels sprouts have layers of leaves and we want to crisp the inner as well as the outer leaves, so getting that oil throughout will help.
- Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on the baking sheet. It doesn’t matter if they are cut side up or down, just make sure they’ve got a bit of space.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the outsides start to blacken (a bit like broccoli does) and the middle turns golden and crisp up.
- While the Brussels sprouts are baking, toss the walnuts in a bowl with maple syrup until they are coated.
- With 3 minutes left to bake, carefully remove the sprouts from the oven and add the prepped walnuts. You can keep them on one side of the pan or mix everything together, your choice. Walnuts toast quickly, so keep an eye on the oven once they go in to ensure they don’t burn.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
That’s it! In just 20 minutes you’ve got a magazine-worthy side dish to feature in your Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes or quickly eaten on a Tuesday night before volleyball.
Your finished sprouts should be tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. You can sprinkle these oven-roasted Brussels sprouts with some coarse sea salt before serving for an extra crunch.
Serving Ideas for Roasted Sprouts
You can easily turn this simple recipe from a side dish to part of the main event. Add it to a Veggie Bowl topped with Coconut Sriracha for a sweet, savory, spicy fusion or pair it with this Tofu Breakfast Bowl for a great start to your day.
Instead of maple syrup, you can flavor this recipe with Balsamic vinegar. Toss the sprouts with 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite vinegar before baking.
These crispy Brussels sprouts would also be an incredible salad topping for a Lemon Arugula Salad.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts FAQs
There could be a few reasons why your Brussels sprouts turn out mushy. If your baking sheet isn’t big enough to give the sprouts some breathing room, they aren’t going to crisp up nicely. Make sure to spread them out a bit. Second, make sure those sprouts are well coated in cooking oil. You can use avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, yet make sure to toss the Brussels sprouts well in the oil before baking, even getting it on the inside layers instead of just the outer leaves.
Brussels sprouts shouldn’t have water in them before roasting. Pat dry with a tea towel, then coat well with cooking oil all over to ensure they get crispy.
There’s no need to cover Brussels sprouts with tin foil or parchment when roasting. You really want the outer leaves to get blackened by the end of roasting. If you find some of the sprouts are roasting faster, you can carefully remove the pan halfway through baking to stir up and ensure an even baking throughout the whole pan.
More Roasted Vegetable Recipes
Healthy Vegetable Recipes don’t have to be bland and boring. In fact, let’s just throw that whole thought out the window. You can take the simplest thing and jazz it up easily, like with this Roasted Spaghetti Squash recipe.
Whether it’s roasting vegetables for Roasted Red Pepper Soup or Vegan Pumpkin Soup, or roasting them for a snack like these gorgeously Roasted Chickpeas, don’t be afraid to try roasting something new! You’ll learn some new skills and make your meals so much more fabulous.
While Brussels sprouts are a vegetable people love to hate, I think you should give this oven-roasted Brussels sprouts recipe a try. It might just change your mind!
Don’t forget to rate + review once you’ve tried them!
Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts halved, about 8 cups
- 1 cup raw walnuts halves
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper ground
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the halved Brussels sprouts in a large bowl and toss well with avocado oil, salt and pepper.
- Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until edges start to nicely blacken and the middle turns golden and crispy.
- Meanwhile, place the walnuts in a bowl and drizzle with maple syrup.
- Toss until well coated and add to roasting Brussels sprouts the last 3 minutes of cooking.
- Remove from oven once walnuts are lightly caramelized and the sprouts are perfectly roasted.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Equipment
- oven
Notes
- Replace maple syrup with honey for a non-vegan version.
- Swap avocado oil with olive or coconut oil.
- No walnuts on hand? No problem! You can use pecans instead.
- Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge and store for up to 5 days.
- Originally featured in my Simple Green Meals cookbook.
I tried these Brussel sprouts today as an afternoon pick-me-up, and they were so good and satisfying! Not to mention that vitamin C you’re getting! Even my momma loved them and she’s become a picky eater in her older years! Thank you! Will be making these again!
I bought the steam in bag edamame
I steamed them For about 5 min as instructed on package then drained and let cool
Are they ready to eat then? I think they are.. as they are slightly firm and bright green( the bean) or are they just defrosted and need more cooking?
Hi Barbara! They should be good to eat, I’d definitely follow the instructions on the bag.
Absolutely delicious! I suggest letting it cool in the fridge after blending, but this is still a great Thanksgiving smoothie hot or cold.
Hi! So glad you liked this one, you are right, it’s perfect for Thanksgiving!!
Just saw this recipe. Sounds great. What are the amounts used for olive oil, balsamic and Dijon mustard?
Thank you
Hi Donna! The ingredients for the Roasted brussel sprouts are:
2 tbsp avocado oil, 1 lb Brussels sprouts halved, about 8 cups, 1 cup raw walnuts halves, 1 tbsp maple syrup, sea salt, black pepper ground. Were you looking at a different recipe perhaps?
This has become a fav at our Thanksgiving meal, and definitely made an appearance again this year! I loved introducing it to my 1 yr old too… she didn’t care for the walnuts, but was all about the Brussels sprouts!
Hi sorry slightly confused. What is meant by a cup in terms of measurement please? For example you say use 8 cups of Brussels. Thanks
Hi Liz, the recipe calls for about a pound (16 ounces) of Brussels sprouts, which equals roughly 8 cups. If you prefer to measure in weight instead of volume, use 1 pound of sprouts.
I’m confused!
Comments mention olive oil, balsamic, Dijon, and Parmesan. Are they referring to another recipe?
Hi Valerie! I’m so sorry for the confusion. This recipe has changed slightly since it was first posted. The recipe shown above appears in Jen’s book, Simple Green Meals, and all the ingredients and directions have been updated to reflect that. It’s really a delicious dish, you should def try it! 🙂
I hated Brussels sprouts as a kid, but have been obsessed with them as an adult. This recipe was delicious!!!!! I make them in a cast iron skillet and it works wonderful. Def make them if you are on the fence.
Aren’t cast iron skillets the best?! Glad you liked this recipe!
I’ve made this recipe about 3x now, and every time, it’s a hit. Thank you for posting it…sooo delicious!
Hi Shana,
Thanks for reaching out + sharing the Brussels sprout love!
What could you substitute the maple syrup with? Honey?
Hi Mark,
Honey is the perfect substitute! 🙂
Is the olive oil part of the coating, or do you put it on the parchment paper?
Hi Argie,
Great question! We’ll need to update our recipe. Add the olive oil along with the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Thank you so much for pointing out this error.
So what do you do with the olive oil?
Hi Ryan,
Great question! We’ll need to update our recipe. Add the olive oil along with the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Thank you so much for pointing out this error.
Sounds delicious, I will definitely try them and leave feedback 🙂 thank you!
Thanks Irena! We can’t wait to hear back from you!
Have you guys tried this without the Parm? I’m wondering if it takes all the yummy away…
Hi Krista,
I’ve made this recipe with both Parmesan and without, and both are mighty tasty!!
Cheers 🙂
This looks yummy! Putting it on this year’s Thanksgiving menu. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Hi Joy,
Great idea! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!