Roasted Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Why This Recipe Works

Sliced brussels sprouts maximize contact with the pan. Skip the parchment paper. You want those flat sized to make direct contact with the metal of the pan. This gives them more opportunity to brown and crisp up.

No special equipment is required. This recipe is basic—in a good way. You don’t need an air fryer or any other gadget to get great results. A pan and your oven will do everything that you need.

Using 2 sheet pans gives the sprouts plenty of space to roast. When you crowd any roasted veggies on a pan, they steam instead of roasting. Allowing that hot oven air to circulate around them helps them turn out crispy.

How To Cut Brussels Sprouts

The best part about buying brussels sprouts at the farmers market is that you can handpick each one from a bin. Then you can make sure they are all the same size.

Things are different at the grocery where they’re usually in pre-packed mesh bags. That means you go home with big and little sprouts. When brussels sprouts are different sizes, cook time varies. You end up with smaller ones that are borderline too dark and larger sprouts that aren’t cooked all the way through.

Instead of ignoring their differences and just slicing them in half, I take a different approach. I trim the ends of the brussels sprouts and then slice them thinly lengthwise. Then it doesn’t matter if they’re not all the same overall size because I have made them the same thickness.

Preheat Your Sheet Pans

There’s no time to waste with this quick side dish. To get the brussels sprouts roasting immediately, I put the baking sheets in the oven as it preheats up to 400 degrees F.

After I toss the sliced sprouts in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, I put on my oven mitts to pull the pans from the oven. Then I use a slotted spoon to scoop them from the bowl. The moment they make contact with the metal of a rimmed baking sheet they are sizzling. That sound is the best.

The Ingredients

This is what you need:

• Brussels sprouts: Look for brussels sprouts with tightly packed green leaves. Avoid ones that have yellow or brown spots. Pull off any loose outer leaves.
• Olive oil: My preference is extra virgin olive oil since this recipe has so few ingredients. You want to use the best quality oil you can.
• Lemon: Citrus, specifically the juice, adds a wonderful brightness to roasted vegetables.
• Salt & pepper: Seasoning the brussels sprouts with salt and pepper really brings out their roasted flavor.

Optional Additions

When the oven-roasted brussels sprouts are ready, you can sprinkle them with grated Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes for a little heat.

How To Roast Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with 2 sheet pans on the center racks.

1. Trim the brussels sprouts. Then slice them thinly lengthwise.

2. Toss the brussels sprouts with oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the brussels sprouts to the baking sheets. Spread them into a single layer.

4. Roast the brussels sprouts until they are crispy and golden at the edges, about 15-20 minutes. Use a spatula to flip and toss the sprouts halfway through roasting.

Serving

Crispy roasted brussels sprouts are best eaten warm. They can’t be cooked in advance, but since they don’t take long to make, you could leave them last for your dinner prep. What you can do ahead of time is trim and slice the brussels sprouts, so you have that step out of the way.