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Here’s the secret to the best crispy Brussels sprouts! They’re roasted until blackened and caramelized, then tossed with a tangy sweet balsamic sauce.
Why we love this recipe
These crispy Brussels sprouts are so crispy, you’ll think they were fried. But they’re baked! You know those crispy Brussels that you can get at a restaurant? These are just as good.
They’re baked until impossibly crunchy, then tossed with a balsamic and honey sauce that brings in the tangy and sweet notes. Alex and I could eat at least 10 pans of these in a sitting, so we try to make only one at a time! Here’s how to do it in your kitchen!
The secret to making ultra crispy Brussels sprouts
Every time we see crispy Brussel sprouts on a menu, we can’t resist ordering them. This formerly hated vegetable has had a huge resurgence in popularity. And for good reason: roasting or frying these cruciferous veggies makes them taste infinitely better than boiled. Turns out, you can recreate restaurant-style glamour at home using simply your own oven. It’s an easy side dish that tastes much greater than the sum of its parts.
Here are a few tips to getting the crispiest sprouts in town:
- Roast at very high heat (450°F). The best roasted veggies are roasted at very high heat, otherwise they’ll steam and turn out soggy.
- Place them on the baking sheet cut side down. Turn down all those flat sides, and you’ll get the perfect browning.
- Don’t roast anything else at the same time! This one’s important. To get crispy Brussels sprouts with the recipe below, make them the only tray thing in the oven. Cooking other foods at the same time changes the cook time and moisture level.
Avoid silicone baking mats
Alex and I suggest using parchment paper in all of our roasting recipes. Parchment paper is great for easy cleanup: so food doesn’t get glued to the pan! If you don’t have any parchment paper, you can roast right on the baking sheet; you’ll just have a trickier time cleaning it later.
Avoid using a silicone baking mat for this recipe. We’ve found the silicone baking mats make veggies more soggy. To get the crispiest of crispy Brussels sprouts, use either parchment paper or skip it and roast them right on the tray.
Toss with balsamic sauce if desired
Follow all those hints, and you’ll have supremely crispy Brussels sprouts! To take them over the top and make restaurant-style flavor, we tossed them with a balsamic and honey sauce. It adds huge tangy sweet flavor. Here are a few notes on the sauce:
- Omit for the crispiest sprouts. Adding the sauce does wet the sprouts, making them a little less crispy. So if your goal is ultra crispy, try them without it first. But it does add huge flavor, so we liked it with the sauce.
- Use maple syrup for vegan. The flavor is great with honey, but it tastes almost exactly the same with maple syrup. So it’s a great vegan substitute!
- Add hot sauce for a spicy variation. If you like the heat, add a little hot sauce into the honey balsamic sauce.
Crispy Brussels sprouts variations
There are lots of other tasty ways to top crispy Brussels sprouts! Here are few more ideas we’d recommend:
- Shaved Parmesan or Pecorino cheese: Make them even crunchier by tossing with aged cheese halfway through the bake time.
- Pecans: Top with toasted pecans or glazed pecans for another crunch.
- Goat cheese or feta crumbles: Top with goat cheese or feta before serving to add a salty, savory flavor.
- Balsamic reduction: Add a drizzle of concentrated sweet tart flavor by adding Balsamic Reduction.
More Brussels sprout recipes
This popular veggie is delicious any night of the week, for easy weeknight meals or entertaining. Here are a few more Brussels sprout recipes you might enjoy:
- Go for classic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Try Smashed Brussels Sprouts or showy Brussels Sprout Casserole
- Mix up Parmesan Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
- Go for Steamed Brussels Sprouts, Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, or Shaved Brussels Sprouts
Dietary notes
This crispy Brussels sprouts recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Perfectly Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Here’s the secret to the best crispy Brussels sprouts! They’re roasted until blackened and caramelized, then tossed with a tangy sweet balsamic sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: Vegetables
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup)
- Spicy variation: 1 teaspoon hot sauce, plus more to drizzle
Instructions
- 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!). For the crispiest sprouts you can eat them as is, or go to Step 6.
