These maple dijon brussel sprouts have become an absolute staple at so many of my private events. It’s funny that years ago, people would curl their lip at the thought of brussel sprouts, but they’ve slowly found their way onto every menu in America (usually accompanied by bacon). I’d like to thank the person who decided to stop boiling or steaming them, and instead, toss them into an oven where they get roasted and caramelized. It’s a classic example of how the type of preparation can make such a difference in whether someone likes or enjoys a certain food!

Tips for cooking brussel sprouts

In the olden days, they would simply boil or steam them (no wonder an entire generation is scarred). These days, roasting is the way to go. And I do have some tips that will help you get the perfect brussels, every time.

CUT IN HALF: Not only does this help to cook faster and more completely, but it creates more surface area for crispy, caramelized edges

ROAST FLAT SIDE DOWN: Cooking with the cut side down will trap the moisture and almost steam them from the inside. It allows the exterior to get crispy, while the interior becomes perfectly soft.

LET THE LEAVES LIVE: Don’t throw away the leaves that have fallen off! They get slightly charred and crispy, which I personally love. If that’s not your thing, then you. may remove.

COOK LONGER THAN YOU THINK: Sometimes people get nervous and turn the oven off at the first sight of browning, but brussels are one of those hearty veggies that can handle to be charred a bit. They get a bit caramelized and the crunch cannot be beat.

DON’T UNDER SALT: Make sue to generously salt. Brussel sprouts are dense and have lots of layers! You may need to add a little more salt or pepper once done, too. Just make sure to taste along the way.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Servings 4 servings

Course Side Dish

Ingredients

2 lb brussel sprouts
2-3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt

maple dijon mix:

2 tbsp grainy dijon mustard
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. If you don't have a convection setting, you may want to do 425.
Slice off the ends of the brussels and then half, lengthwise. I usually let a couple of the most outer leaves fall off to discard, but if any others fall off, you can absolutely use them.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment and add the brussels. Drizzle with the olive oil and salt (add some cracked pepper too). Toss to thoroughly coat and arrange the brussels *flat side down*. This helps them to steam from within and get perfectly tender, while crispy the outside.
Roast for 20 minutes or so, until the outsides are getting crisp and the under side is slightly browned. Don't worry if some of the leaves are getting brown / crispy, that's the good stuff!
While they're cooking, make the maple dijon mix. Then drizzle all over and toss to coat. Don't worry about rearranging them flat side down. At this point, they can fall however they want (as long as they're not too overly crowded on top of each other).
Roast for another 8-10 minutes, or longer if you like them even more done. Taste to see if they need any more salt or pepper.
Enjoy right away or reheat on the stove to crisp up again at a later time!