how to clean brussel sprouts

The Best Brussels Sprouts of Your Life

Jazz up your Brussels Sprouts with a kick of garlic and freshly grated cheese - making this simple side dish one that the whole family will love!

Recipe Video Print

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4 servings

A pan with roasted Brussels Sprouts that have crisp, golden edges

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Piled high in a bowl

Golden & crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and ready to serve in less than 30 minutes – The Best Brussels Sprouts of Your Life!

A pan with roasted Brussels Sprouts that have crisp, golden edges

This easy side dish is my family's favorite vegetable recipe… EVER. And I'm betting that once you try it, it'll be a favorite in your house too!

Guess how many ingredients are in this recipe? C'mon guess! Okay, I'll tell you…four. Just four ingredients (and some seasoning)!Hello, simple side dish! You're Welcome! 🙂

Who knew Brussels Sprouts could be so exciting? I mean really – Brussels Sprouts! For me, they always had a bad reputation. Something that was served to me steamed, or boiled to within an inch of its life.

But all that has changed with these crispy Brussels Sprouts – sprout skeptics step aside because these are amazing!

Why This Recipe Works

Cooking the sprouts in high heat, cuts bitterness by caramelizing them, creating crispness, and a sweet, nutty flavor.
The crisp outside contrasts well with the tenderness of the inside.
The nuttiness of the roasted garlic and the saltiness of the cheese is a delicious combination!

The Benefits of Eating Brussels Sprouts

Like so many a cruciferous vegetables (edible members of the cabbage family), Brussels Sprouts are very low in calories, high in fiber, and help with reaching your daily value of many vitamins, and minerals. They're rich in vitamin K, high in vitamin C. They also contain small amounts of vitamin B6, potassium, iron, thiamine, magnesium and phosphorus.

So, with all of that in mind, we should all eat more Brussel sprouts, right? Once you try this recipe, you'll make them a lot more!

Buying Guide

A cutting board with a pile of cleaned brussel sprouts.

Choose Brussels sprouts that feel tightly compacted and hard when squeezed.
Choose bright green heads that are similar in size.
Smaller sprouts tend to taste sweeter, while larger sprouts taste more cabbage-like.
Untrimmed Sprouts are just as good as trimmed, and both should keep for several weeks refrigerated.

Preparing and Trimming

Start with cleaning the sprouts and then remove any loose leaves. Trim stems by cutting off the tough ends and halve the larger Brussels sprouts.

Leave smaller sprouts whole, but cut a cross symbol through the stem. The stem is the toughest part of the Brussels sprout and the cross allows them to cook at the same rate as the tender area.

A cross being cut through the stem of a Brussels sprout

How To Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Add the prepared Brussels sproutsto a sheet pan.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Add sliced garlic , grated Parmesan cheese,and season with salt and pepper.
Toss to evenly coat.
Roast at a high temperature until crispy and golden .

Step By Step Instructions

Place the prepared Brussel sprouts on a large roasting pan or a large baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.

the prepared Brussels sprouts being placed on a sheet pan

olive oil being poured onto the Brussels Sprouts on a pan

Thinly sliced garlic being cut over the Brussels sprouts

I use the gadget pictured above to slice my garlic. You just fill it with peeled garlic, twist and thinly sliced garlic pieces come out! It's changed how I cook forever!

You can get one on Amazon (As an Amazon Associate, a small commission is made from qualifying purchases).

Brussels sprouts in a pan with thinly sliced garlic

Parmesan cheese being grated onto the Brussels Sprouts in the pan

Fresh ground pepper being grated onto the Brussels Sprouts in the pan

Serve this delicious recipe with anything from holiday dinners to Breaded Chicken Cutlets with a side of roasted potatoes for an easy dinner everyone will love!

