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If you have avoided eating Brussels sprouts due to a bad experience in the past (think tough, bitter, bland, mushy …), you may need to give them another try with this very recipe.
Frozen Brussels sprouts tend to be tough (in my experience), and I have yet to have good ones at any kind of buffet-style restaurant (but your mileage may vary).
The key to these sprouts is buying FRESH – not frozen – and roasting them instead of boiling or steaming. And furthermore … this sauce is so DELISH – maple syrup for the sweet and lemon juice for the sour – combined with a WHOLE LOT OF FLAVOR (the good kind, by the way 😉 )
See, don’t they look like little cabbages? (my boys think so) And the taste is very much like cabbage and, if cooked right, are quite delightful.
And another close-up shot after cooking.
Cooking on high heat in the oven is another trick as well as getting the Brussels sprouts fairly dry after washing and the right amount of oil so that they crisp instead of soften too much. You want them to remain firm at least so they don’t have that dreaded mush consistency.
So, on with the recipe … let me know what you think in the comments below.
Roasted Sweet and Sour Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (can also use honey if you wish)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven and pan to 450 degrees.
- Wash each Brussels sprout, removing the outer loose leaves. Cut each in half as pictured, cutting off the tough end.
- Take pan out of oven and layer Brussels sprouts flat side up where they are not touching each other.
- Drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp of the olive oil until all the flat surfaces of the sprouts is lightly covered.
- Place in preheated oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, checking about halfway through.
- Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat the garlic, soy sauce, rest of the olive oil, sesame oil, lemon juice, and maple syrup to a simmer, stirring frequently until thickened a bit.
- When Brussels sprouts are nicely browned, remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Pour over the sauce mixture and gently toss.
- Add a bit of salt and black pepper as desired after tasting.
- Serve immediately with your favorite main course such as pot roast, steaks, fish, or chicken. Or serve them as an appetizer (that’s what we did – with our fingers, at that).
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