Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Balsamic Vinegar - Best Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Do I need to boil brussel sprouts before roasting? ›

Yes, you can cook fresh Brussels sprouts without boiling them. You can roast, sauté, grill, or even microwave them for alternative cooking methods that can enhance their flavor and texture.

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

A splash of lemon juice, or even apple cider vinegar, works wonders on bitter sprouts. Another key ingredient is fat, which helps Brussels sprouts to crisp up.

Why Are My Brussel Sprouts Not Crispy? Spread them out into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet to avoid overcrowding. If they're too close together, they'll steam instead of roast which stops the crisping process.

One of the most common ways to cut a Brussels sprout is in half or quarters. By doing so, you reduce the size of the sprouts, speeding up cooking.

Slice off and discard the bottom end of each Brussels sprout, as well as any wilted or discolored leaves. Slice vertically to halve the Brussels sprouts. Then place the halves cut-side-down, and thinly slice horizontally to shred by hand.

Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and broccoli are bitter mainly from a specific type of compound: glucosinolates. They are released when cell walls are damaged from cutting or chewing.

It turns out that giving Brussels sprouts a good soak can help them to cook evenly throughout. Not only will the sprouts have a better texture after being soaked, but you won't have to choose between burning the outside and undercooking the inside.

Like soggy steamed Brussels, Brussels sprouts that are dry and chewy are no good either. This could be caused by using too little oil for roasting. You need a nice coating of oil—enough to make the heads shiny or if they're cut, enough oil to get inside the folds of some of the leaves.

Don't Overcook. Overcooked Brussels sprouts can burn, so be sure to keep an eye on them and toss them partway through baking. Rotating the pan 180°F halfway through will also help them cook evenly.

Why are my brussel sprouts soggy in the oven? ›

Not using enough oil.

The other secret to ridiculously crispy Brussels sprouts is tossing them in plenty of oil. We like to use olive oil, but plain vegetable oil is great too. If the sprouts are well-coated, they'll caramelize and char instead of simply softening in the oven.

Your first step should always be to blanch the brussels sprouts. This is basically when they get submerged in boiling water just for a few minutes, not until they're fully cooked, but just enough to take away some of the bitterness. Blanching also softens them and preserves their beautiful bright green color.

Brussels sprouts make a healthy addition to any diet and are easy to incorporate into side dishes and entrees. People often enjoy them roasted, boiled, sauteed, or baked.

Beyond bitterness, parboiling your sprouts can speed up cooking times, softening the leaves to tender, right down to their core (without turning them to mush) and making it easy for you to focus on perfectly crispy and caramelized sprouts in less time in the oven, sauté pan, or out on the grill.

Like all cabbages, Brussels are unavoidably fibrous and dense. You must overcome this by either cooking them in salty water until fork tender (blanching), or by roasting at a high (over 425F) temperature for upwards of 20 minutes. To guarantee great texture, do both!

Steaming and boiling use moist heat, and moist heat can make Brussel Sprouts mushy and stinky—not a good combo. Give them the treatment they deserve by roasting them instead.