Here's a recipe for roasted brussels sprouts that's sweet, tart, tangy and hot --a perfect brussels sprouts recipe for brussels sprouts haters! If you're doing Paleo or are vegetarian, these honey-vinegar roasted brussels sprouts are totally friendly with those protocols.
the inspo behind these sweet-and-sour roasted brussels sprouts
I'm always on the hunt for a way to dress up brussels sprouts with a funky vinaigrette or sweet-and-sour sauce. I came across this recipe in Bon Appetit and tinkered with it how I see fit in order to reduce the sugar and make it slightly healthier.
Brussels sprouts have been on a popularity upswing since the early 2010s, mostly due to chefs and influencers incorporating them into recipes and on plates at restaurants. How many people, prior to the past few years, thought of brussels sprouts as a bitter, wierdly-textured tiny cabbage with few redeeming qualities? I'm sure many.
Over at Produce Processing, brussels sprouts producers tell a story of how demand for brussels sprouts has taken a complete 180 in the past few years:
“It’s done a complete 180 over the last five years,” Bontadelli said.
In the 1960s, Bontadelli estimates, about 7,000 acres of Brussels sprouts were being grown in California, mostly for frozen processing. That number fell to a low point of around 2,200 acres.
“Now we’re up over 10,000 in California, and more in Mexico,” he said. And where it used to be that the crop went to 80 percent frozen and 20 percent fresh, that’s flip-flopped. “Now it’s about 15 percent frozen and 85 percent fresh because of demand,” Bontadelli said. “And we’re getting more money for the fresh because we can’t meet demand.”
how to roast brussels sprouts and make them taste good
I'm pretty sure any time you slather any vegetable in sesame oil and roast on high heat for ~20 minutes, the outcome is good -- but these honey-vinegar roasted brussels sprouts are really good.
You're going to blast the brussels sprouts in the oven at 425F for about 20 minutes. Simultaneously, in a saucepan, make the honey-vinegar sauce.
When the brussels are all roasted, toss the sprouts with the honey-vinegar dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and maldon salt, and serve!
📖 Recipe
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey-Vinegar Sauce
Ingredients
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- 1.5 lbs brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Honey-Vinegar Sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅓ cup sherry vinegar
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 1 lemon
- 1 scallion chopped finely
- optional: pinch of sesame seeds
Instructions
- Roast the brussels sprouts - Preheat an oven to 425. Toss the halved brussels sprouts with sesame oil and salt on a rimmed baking sheet, and throw in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Make the sweet-and-sour dressing - in a small skillet, combine honey and vinegar and whisk until it bubbles. Take it off the heat and add in the lemon zest, pepper, salt, and red better. Put it back on the heat and whisk in the coconut oil or butter and heat until it's combined.
- When the brussels are done, toss them in the sweet-and-sour sauce and finish with chopped scallion and sesame seeds.