Caesar Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to roast brussel sprouts whole or cut in half? ›

Place the sprouts cut-side down: Trim and halve the sprouts and roast them with their cut side against the baking sheet. The cut side will caramelize beautifully while the outer leaves crisp. Keep the leaves: Don't discard the outer leaves that fall away as you cut the sprouts.

There's nothing wrong with soft and chewy Brussels, but if your goal is the type of crispy Brussels that they're serving at your favorite bistro you MUST thoroughly dry the surface of the sprouts before sautéing and/or roasting them. If they are wet they will steam instead of crisp. Surface area is your friend!

Blanching is optional, but it allows you to roast at a higher temperature to crisp up the edges. I blanched my Brussels sprouts for just a few minutes before shocking them with cold water. Toss the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper until well coated. The key, actually, is to add quite a bit of salt.

1. Roasting at a low heat. If you want your roasted Brussels sprouts to be seriously crispy, you need to crank up the heat. Roasting at a low temperature won't allow them to brown properly, so you want to get that oven nice and hot before tossing in your baking sheet.

Slice off and discard the bottom end of each Brussels sprout, as well as any wilted or discolored leaves. Slice vertically to halve the Brussels sprouts. Then place the halves cut-side-down, and thinly slice horizontally to shred by hand.

The soak time tenderizes the sprouts so the middles are softer. Don't worry, they won't be soggy! I would never do that to you. If, like me, you don't mind some chew to your sprouts, you don't need to soak the Brussels sprouts prior to cooking.

Unlike other vegetables, Brussels sprouts can be parboiled (even a day ahead) to reduce the roasting time without hurting their texture. That means the sprouts can be popped in the oven while the meat is resting before carving. Of course, if the main course is grilled or pan-cooked, the oven will be free for roasting.

A slow-growing, long-bearing crop, Brussels sprouts should be planted in early spring, or mid- to late summer for a crop that matures in the fall. The small heads mature best in cool and even in light frosty weather. Spring planting is also fine in cooler climates.

Avoid mushy Brussels sprouts by making the most of your heat

Cooking your Brussels sprouts quickly will prevent them from releasing their characteristically foul odor and also ensure that they crisp up instead of turning mushy (via Kitchn). One way to do this is to also preheat your baking tray.

Like soggy steamed Brussels, Brussels sprouts that are dry and chewy are no good either. This could be caused by using too little oil for roasting. You need a nice coating of oil—enough to make the heads shiny or if they're cut, enough oil to get inside the folds of some of the leaves.

Can you roast brussel sprouts ahead of time and reheat? ›

However, keep in mind that roasted brussels sprouts get a little smelly the older they get. So maybe make these a day ahead of time at most. Reheat in the oven, in a skillet, or in the microwave. The microwave is the fastest but will leave them a bit soggy while the skillet and oven work best for warming.

The flavor components that contribute to a bitter flavor are concentrated in the center of the Brussels sprout. If you slice the the veggie in half, it helps to release some of those compounds during the cooking process. Smaller is better when it comes to tenderness and flavor.

The crispy exterior, however, is achieved by preheating the sheet pan itself in a 450° oven. You're essentially treating the baking sheet like a sauté pan, searing an entire side of the brussels sprouts. Without preheating the pan, they'd overcook before they got to the ideal crispy state.

One of the most common ways to cut a Brussels sprout is in half or quarters. By doing so, you reduce the size of the sprouts, speeding up cooking.

Doing so will provide more surface area, which means more space for roasting, and more crispiness in each bite (via The Kitchn). Whether they're small or large, once your Brussels sprouts have been cut in half and placed flat side down on a preheated cooking pan, they'll be ready to roast.

Should you cut brussel sprouts in half before roasting? if you cut them in half or quarters the edges will get crispy and they will turn out great, but they will also burn quicker so keep an eye on them!

If the sprouts are small, leave them whole before cooking. If they seem to be rather large or have a thick core, halve or quarter them into uniform pieces. If some are small and some are larger, leave the small ones just trimmed, and then cut the larger ones in half. Some leaves will fall off.