Elevate your dinner with these irresistible maple roasted Brussels sprouts, featuring a delightful balance of sweet and savory flavors. This easy recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion.
Whether you’re looking for a simple side dish to complement your main course or a crowd-pleasing addition to your holiday spread, these maple-kissed Brussels sprouts are sure to become a new family favorite.
This recipe is designed for home cooks of all skill levels, offering straightforward instructions and minimal prep work. You’ll achieve perfectly tender-crisp Brussels sprouts with a caramelized exterior that’s both flavorful and visually appealing. Get ready to discover the details and transform a humble vegetable into something truly special.
Table of Contents
- What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
- Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
- Time Needed From Start To Finish
- How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
- Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
- Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
- How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Total Time: 30-35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Elevate your dinner with these irresistible maple roasted Brussels sprouts, featuring a delightful balance of sweet and savory flavors. This easy recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion. Whether you’re looking for a simple side dish to complement your main course or a crowd-pleasing addition to your holiday spread, these maple-kissed Brussels sprouts are sure to become a new family favorite.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Preheat Your Oven and Prepare the Baking Sheet: Start by preheating your oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup. This step is crucial for preventing sticking and ensuring even roasting.
2. Clean and Trim the Brussels Sprouts: Wash the Brussels sprouts thoroughly under cold running water. Trim off the tough ends of each sprout and remove any loose or discolored outer leaves. For larger sprouts, cut them in half lengthwise. If they are very large, you can quarter them to ensure they cook evenly and get nice and crispy.
3. Combine Ingredients in a Large Bowl: Place the trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the sprouts, followed by the pure maple syrup. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
4. Toss to Coat Evenly: Using your hands or a large spoon, toss the Brussels sprouts until they are thoroughly coated with the oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Make sure every sprout gets a good coating for maximum flavor and caramelization.
5. Arrange on the Baking Sheet: Spread the coated Brussels sprouts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this can steam the sprouts instead of roasting them, leading to a less crispy texture. If necessary, use two baking sheets.
6. Roast Until Tender and Caramelized: Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time (around 10-12 minutes), give the sprouts a good stir or flip them with a spatula to ensure even browning and crispiness on all sides.
7. Check for Doneness: The Brussels sprouts are ready when they are tender when pierced with a fork, and their outer leaves are nicely browned and slightly crispy. The maple syrup will have caramelized, giving them a beautiful glossy finish.
8. Serve Immediately: Once roasted to perfection, remove the baking sheet from the oven and serve the maple roasted Brussels sprouts hot. They are best enjoyed fresh from the oven.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: roasting
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
Keywords: brussels sprouts, maple, roasted, vegetable, side dish, easy, healthy, sweet, savory, vegetarian
What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
This recipe is a true winner for several reasons, making it an excellent choice for a variety of occasions. First, it’s incredibly quick and easy, perfect for busy weeknights when you want a delicious and healthy side dish without spending hours in the kitchen. The hands-on time is minimal, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your meal preparation. Second, it appeals to a wide range of palates. The combination of sweet maple syrup and savory Brussels sprouts creates a balanced flavor profile that even vegetable skeptics often enjoy. The roasting process brings out the natural sweetness of the sprouts while giving them a lovely tender-crisp texture.
This dish is also remarkably versatile. It pairs beautifully with almost any main course, from roasted chicken or pork to grilled fish or a hearty vegetarian entrée. It’s equally at home on a casual family dinner table as it is on a more formal holiday spread. If you’re looking for a simple way to add more vegetables to your diet that everyone will actually eat, this recipe is a fantastic solution. It’s a reliable go-to that delivers on flavor and ease every time.
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Gathering your ingredients for this recipe is straightforward, and you likely have many of them on hand already. We’re focusing on fresh, simple components that come together to create a robust flavor. No fancy equipment or exotic spices are needed, just everyday items that deliver big on taste.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
When it comes to the Brussels sprouts, fresh is always best for optimal texture and flavor. Look for firm, bright green sprouts without any yellowing or blemishes. If you can only find larger sprouts, you might want to halve or quarter them to ensure even cooking. For the olive oil, a good quality extra virgin olive oil will add a nice depth of flavor, but any standard olive oil will work perfectly fine. The key is to use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup, as the latter often contains corn syrup and artificial flavors that won’t give you the same natural sweetness and depth. Feel free to adjust the salt and pepper to your personal preference; some people enjoy a little more pepper for a subtle kick.
Time Needed From Start To Finish
This recipe is designed for efficiency, delivering maximum flavor with minimal time commitment.
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 20-25 minutes
- Total time: 30-35 minutes
The prep time primarily involves trimming and halving the Brussels sprouts, which goes quickly once you get into a rhythm. The cooking time is for roasting in a hot oven, allowing the sprouts to become tender on the inside and beautifully caramelized on the outside. This makes it an ideal side dish for busy weeknights when you need something delicious on the table without a lot of fuss.