Make ahead and Freezing Instructions ❄

Making Ahead – I recommend prepping in advance and then serving straight from the oven. Alternatively, cook in advance and rewarm in the oven at 350°F/175°C until heated through (about 5-7 minutes). You can also reheat them in a microwaveable dish in the microwave until warmed through.
Storing Leftovers: Stored in an airtight container, leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Piled high in a bowl

Erren's Top Tips

Dry your Brussels sprouts well. The drier they are, the crispier they'll be. If washing, use paper towels to pat them dry or use a salad spinner to spin that liquid right off.
For crisper sprouts, spread them out on the pan without too many touching. Overcrowding causes you to steam the Brussels sprouts instead of roasting.
Cut the sprouts to be even sized pieces if you want them to have a similar texture.
Be sure to start with a hot ovento help the sprouts crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Brown is good. If you've never cooked Brussels sprouts this way, at first glance you may think it looks burnt out of the oven, but once you taste it, you'll know those little "burnt" areas are the best tasting parts!
When using untrimmed Brussels sprouts, trim off the dry part of the stem at the base of the sprout and any loose outer leaves.
For extra caramelized area place the sliced Brussels sprouts cut-side down at on the pan. This will give a larger browned surface area.
Leave smaller sprouts whole to avoid overcooking.
On smaller sprouts that don't need to be halved, slice a cross in the stem (see the video). The stem is the toughest part of the Brussels sprout and the cross allows them to cook at the same rate as the tender area.
For an extra kick of flavor, try adding try adding red pepper flakes or lemon zest before roasting and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving.
Be sure to taste and season well before serving.

FAQs

How do you get the bitterness out of brussel sprouts?

To cut the bitterness, be sure to start with a pre-heated oven. Hot and fast cooking is best, and a preheated oven will speed things up. Slower cooking seems to enhance the bitterness.

Do you need to soak brussel sprouts before cooking?

Unless very dirty, it's not necessary. If they are very dirty, soaking them in cold water for 20 minutes will help remove excess soil.

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▢ 1 pound Brussels Sprouts Cleaned and trimmed
▢ 3 cloves garlic Thin sliced or chopped
▢ ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese Freshly grated
▢ salt and freshly ground black pepper To taste
▢ 3 tablespoons good quality olive oil or for Keto, butter flavor coconut oil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Pre-heat the oven to 400F
If needed, clean and trim the Brussels sprouts and cut them in halves and place them in an oven safe dish. Make sure to dry them very well before cooking.
Add the garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, followed by the olive oil. Toss to coat.
Roast in the oven uncovered for 20-25 minutes until crisp, brown and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside. Serve with more grated cheese.

Dry yourBrussels sprouts well. The drier they are, the crispier they'll be. If washing, use paper towels to pat them dry or use a salad spinner to spin that liquid right off.
For crisper sprouts, spread them out on the pan without too many touching. Overcrowding causes you to steam the Brussels sprouts instead of roasting.
Cut the sprouts to be even sized pieces if you want them to have a similar texture.
Be sure to start with a hot oven to help the sprouts crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Brown is good. If you've never cooked Brussels sprouts this way, at first glance you may think it looks burnt out of the oven, but once you taste it, you'll know those little "burnt" areas are the best tasting parts!
When using untrimmed Brussels sprouts, trim off the dry part of the stem at the base of the sprout and any loose outer leaves.
For extra caramelized area place the sliced Brussels sprouts cut-side down at on the pan. This will give a larger browned surface area.
Leave smaller sprouts whole to avoid overcooking.
On smaller sprouts that don't need to be halved, slice a cross in the stem (see the video). The stem is the toughest part of the Brussels sprout and the cross allows them to cook at the same rate as the tender area.
For an extra kick of flavor, try adding lemon zest before roasting and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving.
Be sure to taste and season well before serving.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brussels sprouts, brussels sprouts recipe, Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Update Notes:This post was originally published on Dec 5, 2017, but was republished with, step by step instructions, photos, cooking tips, and a video in September of 2018 and new information in 2020.

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