Ok, I promise this is my last roasted vegetable post for awhile, but I just had to get this recipe out there for you guys! For awhile I was on a huge Roasted Broccoli kick, and was eating that a couple times a week, but lately Brussels sprouts (or “alien heads” as we called them as kids) have stolen my heart.

Foolproof Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Here’s the good news – these are just as easy as the broccoli and cabbage I posted earlier, and just as amazingly delicious. Dare I say it, (and please don’t tell the broccoli,) they’re even better.

You remember how I was saying that you could literally burn the broccoli and it’d still be delicious? Yeah. Same goes for these. In fact, last year while my husband and I were hosting friends-Thanksgiving for 25 guests, I did just that after forgetting to set the second oven timer. First, I had a mini-meltdown (I’d been bragging to everyone about my “perfect Brussels sprouts” for weeks leading up to the event, and sure I’d serve these as-is to my husband, but 25 people analyzing them?! Nooo.), then my girlfriend ate one to confirm her suspicions that my panic was unwarranted and talked me off the ledge, then we served them anyway. They tasted awesome. Complete people-asking-me-for-my-secret deliciousness. I’m not going to say it’s smart to overcook these, but I will say that there is a huge amount of leeway between cooked through and overdone. See? Foolproof.


The secret to roasted vegetables in general is high heat, but just how high you can go is going to be dictated by your choice of oil. In short, you don’t want to heat oil above its smoke point. I like to use avocado oil because it goes all the way to 11 500, allowing me to roast my veggies in the 450-475 range. If you only have extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) on hand, you’re going to be limited to somewhere in the 350-375 range.

Here’s what Wikipedia lists for the smoke points of the most common types of cooking oils:

Fat Quality Smoke Point
Avocado oil Refined 520°F 271°C
Butter 250–300°F 121–149°C
Canola oil Expeller Press 375-450°F 190-232°C
Canola oil High Oleic 475°F 246°C
Canola oil Refined 400°F 204°C
Coconut oil Virgin (Unrefined) 350°F 177°C
Coconut oil Refined with stabilizers 450°F 232°C
Corn oil Unrefined 352°F 178°C
Corn oil Refined 450°F 232°C
Ghee 485°F 252°C
Grapeseed oil 420°F 216°C
Olive oil Extra virgin 375°F 191°C
Olive oil Virgin 391°F 199°C
Olive oil Pomace 460°F 238°C
Olive oil Extra light 468°F 242°C
Olive oil, high quality (low acidity) Extra virgin 405°F 207°C
Peanut oil Unrefined 320°F 160°C
Peanut oil Refined 450°F 232°C

The key is to go high temperature, but not so high you hit the smoke point of your fat. If you’re selecting a fat specifically for roasting, go high or go home – roasting above 450 is the only way to go, so don’t let your oil limit you. There is one exception to this, and that is flavor. If you need a flavorful oil for whatever reason, by all means go for it. Sometimes the flavor of a good olive oil is worth the lower heat.

Beyond all this talk of the perfect oil, the rest is simple – toss your veggies in oil, spread them on a pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, bake until the edges are browned and crispy. Easy peasy.

Foolproof Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • 2lb Brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil (or oil of your choice)
  • kosher salt (or sea salt, to taste)
  • pepper (to taste)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. (You may need to use a lower temperature for other oils, check the smoke point. EVOO will be 375 and will require a longer baking time.)

Trim Brussels sprouts, rinse, dry well using a salad spinner or towel, then slice in half.

Place Brussels sprouts in a bowl or gallon plastic bag, pour oil over them, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss vigorously until evenly coated.

Spread Brussels sprouts onto a jelly roll pan. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 35-45 minutes or until the outer leaves are charred and the insides are tender.
Recipe and photos from Mayhem in the Kitchen!
https://mayheminthekitchen.com/foolproof-roasted-brussels-sprouts

Foolproof Roasted Brussels Sprouts #vegan #glutenfree #paleo

2 thoughts on “Foolproof Roasted Brussels Sprouts”
  1. There’s almost nothing better than a roasted veg. I especially love roasted Brussels sprouts, and I love them most with minced garlic. I love anything with garlic. And sea salt. But I digress … I happened upon the bestest thing ever when I was roasting some BS the other night … Some of the leaves of the sprouts broke off from the bulb, and they roasted that way … and when they came out of the oven, all singed and a bit crispy? With a bit of sea salt? They were beyond delicious. I’ve never had a kale chip, but I daresay these would top them.

    1. YES! The best! I recently found out that my husband was discarding the leaves(?) that fall off while he is rinsing them, and I nearly lost it! I love the soft inside of the sprout, but those crunchy outside pieces are sooo good. 🙂

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