Perfect Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Make the best roasted Brussels sprouts with this recipe! My simple tricks will ensure that you end up with perfectly crisp and tender Brussels sprouts.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 2, 2024
Roasted Brussels sprouts are a revelation! The best roasted Brussels sprouts are crisp and golden on the outside, and tender on the inside. They’re full of irresistible caramelized flavor, which is both sweet and nutty. I love to eat them straight off the pan.
Roasted Brussels sprouts really don’t need much seasoning, but I’ve come up with many ways to serve them over the years. I just can’t get enough roasted Brussels sprouts.
Brussels sprouts are in season from September through March here in the U.S., although you can find them year-round. They’re at their peak right now since we’ve had our first frost. Brussels sprouts, like other members of the cabbage family, actually benefit from cooler temperatures.
That’s why the sprouts you’ll find in stores right now are on the sweeter side—they’re the best you’ll find all year! Let’s roast ’em up.
How to Roast Brussels Sprouts
Here are a few tips and tricks that will ensure your roasted Brussels sprouts turn out perfectly, every time.
1) Choose your Brussels sprouts wisely.
When you’re at the grocery store, look for bright green Brussels sprouts with intact outer leaves. They should feel firm when gently squeezed. Smaller sprouts are typically more tender and sweet, but try to choose sprouts that are roughly the same size so they’re done around the same time. Store unused Brussels sprouts in a bag in the vegetable drawer. They should keep well for 7 to 10 days.
2) Trim and halve the sprouts.
First, we’ll slice off the nubby ends—they’re tough and you won’t want to eat them, anyway. Then, slice each sprout in half from the flat base through the top. This is key! Now the sprouts have flat edges that will bake flush against the pan and caramelize.
3) Don’t overcrowd the pan.
Brussels sprouts need some breathing room on the pan, or they’ll produce so much steam that they never crisp up. It’s better to use two pans, arranged on separate racks near the middle of the oven, than to cram too many sprouts on one pan. See my note in the recipe for more details.
Tip: Here is my favorite large, rimmed baking sheet (they’re called half-sheet pans, and that’s an affiliate link).
4) Bake the sprouts at a relatively high temperature.
High enough to get crispy, golden edges, but not so high that the olive oil burns on the pan and creates bitter flavors. I recommend roasting Brussels sprouts at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
5) Do not disturb.
I recently discovered that Brussels sprouts turn out best when they are not turned during the cooking process! I generally recommend turning your vegetables halfway through baking, but sprouts are a special case. Halved Brussels sprouts, when they are placed with the flat sides against the pan, essentially steam on the inside where the air is trapped. That means that the insides become perfectly tender, while the flat edges turn deeply golden. The tops get nice and toasty from the oven’s upper heating element, too.
6) Roast for 17 to 25 minutes.
The cook time will depend on the size and density of your sprouts as well as your caramelization preferences. That said, don’t stop too soon! If you’re wondering if you have burned your sprouts, they’re probably just right. Roast the Brussels sprouts until they are deeply golden on the flat sides and offer little resistance when pierced through by a fork.
Watch How to Roast Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Variations
You can serve roasted Brussels sprouts with a variety of main dishes! Simply choose garnishes that complement your main dish. See any that fit the bill?
Italian Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Transfer your roasted sprouts to a serving platter, then lightly drizzle thick balsamic vinegar, balsamic glaze or reduction on top. You could finish it off with a sprinkle of lemon zest, red pepper flakes and/or grated Parmesan.
Tip: My favorite thick balsamic vinegar is Napa Valley Naturals’ Grand Reserve Vinegar—it’s about $8 at Whole Foods and similar stores. Make sure you get the bottle with “25 stars” on it.
Mediterranean Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Squeeze a lemon wedge over the baked Brussels sprouts. You could also add some red pepper flakes for color and spice, and some grated lemon zest for more intense lemon flavor.
Roasted Brussels with an Asian Spin
Lightly drizzle toasted sesame seed oil or teriyaki sauce over the warm sprouts. Finish it off with sesame seeds (white or black), and some red pepper flakes if you’d like a spicy kick.
Thai Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Serve with peanut sauce on the side for drizzling, and lime wedges. Once again, red pepper flakes add a nice spicy touch.
Middle Eastern Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Spread several generous swooshes of tahini sauce over a serving plate, and gently pile your roasted sprouts on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (or get crazy and use everything bagel seasoning instead). See the photo below!
More Uses for Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts can be a hearty and healthy component in main dishes. They complement so many flavors. Here are a few recipes to prove it:
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar, Cranberries & Pecans (shown below)
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
- Farmers’ Market Bowls with Green Goddess Yogurt Sauce
- Roasted Broccoli and Brussels, Arugula and Lentil Salad
Got leftovers? Here are a few ways to use up your extra roasted Brussels sprouts. As you’ll see, roasted sprouts go particularly well with creamy elements, like melted cheese, hummus, and scrambled eggs.
- Roasted Brussels sprouts are great inside grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese quesadillas and hummus quesadillas (just give them a few extra chops before tossing them with cheese).
- Pile roasted Brussels sprouts on toast slathered with hummus and garnish with chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Top any creamy pasta dish, including mac and cheese, with roasted sprouts to make it more redeeming.
- Enjoy sprouts in the morning by stirring them into goat cheese scrambled eggs.
Please let me know how you like your roasted Brussels sprouts in the comments! I hope this recipe becomes one of your go-to side dishes.
Perfect Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The best roasted Brussels sprouts are golden and crisp on the outside, and irresistibly tender on the inside. You’ll find the basic recipe below. Check the recipe notes for fun variations on roasted Brussels. Recipe yields 4 side servings.
Ingredients
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1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If desired, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- To prepare your Brussels sprouts, slice off the nubby ends and remove any discolored or damaged leaves. Cut each sprout in half from the flat base through the top.
- On your baking sheet, combine the halved sprouts, olive oil and salt. Toss until the sprouts are lightly and evenly coated. Arrange the sprouts in an even layer with their flat sides facing down.
- Roast the sprouts until they are tender and deeply golden on the edges, about 17 to 25 minutes. Garnish if desired (see ideas below). Roasted Brussels are best served warm, but they are also good at room temperature. Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my recipe for Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Pecans.
How to double this recipe: Double the ingredients and divide them between two large, rimmed baking sheets. Arrange your oven racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Roast both pans in the oven at the same time, swapping their positions halfway through cooking (lower pan goes to upper rack and vice versa).
Change it up: Your garnishes can offer extra flavor. I love finishing the sprouts with a light drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (bonus points for adding lemon zest, too). Grated Parmesan is a good idea, especially if you’re serving your Brussels sprouts with Italian main dishes. You can’t go wrong with a light sprinkle of red pepper flakes. For an Asian spin, top with sesame seeds (white or black), and a light drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Or for a Middle Eastern take, serve your sprouts over several generous swooshes of tahini sauce.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Five stars, every time. So easy and simply delicious; guests live them. Tried Medierranean today to serve with lamb tagine that I haven’t made for eons. Thanks from Toronto. Nov.15/20
My husband loves Brussels sprouts and I just started cooking them. These recipes are great!
Thank you, Susie!
Best Brussels ever!! We make your recipe once a week!! Thank you@
Love Brussels Sprouts. Plain or dressed up. Thanks for the ideas on toppings and the tips!
Great recipe! I had eaten roasted Brussel sprouts at a restaurant, but had never made them myself. You gave me a very easy recipe to follow. Good tip to not turn them over while cooking. I used balsamic vinegar and lemon zest for flavoring, and will also try cranberries with pecans, and sesame seeds with dark sesame oil on my next Brussel sprouts.
Thank you! I’m happy you enjoyed it, Maria.
Hi, I absolutely love brussel sprouts but usually par boil them then sauté in olive oil with pine nuts. I would like to try them baked as you’ve done in this recipe, but how and when to add pine nuts?
