Here’s our favorite Brussels sprouts recipe—they’re baked until crispy and drizzled with a maple balsamic glaze! They’re so tasty and we’ve made this recipe more times than we can count.
Every now and then, a recipe comes along that blows us out of the water. Such is the case with these Brussels sprouts. These really are next level, and here’s why. They’re impossibly crispy, baked until caramelized and the outside layers flake off into darkened crunchy chips.
Then, they’re draped in a tangy maple balsamic glaze that heightens the flavors to their peak. One bite of these, and everyone at the table will be asking how you did it! This is one of our top Brussels sprouts recipes we pull out when we find them at the store or market.
How to cook Brussels sprouts
Sure, you can fry Brussels sprouts: it’s delicious, but it’s messy and it uses a lot of oil. So to us, the optimal cooking method for Brussels sprouts is roasting them until crispy. There are a few tricks to getting that perfect charred caramelization. Here’s what to know:
- Roast at high heat, in a single layer cut side down. Our favorite temperature for roasting vegetables is 450°F. Place all those sprouts cut side down for the best caramelization. You’ll want them in a single layer: no stacking!
- Use parchment paper to line your baking sheet: not a silicone mat/ Parchment paper makes them the crispiest; silicone mats make them soggy.
- Bake one tray at a time. To get maximum airflow in your oven, bake only one tray at once. (We learned this the hard way.)
- Don’t stir. That’s right, don’t even think about stirring! Throw them in for 25 minutes and they should crisp up beautifully.
Add a maple glaze
These Brussels sprouts are absolutely delicious roasted with olive oil and salt. The outer layers fall off and make crunchy, salty chips that are irresistibly good. Most of the time we eat them plain: because we like them savory! But want to take them over the top? They’re fantastic with a little sweet nuance from a tangy sweet glaze.
For the maple glaze, all you’ll do is heat equal parts maple syrup and balsamic vinegar until they reduce into a slightly thick syrup. We added a shake of soy sauce for good measure. Drizzle that over your Brussels sprouts, and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.
More flavor variations
Want to get creative? There are lots more ways to flavor Brussels sprouts. Here are some ideas:
- Spicy: Make a spicy variation by adding hot sauce to the maple glaze (about 1 teaspoon), or try these Spicy Brussels Sprouts.
- Honey: Another great flavor pairing is honey! Drizzle simply with honey or even hot honey.
- Hoisin: Brussels pair well with Asian-style flavors. Toss with purchased or homemade hoisin sauce.
How to make a larger serving
Did you read all our tips above about crispy Brussels sprouts? Let’s see if you were paying attention. How many trays can you have in the oven at once? One tray. That’s right: to get the maximum airflow around your sprouts while they bake, the oven must not have any other food in it.
How to roast more than 1 ½ pounds at one time? You can do this if you have a larger baking sheet that covers the entire baking rack. That’s an 18 x 13 pan, also called a “half sheet pan“. You could comfortably fit about 2 to 2 ½ pounds of Brussels sprouts on a half sheet pan, making sure they have a little space around each.
More ways to cook Brussels sprouts
This Brussels sprouts recipe is a favorite healthy side dish, perfect for any easy dinner (or even Thanksgiving). But there are lots of other great ways to prepare this healthy vegetable. Here are some more Brussels sprouts recipes that show more ways to cook them:
Dietary notes
This Brussels sprouts recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Description
Here’s how to make the best Brussels sprouts recipe…ever. They’re baked until impossibly crispy and drizzled with a maple balsamic glaze.
- 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. (To get them perfectly crispy, make sure this is the only pan in the oven and you’re not roasting anything else at the same time.)
- Slice off any hard ends of the Brussels sprouts, as needed. Slice them in half lengthwise and place them in a large bowl.
- Mix the sprouts with the olive oil, kosher salt, and lots of fresh ground black pepper.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper*, then pour the spouts onto the sheet. Turn them all cut side down.
- Roast for 25 minutes until very browned and tender (don’t stir!).
- While the sprouts are roasting, place the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes on medium low heat until thickened slightly and reduced (this should result in about 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons glaze).
- When the sprouts are done, pour over the maple balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.
Notes
*Don’t use a silicone baking mat, since these can also make the Brussels sprouts less crispy. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can skip it and roast directly on the sheet.
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
More easy side dish recipes
This recipe is one of our top easy side dish recipes…ever! Sprouts are always a hit. But here are a few more ideas for vegetable side dishes:
