To those who bear a fundamental hatred for Brussels sprouts, my guess is you’ve had to endure them steamed, boiled, or stewed to mush. If that’s the case, I don’t blame you for steering clear. But, don’t let that stop you from trying them a different way. Crisp-roasted, saucy Brussels sprouts are GAME-CHANGING. Ask my mother, former Brussels sprouts hater of over 60 years. Her convictions turned upside down when she tried these.
Roasted Brussels sprouts are ridiculously easy, low-stress, no-fuss, and wonderfully wholesome alongside any meal. They will make a beautiful, scrumptious addition to your holiday spread, and they are incredible for weeknight dinners as well. Without question, they’re my favorite winter side dish, and quite possibly my favorite thing on the Thanksgiving table.
Step 1: Trim and cut into halves or thirds.
Step 2: Toss in oil and seasonings.
Keep it simple with sea salt and black pepper, or try a smoked sea salt, smoked sea salt spice blend, or black garlic salt (my favorite) for added flavor.
Step 3: Turn cut-side down and spread out.
Step 4: Roast DRY.
By dry, we mean without water (i.e. only oil, which contains 0% water). No steaming, no braising, no boiling, no stewing. This also means they should be reasonably spread apart on the sheet pan so they don’t accumulate natural moisture as they cook. This will ensure a crispy, charred exterior and tender interior without any sign of mushiness.
I roast them, cut-side down, at 425º for about 25 minutes. When ready, they should be fork-tender all the way through, crisp on the outside, and look charred when flipped over. Some of the outer leaves should look, well, burnt. That’s good! Just watch them closely near the end of cooking to make sure they aren’t burning more than this.
Step 5: Sauce ’em while they’re hot.
This is what takes the reaction from “mmm…those are good Brussels sprouts” to “🎵MMMmmMMMmm I’M STEALING THE PAN.”
I use a 1:1:1:1 mixture of grainy Dijon, maple syrup, apple butter, and apple cider vinegar, plus a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves. The apple butter brings in an extra dimension of festive fall flavor, but if you don’t have any, no worries! You can simply omit or add a little extra maple. Toss the hot Brussels sprouts with the sauce immediately after removing them from the oven, right on the sheet pan. The sauce will stick and caramelize over them beautifully.
The Best Maple Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
These show-stopping Brussels sprouts are roasted to crispy perfection in olive oil and garlic salt, then tossed in a sweet, saucy blend of maple, apple butter, Dijon, cider vinegar, and thyme. Everything you want in an elevated and festive, yet simple and healthy one-pan side dish that will make even the Brussels sprouts skeptics fall in love.
Notes
Keep it simple with sea salt and black pepper, or try a smoked sea salt, smoked sea salt spice blend, or black garlic salt (my favorite) for added flavor.
Ingredients
- 12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed
- 2 tsp olive oil
- medium/coarse sea salt and black pepper, to taste (see note)
- 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp apple butter (or additional 1/2 tsp maple syrup)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Trim stems off Brussels sprouts and slice into halves (if smaller) or thirds (if larger).
- For easy clean-up, line a large baking sheet with non-stick foil. Place the Brussels sprouts on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, generously season with salt and pepper (see note), and toss to coat evenly.
- For the best crispy texture and caramelization, turn each piece cut-side-down, and spread them out so the pan isn't over-crowded.
- Roast, undisturbed, at 425º for 20-30 minutes. (I aim for 25 minutes.) When done, they should be fork-tender, crisp on the outside, and charred on the cut side. Some of the outer leaves will be very dark.
- Meanwhile, mix the Dijon, maple syrup, apple butter, vinegar, and thyme leaves in a small mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Immediately after removing the Brussels sprouts, drizzle the sauce over them on the baking sheet and toss to coat evenly. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