Hi Alex, I’m not exactly sure without trying it. But you can roast your pine nuts separately to not get them over done.
THANK YOU!! Your “do not disturb” advice was the trick that I had been missing!! These turned out better than any I’ve ever made!!!
Wonderful to hear, Megan! Thank you for your review.
Add some chopped red onion, sprinkled over the top with a very little sweet paprika – delicious!
We absolutely love roasted brussel sprouts and have frequently. I tried your recipe, following the advice of flat side down and not disturbing during cooking. Unbelievably wonderful!! Crisp outside, yet almost like steamed inside! So tasty! My husband has said I should never prepare them any other way, except to add toppings! Absolutely the best!!
Great to hear, Pam! We appreciate you taking the time to review.
Toss with shredded shallots, minced rosemary, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast as described above, then and finish with balsamic, lemon zest, and pine nuts. Never had any complaints.
Can you roast them a day ahead of using at dinner?
Or just prep by cutting and washing. Thanks. Delicious.
Hi! You can, but they are best served right away.
How long to cook from frozen?
Hi! You will want to thaw first.
Tried this today with just plain olive oil and salt, and the brussel sprouts came out so tasty! The perfect simple dish for thanksgiving!
I make mine with cut up baby Bella mushrooms.
Turned out great, thank you!
You say they are sweetest ‘now’. When is that exactly? The story isn’t dated. Thanks.
I’ve been looking for ways to incorporate more veggies into my diet and this recipe is definitely going into the regular rotation! I’m blown away but how easy this is (and delicious). Instead of balsamic vinegar, I drizzled with a bit of honey and crumbled some goat cheese on top. The goat cheese melted and added a little creaminess to compliment the crunchiness of the roasted texture.
I appreciated the recipe’s simplicity, yet detailed information such as placing them face down and not needing to stir them. This was just what I needed to nail my roasted brussels every time!
I’m happy to hear that, Deb! Thank you for your review.
Used your recipe to cook today. I eat brussel sprouts very seldom as I don’t really like their taste. But with your recipe, they turned out really good! Thank you :)
Hooray! That’s great to hear.
These were already perfect, but when I reheated the leftovers on the stove they were even better the next day. I put them with some pesto and pasta. Will make again as soon :)
Sounds delicious! Thank you for your review, Dru.
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve cooked brussell sprouts before, but they just weren’t as good as what I might get in a restaurant. The keys to your receipt are baking them flat-side down, and NOT stiring them around. HUGE difference!!
Thank you!!
Yes! Leaving them alone makes all the difference. Thank you for your review, Karen.
Excellent recipe I’ve used more than once. Where I live small bright green sprouts are scarce. Removed the outer layers of tough leaves from my older sprouts, halved the smallest ones and quartered the larger. Soaked in plain water overnight to refresh them. Looked and tasted good but do benefit from additional flavorings.
What A terrific article! My first time on your website but it won’t be my last.
Over the top creative ways to make sprouts and each one is so tempting. I’ll definitely try a whole bunch. Thanks!
Lois
Welcome, Lois! I’m glad you loved it and that it won’t be the last. Be sure to leave a comment and review on the recipes you try! I can’t wait to hear what you try next.
Made the brussel sprouts with balsamic vinaigrette. Delicious.
Recently got an oven with an air fryer. Any experience cooking them in one?
I don’t cook with an air fryer, sorry!
These were delicious! Thanks for sharing.
One thing I’ve learned in my ‘healthy’ cooking classes is that olive oil, when heated above medium heat, turns into a transfat and that is something to avoid. It is better to use another oil such as grapeseed oil, refined coconut oil, avacado oil, etc.
Karen
Kate,
These turned out perfect. I took your suggestion and used the Napa Valley balsamic. So incredibly good! Thank you for another great recipe!
David Noel
It is worth it! I’m glad you agree, David. Thank you for your review!
what is the paper you put in the pan?
Hi! Parchment paper.
This is the best way to make Brussels sprouts! They are wonderful, thank you
You’re welcome, Kelly! Thank you for your review.
