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    Home » Recipes » Easy Vegan Appetizer » The Best Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

    The Best Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

    Published: Jan 18, 2023 by Chelsea Peachtree · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    These Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts are the BEST sweet and salty veggie side dish to add to your meal plan this week. All you need is 5 ingredients to make. I promise no one will complain when they see these crispy Brussels sprouts coming out of the oven!

    Balsamic Brussel Sprouts on a plate with a fork and knife next to it and a linen napkin

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • Versatile side dish - If you've been looking for a delicious vegetable side to pair with Quick Mashed Potatoes in Kitchenaid Mixer and Veggie Meatloaf or a delicious pasta dish like Lemon Butter Garlic Pasta, look no further! These Brussels sprouts pair well with just about any meal.
    • Great for the holidays - These Brussels are impressive enough to serve during the holiday season. Add them to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu this year!
    • Easy to adjust - If you're cooking for a crowd and need more than 4 servings, easily double or triple the recipe. Just make sure to use a couple of sheet pans and spread them out well to get them extra crispy.

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Brussels sprouts - Fresh Brussels sprouts are better than frozen when making crispy Brussels sprouts. Frozen vegetables in general contain significant more moisture and are more difficult to make crispy.
    • Balsamic vinegar - The perfect combination of tangy and sweet. When roasted, this glaze becomes sticky and absolutely delicious!
    • Maple syrup - Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the tangy vinegar. Feel free to adjust to taste!
    • Olive oil - Coating the Brussels in oil helps makes them as crispy as possible and gives them beautiful color. If you do not have olive oil, vegetable oil, melted refined coconut oil, or avocado oil are all great alternatives.
    • Crushed red pepper flakes - Optional, but adds a bit of heat to balance the sweet and tangy glaze! Adjust to your personal taste.

    Step by Step Instructions

    1. Prep the Brussels sprouts. If you've purchase whole, uncut Brussels sprouts, thoroughly rinse, peel outer layers as needed, trim the ends, then chop in halve. If your Brussels are extra-large, you may want to quarter them so they cook through quicker.
    2. Toss in seasonings. Transfer your prepped Brussels to a large mixing bowl, along with ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and red pepper flakes, if using. Toss to coat the Brussels evenly and all the spices are well dispersed.
    3. Spread on a greased sheet pan. Make sure it is large enough to spread them in a single layer and give the Brussels enough room to not be touching each other. If they are crowded on the sheet pan, they will steam instead of crisp and won't be as delicious!
    4. Bake! Bake for 20 minutes, then flip, and bake for an additional 10 minutes (30 minutes total).
    5. Drizzle with balsamic. Once hot and roasted straight from the oven, drizzle these Brussels sprouts with the remaining 2 tablespoons of balsamic and serve immediately while crispy with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
    Brussel sprouts cut on a cutting board
    Brussel sprouts mixed in a bowl
    Brussel sprouts precooked on a baking sheet
    Brussel sprouts after being baked on a baking sheet

    Storing and Reheating Instructions

    Roasted Brussels sprouts will be crispiest when eaten fresh, but leftovers will keep for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    Freezing these Brussels sprouts is not recommended. Doing so will make them soggy.

    Reheat leftover Brussels sprouts in an air fryer, toaster oven, or regular oven to make them crispy again.

    Time Saving Hacks

    • Prep the Brussels ahead of time! Cutting and cleaning the vegetables is the most time consuming part of prep. Chop them up to 2 days ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Or, purchase pre-cut Brussels. They are more expensive, but can really help when you are short on time.

    FAQs

    What takes the bitterness out of Brussels sprouts?

    Seasoning the Brussels sprouts with something salty, sweet, or acidic can help cut the bitterness. In this recipe, we're using all 3! Maple syrup adds sweetness, balsamic vinegar adds sweetness and acidity, and salt adds saltiness. I think you'll find these Brussels sprouts are not bitter at all.

    Should I boil Brussels sprouts before roasting?

    Boiling Brussels sprouts before roasting is not necessary! During the 30 minute bake, they will become tender enough without any blanching.

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

    I prefer to roast Brussels sprouts cut in half simply because it reduces the bake time. If you choose to roast the Brussels sprouts whole, they are going to require a significantly longer bake time and make even become a little too crispy on the outside. For best results, do chop them before hand.

    Do Brussels sprouts need to be washed before roasting?

    Typically, yes. If you happened to purchase pre-cut, pre-washed Brussels sprouts you may be able to skip the wash step, but otherwise washing before hand is necessary. Brussels sprouts grow from a stock straight up from the soil and can be quite dirty, particular under the first few layers.

    Why are my oven roasted Brussels sprouts mushy?

    If your Brussels sprouts are mushy, it is possible they were either too crowded together on the baking sheet or the oven was not hot enough. If you suspect your oven is not heating up as hot as it should, invest in a small thermometer to keep in the oven to check the temperature and adjust your bake times as needed.

    Tips for Success

    • Cook the Brussels directly on the sheet pan. Although parchment paper helps with easy clean up, I find cooking the vegetables directly on a greased sheet pan makes them as crispy as possible. If you do want to use something that would help with easier clean up, the next best option would be to bake on a silicone baking mat.
    • Buy the best balsamic you can afford! Balsamic vinegar, like olive oil, can vary in quality. For best flavor complexity, buy a balsamic vinegar that has been aged for 10+ years.
    Brussel sprouts on a plate  on top of a linen napkin

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    If you make this recipe, I would absolutely love for you to leave a rating and review. I absolutely love connecting with you!

    The Best Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

    Chelsea Peachtree
    These Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts are the BEST sweet and salty veggie side dish to add to your meal plan this week. All you need is 5 ingredients to make. I promise no one will complain when they see these crispy Brussels sprouts coming out of the oven!
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 185 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 cups whole brussel sprouts
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tbsp olive oil plus more for greasing pan
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper optional

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
    • Cut the stems of the brussel sprouts off then cut them in half.
    • Add the brussel sprouts to a mixing bowl then add in all additional ingredients, other than the 2 tbsp of balsamic. Mix so the brussel sprouts are coated and the ingredients are well disbursed.
    • Spread the brussel sprouts on a grease sheet pan so they are not too crowded. Bake for 20 minutes then flip and bake for another 10 minutes. They will be crispy when done.
    • Drizzle remaining 2 tbsp of balsamic on top.

    Notes

    If you have larger brussel sprouts, cut them into fourths instead of in half or adjust cooking time.
     
    Storage: Store these brussel sprouts in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    Time Saving Hacks: Cut down on prep time buy slicing your brussel sprouts ahead of time or buying pre-sliced brussel sprouts in your produce department.

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 328mgCalcium: 75mgVitamin C: 94mgVitamin A: 866IUSugar: 18gFiber: 4gPotassium: 503mgCalories: 185kcalSaturated Fat: 1gFat: 7gProtein: 4gCarbohydrates: 28gIron: 2mg
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    Chelsea Peachtree in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Chelsea! I am the recipe developer, content creator, photographer, and soul behind this blog. I eliminated meat from my diet at the age of 5 and have been cooking my own meals since. Here, I share with you some of my favorites in hopes you will see it is easy to ditch the meat!

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