- Optional: While the sprouts are roasting, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and honey or maple syrup (and 1 teaspoon hot sauce, if using). When the sprouts are done, pour over the mixture and toss to combine. For the spicy variation, drizzle with additional hot sauce to taste. 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.
I wanted a simple recipe and this was it. The sprouts came out great!
My wife loved every recipe that I used. Happy that you have plant based options too. Keep the awesome recipes coming
Hi, love making brussel sprouts like this in the oven , and also love the convenience of parchment paper. The manufacturer of parchment paper, however, cautions not to use it in temps over 425 degrees because it can (and has!!) caught on fire. I don’t like to push my luck past 400 now.
This recipe does not need amendments – my only complaint? The brussel sprouts didn’t last long enough so I made a second batch and snacked on them while watching a movie. Delicious!
At 450, mine were burnt to a black crisp after only 17 minutes (25 mins was recommended). Had to toss 75% of them and peel the rest for a nibble of the center. Im guessing this recipe is for 1lb of the giant Brussel sprouts, not the small cute ones i had. The sauce was amazing i just wish there was a caution about size/length of time
I attempted these – the outside were super crispy, the insides were mush. My oven tends to run hot – I wonder if I should decrease the cook time? I don’t have a convection oven. Any help is appreciated! I know it’s possible, I just want to perfect these!!
Usually that’s about the best you can do without deep frying! If you have very large brussels sprouts you can smash them a bit to expose more to the air.
Can you make ahead and warm up fo a party
You can! They are not quite as good as freshly roasted sprouts, but it can work. Roast them in advance (you could go slightly less on the bake time if desired), then let cool to room temperature and refrigerate — don’t add the sauce until serving! When you’re ready to serve, pop them in a 375F oven for about 5 to 10 minutes until warmed — they will get slightly crispy again though not as crispy as originally. Then add the sauce!
Follow the recipe exactly and I gotta say these aren’t “restaurant” crispy. The outside few leaves are and the inside is mush. Mediocre.
Made these tonight. The sauce is great! I used a pomegranate balsamic vinegar with the honey after I took them out.
I set off the fire alarm, I feel like I should have used a high heat oil like Safflower or Canola.
All in all, I would totally make these again. they were crispy on the outside and very enjoyable on the inside since the sauce was soaking in. The little Brussels sprouts were the best because they cooked faster. Yum!!
I just made this recipe and they were amazing! I added sauteed red onion and some pancetta (not vegan) and added that when the Brussels came out of the oven. The whole family loved them. Follow their instructions – they really are crispy yummy Brussels.
So glad to hear this! Thanks for making it.
I visited an Italian Restaurant over the weekend and had Brussel Sprouts as my appetizer. They were so good, crispy and wonderfully flavored, I came home anxious to find a recipe to try for myself. I’m glad I found yours!! It looks/sounds very similar to it. I will make them and let you know how it goes! Thank you.
Came out perfect!
I skipped the Maple syrup, added the glazed pecans and shaved Parmesan. I served them along with a kale salad (made last night to “wilt” or bruise the kale) with Tahini dressing and grilled chicken. They were delicious! I will make the again, for sure!
These look great! I just made the glazed pecans from your link. They are wonderful. If you use a Balsamic reduction, is the Maple syrup necessary in the Balsamic sauce?
I think you could skip the maple!
So glad you liked them! Yes, you could just throw them together with some balsamic reduction instead of making the sauce. Or reduce the maple down to 1 tablespoon if you want more of a sauce consistency!
I followed this recipe exactly and while I did get a decent crisp on the outside on some, many of them were burnt mush:(
I’m going to resign to having to pan fry I’ve tried every recipe out there for oven baked and nothing can replace the pan.
Same! Only the vey outer layer was crispy and the rest mushy
Will tweak and try again! Any suggestions? Thank you!
If you have a convection setting on your oven you can get them a little crispier.