Love this recipe!! Made them all 3 ways. Thanks
You’re welcome, Deanna!
Helpful.
I made this recipe once before my brother really liked them but I added a drizzle of honey and walnuts. Delicious. Thank you!!
Love your Brussels sprout suggestions! I like Brussels sprouts to snack on with just lemon pepper, salt & pepper and slices of onion on top that carmelize during the baking process.
You mention olive oil but give no instructions. How much, toss or glaze pan? I will try tossing in avocado oil and using parchment as one of your photos.
Hi! Are you looking at the ingredients and instruction list? It’s listed there. 2 tablespoons and it’s in step 3.
FYI – parchment paper is only safe to use around 420 degrees. (learned this after Googling… when our entire kitchen smelled like smoke) YIKES. Recommend you remove that “recommendation” or lower the temperature of the recipe.
Hi Laura, I’m sorry to hear you had issues. Yikes! I have never had an issue with using parchment paper at that temperature. Was your baking sheet placed to close to a heat source by chance?
Use any leftovers in a salad, they are delicious used this way!
That’s great to hear, Sara! Thank you for your review.
You changed my life by adding tahini with the Russel sprouts!
It’s so good! Thank you for sharing, Brenda.
Thanks for the suggestions for leftover sprouts. I just had a delicious breakfast of your scrambled eggs with goat cheese, with leftover sprouts and leftover from your Perfect Roasted Potatoes mixed in. Yum!
Sounds delicious! I’m intrigued. Thank you for sharing, Carol.
I followed the recipe (without extra balsamic vinegar or glaze) and it was awesome! Great tip to not disturb the brussel sprouts once they’re in the oven! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Kelly!
love
What I think makes this recipe stand out more than others is their instructions on when to take out the brussels sprouts. When I took them out, I was convinced they were burnt and they turned out delicious!
Wonderful, Jimmy! Thank you for your review.
We love these roasted Brussels Sprouts! I included them on the baking sheet while roasting carrots for your freekeh pilaf and garlic tahini sauce recipe. They are very addictive, so always on the lookout for them at the market and will happily have them as a side dish to any meal. Yummo!
Made these last night, as I’ve been put on a Candida diet (to starve the sugar in my gut) and this is one of the veggies that I can have. We used to steam them and put butter and maple syrup on them – but you are right – they are delicious roasted! I added some sesame seeds and a bit of sesame oil – a nice flavor enhancement. (I especially loved the crispy little burnt leaves that had detached from the main sprout, so got extra roasted. I am going to try to make Brussels sprouts chips at some point.) Thank you for this simple and very tasty recipe!
People, if you follow the directions, and do everything the way she says, it turns out great. This is the best baked brussel sprout recipe I have encountered. It came out exactly as described. Kudos!
Thank you, Craig! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Super delicious! Added a dash of Pepper Flakes and Lemon Pepper to go with Baked Salmon. Thanks for the recipe!
They turned out absolutely perfect. I’d always used frozen but fresh is clearly the way to go. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome, Kelly! I’m happy you enjoy it.
Won’t parchment paper burn at 425 degrees?
Hi Paul, I don’t have issues with it. I use a natural kind and it is ok. I hope you try it and love it!
Thanks, Kate. After I wrote I inspected my roll of paper and it said “Oven safe to 425.”
I just made this for dinner tonight and they were the best I’ve ever had or made! Thank you
You’re welcome, Mara! I’m glad you loved it.
I’m a sucker for brussels sprouts and that’s how I’ve always made them. Drizzled with some pumpkin seed oil, they become a gourmet star.
They turned out perfect, huge success! So true not to turn them during the roasting and high temperature, they were nice and crispy outside and perfectly cooked inside. Everybody just loved them!
Wonderful, Kaisa! Thank you for your review.
I roast my sprouts pretty much like you say to, but I grate nutmeg and squeeze lemon juice on mine. Sometimes I sprinkle red pepper flakes on them too. I never salt my vegetables (except for beans).