It’s no secret that I absolutely love Brussels sprouts. When grown and cooked right, they are slightly sweet and a little nutty. Divine. In case you are wondering what I mean by grown right, Brussels sprouts should stay on the stalk until two frosts have passed. It’s the frosts that let them develop that slightly sweet flavor.
Now, roasted Brussels sprouts? Awesome. The roasting brings out a wonderful nuttiness. But usually, roasting can take the better part of an hour to cook with certain methods. That’s just too long for me. Call me impatient, but I value time-saving measures.
That’s exactly why I started cooking them on the stove. But I had a thought … if I spread the sprouts out on a baking sheet instead of crowding them in a small casserole, then they cook faster. So I did, and they were perfect. The nuttiness came through without having to wait forever for them.
Seasoning matters when you make anything. These are tossed with just a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil, with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. It’s simple, easy and perfect. The flavors complement the sprouts without overwhelming them.
I devoured them. Will devoured them. Yes, my four-year-old loves Brussels sprouts too. He even tried to convince me to save a few for later for him. I told him we would just make them again. Very soon.
With Thanksgiving approaching rapidly, these would also make a great easy side dish to go with the traditional trimmings.
Quick and Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 container Brussels sprouts, (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Remove the ends of the Brussels sprouts and any bruised outer leaves. Halve the sprouts and place in a large bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Pour the Brussels sprouts onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Be careful not to crowd them.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring once, about halfway through.
Sarah Walker Caron is a cookbook author, freelance writer and founder of Sarah’s Cucina Bella. She is the author of several cookbooks including The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook and One-Pot Pasta, both from Rockridge Press. A single mother to two kids in middle school, Sarah loves nightly family dinners, juicy tomatoes plucked fresh from the vine and lazy days on the beach. She also adores reading and traveling.
Mangochild
November 16, 2009 at 1:25 pmI too love Brussels sprouts. They haven’t popped up in my CSA yet, but I’m hoping they make an appearance soon – last year they started around Thanksgiving, so it might be around the corner. Its really interesting: I’ve thought that roasting the Brussels sprouts on the baking sheet as you describe was the ‘usual’ way to cook them; I’ve never heard of the casserole method! Everyone has their own background, and what’s traditional to one person is brand-new to another. Hence the happiness of sharing 🙂 How do you cook them in the casserole?
Sarah Caron
November 16, 2009 at 1:28 pmMangochild, I cook them with bacon and shallots in a casserole. They are very good that way. But I grew up thinking that they should be boiled (that’s how my grandmother made them — even though I didn’t eat them back then. So to me, that is the ‘usual’ way. It is really interesting to see what’s tradition to different people.
https://sarahscucinabella.com/2007/11/16/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-bacon-and-shallots-2/
Ellen
November 24, 2009 at 2:59 amI just made a roasted Brussels sprouts dish that had apples and apple juice in it. Came out divine! I was thinking of repeating it for Thanksgiving but am now thinking about doing half your way and half with the apples.