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These crispy Brussels sprouts are roasted in a hot oven, then mixed with zesty harissa and topped with dollops of cool goat cheese.
One of the things I love most about my Indianapolis neighborhood is not the houses or the old trees or the parks: it’s walkability. I grew up in the suburbs in Minnesota, and we had to drive everywhere. Most places were a 10 to 20-minute car ride away. But when I moved to Indianapolis after graduating college, I gradually found that the city was structured in a way where you could walk to things. I walked to the grocery store and to the coffee shop, to the produce stand in an old gas station, and to the little shack transformed into an ice cream shop. The more I walked, the more I loved it. I felt connected to my place. Keep reading for how this relates to crispy roasted Brussels sprouts, and the recipe!
Related: Best Goat Cheese Recipes
Food, community, & Brussels sprouts
Recently, I had the honor of speaking with an incredible entrepreneur, Majora Carter. She’s been working in urban revitalization and real estate development for years, and gave one of the first ever TED talks back in 2006. She lives in the South Bronx, and has been working to beautify her community for years. One of the things that struck me from her work was that she surveys people about what the ideal community they want to live in looks like. Time and time again, cafes, restaurants, and good grocery stores are at the top of the list.
The fact that I live so close to places offering quality food and gathering spaces literally endears me to my community. It makes me feel like I’m part of something greater, even when I’m just walking to the grocery store or grabbing a cup of coffee. My little corner of Indianapolis is buzzing with activity: people meeting each other to chat over a drink, or picking up some ingredients for tonight’s dinner. It brings and energy and vitality to our place that is palpable. Part of Majora’s work has been to bring gathering places with quality food to low status communities. She helped start a coffee shop in the South Bronx called the Boogie Down Grind Cafe that’s a spot of beauty in a rough zip code. Along with high-quality coffee, it provides servings of vegetables, too.
This crispy Brussels sprouts recipe was inspired by one of those walkable restaurants in my neighborhood, a pub called Twenty Tap. Along with a huge craft beer list, the food is top-notch with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. And it’s a 5-minute walk from our house (or 2 minutes if I cut through my neighbor’s yard). A few weeks ago, we went with my family and among other things, ordered an appetizer with crispy Brussels sprouts, harissa, and goat cheese. There were a few other components (and it was too spicy for most of my family!) but I loved the concept and took it home to our kitchen to play with.
How to make crispy Brussels sprouts
Alex and I find that the best way to make Brussels sprouts is roasting them in a very hot oven so that they become blackened and crisp. We toss them with olive oil and salt and then roast Brussels sprouts at 450 degrees to get them super crispy! (Here’s our base Best Brussels Sprouts Recipe!) For these crispy Brussels sprouts we used our time tested method, then topped them with store-bought harissa and topped them with dollops of cool goat cheese. The end result was so tasty that we knew we had to share the recipe here. If you’re not into spicy food, find a mild harissa for this one; it adds fantastic flavor without the heat.
Not long ago, I would have frowned at the thought of Brussels sprouts on my plate. These days, the little green guys are seeing a big comeback. I hope that they’ll continue to delight eaters everywhere, especially with creative recipes that add big flavor. We ate these crispy Brussels sprouts as a snack for a movie, though they’d be a fantastic side dish or appetizer. Either way, they were born of the community around us: yet another reason for continuing to engage in community around us.
Looking for more Brussels sprouts recipes?
Brussels sprouts have made a major comeback, especially crispy Brussels sprouts. Here are our favorite Brussels sprouts recipes:
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts
- Fried Brussels Sprouts
- Spicy Brussels Sprouts
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Rice with Tahini Miso Dressing
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Salad
- Heart-Shaped Caramelized Onion and Brussels Sprouts Pizza
Looking for more appetizer recipes?
And, a few of our favorite appetizer recipes:
- Healthy Loaded Sweet Potato Rounds
- Paprika Goat Cheese Spread
- Happy Hour Platter with Caramelized Onion Dip
This recipe is…
This crispy Brussels sprouts recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free. For plant-based or vegan, omit the goat cheese.
Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
These crispy Brussels sprouts are roasted in a hot oven, then mixed with zesty harissa and topped with dollops of cool goat cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons mild or spicy harissa (to taste)
- 2 ounces goat cheese crumbles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Cut the Brussels sprouts off of the stalk if necessary. Cut off any hard ends, then cut each in half or larger sprouts into thirds. In a bowl, mix them with the olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes until tender and blackened (no need to stir).
- When Brussels sprouts are done, mix them with the harissa and top with goat cheese crumbles. Serve warm.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
I’m from Indy and love Twenty Tap, but you left out some of the best ingredients in this dish! Manchego Cheese, arugula and pistachios! Add those and you’ll re-create the recipe and give people the real deal!
I’m a huge harissa fan and loved the combo with goat cheese. Put this over green lentils for a hearty lunch. A+ recipe, you guys!
What a great idea for making this into a meal! I’m going to have to try this. THANKS for making it!
love discovering spots like that and favorite recipes from them, thank you for recreating this recipe! I love the flavors and simplicity, wish I had a 2 min or even 5 min walk to one of these!
YES, it’s so fun to have inspiration and then figure out a way to spin it for the home kitchen! Thanks for reading.
Yep, I can tell this one is a winner without even tasting it. Your thoughts on walkable neighborhoods are spot on too. I feel lucky to have lived in cities where I experienced exactly what you’re talking about. And I hope to get back to that environment again at some point. Wishing you guys all the very best in 2018!
YES, I’ve realized that having access to places like these is essential to keep our creativity flowing! Wishing you all the best too!
Your recipe looks fantastic. Nothing is better than crumbled goat cheese… Good job! Pinned.
We agree on the goat cheese! Thanks so much.
These look so good even my kids will (hopefully) eat them! Thanks for sharing!
Haha I hope so too! A mild harissa is always good for kiddos too. Thanks!
Yum! Everything is better with goat cheese!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com/birds-nest-breakfast-bowl/
We couldn’t agree more!