~ Love ordering Roasted Brussel Sprouts in restaurants? Good news: they’re super easy to make at home, too! I’ve got simple tips to make sure yours roast up beautifully, every time. Toss in some cranberries, pecans, and a drizzle of sweet-and-spicy honey to make your perfectly oven roasted Brussels sprouts … absolutely irresistible! ~

This Recipe Is:   •  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less  •  Includes Make-Ahead Steps  •  Vegetarian  •  Gluten Free  •

It just might be the ultimate vegetable-world Cinderella story.

Brussel Sprouts are showing up all over restaurant menus these days … both as side dishes, and even as trendy, popular appetizers. They’re alluringly glamorized on the glossy pages of food magazines, too.

Unexpected, right?

That vegetable we all dreaded when we were kids … those sad little gray-green balls of overcooked torment … well, they’ve been transformed! They’re the darling of chefs everywhere, and suddenly people just can’t get enough of ’em.

Talk about a comeback story!

The Secret?

It’s so simple! You’ve just gotta cook ’em right. With Brussel sprouts, that absolutely makes alllll the difference.

I’ve become an {addicted} believer. Seriously. You’ll actually look forward to them.

Even my veggie-suspicious daughter gave this Roasted Brussel Sprouts recipe a hearty thumbs-up (which, trust me, is the ultimate seal of veggie-approval). My recipe testing notes include scribbled exclamations like “Fantastic!” and “Best Ever!” And the very first time I made these, my husband said, “Hands-down best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever had. Like, not even in the ballpark.”

Wow. That’s a whole lotta love for a veggie that used to be every kid’s suppertime nightmare!

Why You’ll Love These Particular Roasted Brussel Sprouts

These are no plain-jane baked sprouts. No siree. These have yummy layers of flavor and texture that truly elevate basic Brussel sprouts!

• First, there’s the browned, caramelized, roasty marks on the outside of the sprouts. While they’re still fresh-tasting (and definitely not mushy). Great start, right?

• But, add to that the delightful, sweet-tart pops of chewy dried cranberries.

• Plus toasty, crunchy pecans. Oh my … getting even better!

• And as if all that wasn’t delicious enough, the whole glorious concoction is tossed in an alluring drizzle of sweet-and-spicy honey. Not so much that your Brussel sprouts are sticky-sweet. And not overly spicy-hot. Just enough to give them a tempting little hint of “Heyyyyy … what’s that delicious flavor going on here?”

Honestly, I get so excited buying Brussel sprouts at the store now, knowing what they’ll become. In fact, I usually buy two pounds at a time, because just one pound isn’t enough. No kidding – these are THAT good!

Ready to make restaurant-quality Brussel sprouts? Friends, it’s so quick and easy!

Plus I’ve got a bunch of great tips all along the way, to ensure they turn out addictively wonderful …

How to Make This Roasted Brussel Sprouts Recipe (with LOTS of Tips)

Step #1

Grab a big baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Fire up your oven to preheat at 475°F.

Tip 1: Roast Hot and Fast – I go into a bit more detail about this in my recipe for Oven Roasted Carrots. But, the main takeaway here is that I generally recommend roasting veggies at a high heat … and quickly. That strategy yields deliciously caramelized, toasty exteriors, while not over-cooking the insides of the vegetables.

Now, that we’ve fired up the oven, let’s talk about those sprouts. (Which leads us to several more handy tips!)

Tip 2: Buying Brussel Sprouts – As the Chicago Tribune explains, smaller sprouts are usually milder and sweeter. But, unfortunately, you don’t always have a choice at the grocery store. Not to worry! I’ve cooked even some seriously BIG Brussel sprouts before, and as long as I don’t overcook them, they’re still pretty darn good. Choose smaller ones if you can, but don’t stress if you’re staring at a grocery bin full of jumbos.

Tip 3: Dry Sprouts Roast Better – If you’ve rinsed your Brussel sprouts, or they’re damp at all, be sure to pat them dry. Damp vegetables don’t roast as well. That’s true for pretty much any veggie, from Roasted Asparagus to Blistered Green Beans. A handy tip any time you’re roasting veggies.

Tip 4: How to Cut Your Sprouts – Begin by trimming away the bottom, stem end. (I used to obsessively carve out most of the core, too, but that’s totally unnecessary and the core actually helps to hold the Brussel sprouts together.) Next, cut your Brussel sprouts VERTICALLY in half. If you happen to have some really large Brussel sprouts in your batch, you should probably quarter them instead of cutting them in half. You want all your sprout pieces to be roughly the same size, so they’ll all roast in the same amount of time.

Step #2

Toss your Brussel sprouts with some EVOO, salt and black pepper.

You can do this in a bowl, but I always simply do it right on my baking sheet. Why dirty a bowl if you don’t have to, right?

Either way, I definitely find it’s easiest to use my hands for this task, because you want to be sure that the Brussel sprouts are evenly coated all over with oil, and that the seasonings are distributed throughout.

Tip 5: Don’t Toss Out Loose Leaves – As you’re cutting your Brussel sprouts and tossing them in oil, you’ll probably have a few of the outer leaves fall off your sprouts. That’s especially true if your sprouts are bigger or older and not as tightly, densely closed. No problem! They can still be used. Simply separate any loose leaves before you slip your baking sheet in the oven. Set them aside them for now … we’ll add them to the baking sheet toward the end of roasting, since they’ll roast quickly and you don’t want them to get burned.

