Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Halved, roasted cut side down, and tossed with a sweet-sour glaze
- Serves
- 4
- Hands-on
- Total
- Level
- Easy
Brussels sprouts converted more people to vegetables once cooks stopped boiling them. Halved and roasted cut side down on a hot pan, they turn nutty and sweet with crisp outer leaves; a quick honey, vinegar and chili glaze at the end does the rest.
Ingredients
- 700 gBrussels sprouts (1½ lb)trimmed and halved through the stem
- 4 tbspolive oil
- 5 gfine sea salt (¾ tsp)
- 1 tbsphoney or maple syrup
- 1 tbspsherry or balsamic vinegar
- 1 pinchchili flakes
- black pepper
- Diet
- Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Allergens
- sulphites
- Season
- Autumn, Winter
Method
- Put a sheet pan in the oven and heat to 230°C (450°F).
- Toss the sprouts with the oil, salt and pepper, including any loose leaves.
- Carefully spread the sprouts on the hot pan, turning each one cut side down.
- Roast without stirring until the cut sides are deep brown and the sprouts are tender at the core, 18–22 minutes. Loose leaves will be dark and crisp.
- Meanwhile, stir the honey, vinegar and chili together.
- Toss the hot sprouts with the glaze on the pan and serve immediately.
Why it works
Boiling releases sulfur compounds that give sprouts their cabbagey smell; fast, dry roasting caramelizes their sugars instead, so they taste sweet and nutty. Contact between the flat cut face and the preheated pan creates a deep sear. The glaze's acid and sweetness balance the sprouts' natural bitterness.
Common mistakes
- Stirring them: they need undisturbed contact to brown.
- Using a cold pan: you lose the sear.
- Overcrowding: use two pans if needed.
Variations
- With bacon
- Scatter 100 g diced bacon over the pan for the last 10 minutes.
- Fish sauce and lime
- Replace the glaze with 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp lime juice and 1 tsp sugar.
Make ahead and storage
Trim and halve up to 2 days ahead; keep refrigerated in a bag.
Notes
Vegan with maple syrup. Fan oven: 210°C (410°F).