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Creating these delicious maple roasted Brussels sprouts is a simple process that yields fantastic results. Follow these steps for perfectly cooked, flavorful sprouts every time.
- Preheat Your Oven and Prepare the Baking Sheet: Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup. This step is crucial for preventing sticking and ensuring even roasting.
- Clean and Trim the Brussels Sprouts: Wash the Brussels sprouts thoroughly under cold running water. Trim off the tough ends of each sprout and remove any loose or discolored outer leaves. For larger sprouts, cut them in half lengthwise. If they are very large, you can quarter them to ensure they cook evenly and get nice and crispy.
- Combine Ingredients in a Large Bowl: Place the trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the sprouts, followed by the pure maple syrup. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
- Toss to Coat Evenly: Using your hands or a large spoon, toss the Brussels sprouts until they are thoroughly coated with the oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Make sure every sprout gets a good coating for maximum flavor and caramelization.
- Arrange on the Baking Sheet: Spread the coated Brussels sprouts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this can steam the sprouts instead of roasting them, leading to a less crispy texture. If necessary, use two baking sheets.
- Roast Until Tender and Caramelized: Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time (around 10-12 minutes), give the sprouts a good stir or flip them with a spatula to ensure even browning and crispiness on all sides.
- Check for Doneness: The Brussels sprouts are ready when they are tender when pierced with a fork, and their outer leaves are nicely browned and slightly crispy. The maple syrup will have caramelized, giving them a beautiful glossy finish.
- Serve Immediately: Once roasted to perfection, remove the baking sheet from the oven and serve the maple roasted Brussels sprouts hot. They are best enjoyed fresh from the oven.
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
This maple roasted Brussels sprouts recipe is wonderfully adaptable, allowing for simple variations to suit different tastes or occasions. You can easily adjust it to be more kid-friendly or to elevate it for a special gathering.
For a little extra zing, consider adding a tablespoon of balsamic glaze or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the sprouts right before serving. This adds a bright, acidic note that beautifully cuts through the sweetness of the maple. If you like a bit of heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes tossed with the sprouts before roasting can add a subtle kick. For a savory twist, try adding a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the maple syrup mixture before coating the sprouts. This creates a more complex, tangy flavor profile.
To make this dish even more appealing to children, you can cut the Brussels sprouts into smaller pieces or even shred them before roasting. The smaller pieces will get crispier, which many kids find more enjoyable. You could also sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese over them during the last few minutes of roasting for a cheesy, savory topping.
These maple roasted Brussels sprouts are a fantastic side dish for almost any meal. They pair wonderfully with roasted chicken, pork loin, steak, or even a simple grilled salmon. For a festive touch, they are an excellent addition to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner alongside mashed potatoes and gravy. They also work well as part of a larger buffet spread, as they hold their warmth nicely. Consider serving them alongside other roasted vegetables like carrots or sweet potatoes for a colorful and healthy vegetable medley.
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
Even with a simple recipe like maple roasted Brussels sprouts, there are a few common pitfalls that can prevent you from achieving the best results. Knowing what to watch out for can help you avoid these issues and ensure your sprouts turn out perfectly every time.
One of the most frequent mistakes is overcrowding the baking sheet. When too many Brussels sprouts are crammed onto one pan, they release moisture and end up steaming instead of roasting. This leads to soft, mushy sprouts with no crispy edges. To avoid this, always spread the sprouts in a single layer, ensuring there’s space between each piece. If you have a large batch, use two baking sheets and rotate them halfway through cooking.
Another common issue is uneven cooking. This can happen if the Brussels sprouts are not cut to a similar size or if they aren’t tossed well enough to be evenly coated. Make sure to trim and halve or quarter larger sprouts so they are all roughly the same size. Also, take your time to thoroughly toss them with the oil and maple syrup mixture so every surface gets coated. Stirring or flipping the sprouts halfway through roasting is also crucial for even browning.
Finally, not preheating the oven sufficiently can lead to longer cooking times and less crisp sprouts. A hot oven is essential for achieving that desirable caramelized exterior. Always allow your oven to fully preheat to 400°F (200°C) before placing the baking sheet inside. Don’t rush this step; it makes a big difference in the final texture. By avoiding these simple mistakes, you’ll consistently produce perfectly roasted, delicious Brussels sprouts.
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
Proper storage is key to enjoying your maple roasted Brussels sprouts even after they’ve cooled, and while they are best fresh, you can certainly store leftovers or prepare them slightly ahead of time.
To store leftovers, allow the roasted Brussels sprouts to
FAQs
- Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
- How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
- Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
- Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.