Step # 3

Spread your Brussel sprouts out on the baking sheet so they aren’t piled on top of each other.

That’s a big key to proper roasting.

Tip 6: Don’t Overcrowd Your Sprouts – When vegetables are too crowded or get piled on top of each other during roasting, they’ll actually tend to steam more than they’ll roast. Just like with my Roasted Root Vegetable recipe (and as I’ve said again and again) … when it comes to roasted veggies, they like their real estate! Give ’em plenty of space. And, if you’re making a double (or triple!) batch, use additional baking sheets as needed.

You’ll notice in the pic above that I actually take the time to turn all my Brussel sprouts so they’re flat-side-down.

You know I’m all about quick and easy, so it might seem odd that I’d take the time to do that. Or maybe you thought I just made the effort so they looked great for their photo shoot?

Nope! There’s a good reason for this, too!

Tip 7: Getting a Great Initial Sear – The wonderful thing about roasting Brussel sprouts at a higher heat – and cut in half – is that those flat sides can get the most fabulous toasty, caramelized sear marks. Delicious and so pretty! Don’t miss out on that. Take the extra moment to flip all your sprouts so they begin roasting with their flat, cut sides facing down. It’s truly worth the few seconds it takes!

Step #4

Next, pop those babies in the oven for about 10 minutes. That’ll give them a chance to get some of the nice caramelized spots we were just talking about.

After 10 minutes, they’ll actually be nearly done. Pull them out and give them a stir, adding in the cranberries and pecans, plus the reserved, loose leaves you set aside earlier.

At this point, you don’t have to worry about the cut sides facing down. Just be sure to spread everything back out fairly well.

Step #5

Slip your baking sheet back in the oven for 3-4 minutes longer.

That’s just enough time for the cranberries to get warmed (but not hard and dried out), and for the nuts to toast a little without burning. It’s also perfect for those loose leaves to roast quickly without incinerating.

Tip 8: Don’t Overcook Brussel Sprouts – This is probably the absolute most important tip of all. Just like we chanted over and over together, in my recipe for Bacon Brussel Sprouts: DO NOT OVERCOOK THEM! As the site Fooducate explains, overcooking causes Brussel sprouts to release something called glucosinolate sinigrin. That’s what’s responsible for giving overcooked sprouts an unappetizingly sulfurous smell. And why they just really don’t taste very good when you cook them to a sad, mushy death. Instead, you’re looking for your Roasted Brussel Sprouts to have some great, caramelized brown spots but still to be bright green (not drab and gray-green). And you definitely don’t want the insides to be mushy. They should still be a bit firm, with some spunk left in them.

Step #6

Transfer those gorgeous Brussel sprouts to a pretty serving bowl, and toss them with Hot Honey and a little more oil.

And don’t worry … as I said before, that Hot Honey isn’t too spicy-hot. It creates a complex, flavorful backdrop. But it’s not gonna set your tongue afire, I promise.

Take your masterpiece straight to the table and dig in!

And what’s that I hear?? In between all the mmmmmmms … did someone just exclaim, “Oh wow – these are the best Brussel Sprouts EVER?!? I didn’t even think I liked Brussel sprouts until NOW!!!” Yep … I think that’s precisely what I hear! 🙂

Much More Than Just a Holiday Side Dish

Lots of families view Roasted Brussel Sprouts as a mandatory holiday food. Great as a side dish with Christmas prime rib or ham, or with turkey at Thanksgiving. It makes perfect sense, since the true season for Brussel sprouts is from fall through mid-winter.

And no doubt … this recipe is so festive, all decked out in reds and greens.

But, you’re in luck! Once you’ve tried these and kind of gotten addicted, too … you’ll be relieved to know that Brussel sprouts are now commonly available pretty much all year ’round.

And even though this recipe feels special enough to deserve a place at your holiday table, it’s easy enough for regular ol’ weeknight family dinners, too.

• Maybe try it with fast-cooking Mini Meatloaf “Muffins” for easy comfort food with a little flair.

• The flavor pairing is nice with our Easy Honey-Glazed Salmon recipe, too.

More Ways to Love Brussel Sprouts

And, hey … don’t want to fire up the oven to make oven roasted Brussel sprouts on a warm day?

No problem! I’ve got two more great sprout recipe ideas for ya.

1. That Bacon Brussel Sprouts recipe I keep mentioning just needs a quick stovetop sauté. (The keyword, as always, is quick. Remember our mantra: DO NOT OVERCOOK THEM, right?!?!)
2. And rather than just a little cooking, how about no cooking at all? Our Superfoods Brussels Sprout Salad is ready in about 5 minutes flat with no cooking whatsoever. Perfect!

Even more great reasons to love you some sprouts, any time of year!

Mmmmmmmm … if you’ve been holding off on trying Brussels sprouts because you remember what they were like in the “olden days” … wait no more. I think this recipe will change your mind!

And if you’ve already fallen under the sprout-spell, this recipe is a fast and easy way to indulge your sprout cravings. (I can’t be the only one who literally craves these, can I???)

Ahhhhh … Don’t you just love a great, rags-to-riches Cinderella story?

Good job, little Brussels sprouts. You’ve won us over, big time. Welcome to the “favorites” list!