Monday, November 23

Recipe: Quick Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Parmesan (or Slightly Gussied Up with Garbanzos and Dijon)

A healthy vegetable side dish that's nice enough for Thanksgiving, yet easy enough for everyday.

Prefer your Brussels sprouts raw? Check out my scrumptious Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pecorino, Chives, and a Lemony Caper Dressing.

"Not only are these not organic," I whispered to my hunky farmguy Joe  one day last winter as I grabbed two bags of Trader Joe's packaged brussels sprouts, "they're from Mexico!"

"Am I going to have to stage an intervention?" he asked, as I flung yet another bag into our cart, both of us knowing full well that I'd be picking up a few more pounds during the next stop on our St. Louis grocery shopping trip, "just in case I didn't get enough at Trader Joe's." I couldn't help myself.

Confession: I've never tasted a truly fresh Brussels sprout, let alone one that came straight from the garden. I started some Brussels sprouts seeds this year (way too late, I later learned) but they were apparently duds.

I'm also guilty of letting my imported, non-organic Brussels sprouts languish in the fridge for several weeks before eating them. Nevertheless, during the past year I've become ridiculously addicted to these scrumptious little cabbages.



I'm the sort of person who looks forward to eating leftover roasted Brussels sprouts for breakfast with a lot more enthusiasm than would probably be considered normal. Unfortunately I'm also the sort of person who almost never has leftover roasted Brussels sprouts around for breakfast because I end up devouring them all the night before.

It's a lot easier than you might think to put away an entire pound of these (thankfully healthy) little things.

I did force myself to adhere to a strict sprout moratorium last spring and summer; even in my severe sprout craving state I had trouble justifying the purchase of foreign produce when so much garden bounty was at hand. But that's all over now.

Fortunately this is the time of year when it's easy to find Brussels sprouts grown here in the US, often made even sweeter by a frost. If you're lucky enough to have a local source for sprouts, please go snap some up.

You can often find them still attached to the stalks at farmers' markets and even at some grocery stores. If not, the ratty old ones at the supermarket are pretty darn delicious.



Less Fuss, More Flavor Quick Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Serves at least one - Adapted from Fine Cooking

**Click here to print this recipe**

These are quick and easy, one bowl, one pan Brussels sprouts. There's no need to cut a little X in each stem or boil them before roasting (why do people do this?). You don't even have to turn them while they're cooking.

The unbleached parchment paper keeps the nicely browned bits sticking to the sprouts instead of the pan and also makes for easy clean up.

I finally figured out how to increase my chances of having leftovers for breakfast—roast two pounds of brussels sprouts at once. Simply double the ingredients below. I can fit two pounds of sprouts on one 12"x17" commercial half-size sheet pan.

I love to toss roasted Brussels sprouts with farfalle (bowtie) pasta and plenty of freshly grated Romano or Parmesan. For a real treat, fry up some bacon, then sauté some coarse fresh breadcrumbs in a few Tablespoons of the bacon grease over medium heat until golden and crisp. Toss the pasta and Brussels sprouts together, then top with the crumbled bacon, bread crumbs, and cheese. So good.

Basic Version:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if desired
1/2 teaspoon salt
Several grinds fresh black pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste (I like lots of lemon juice)
1/4 cup (1/2 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Slightly Gussied Up Version:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if desired
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
Several grinds fresh black pepper
1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1/4 cup (1/2 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

Optional:
Handful or two of drained and rinsed canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

Heat the oven to 475°.

Remove any yellow or funky outer leaves on the Brussels sprouts, then trim the core ends and halve lengthwise.

In a large bowl, toss the sprouts with the olive oil, salt, and pepper until thoroughly coated. For the gussied up version, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in your mixing bowl and then add the Brussels sprouts, tossing until thoroughly coated.

Arrange the sprouts cut side down and evenly spaced on a rimmed heavy duty baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper. If they don't cover the whole sheet, spread them around the edges for the best browning.

Roast until the sprouts are tender and brown, about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven, the size of your sprouts, and how done you like them. Start checking after about 10 minutes if you prefer that they still have a little crunch.

Place the hot roasted sprouts back in the mixing bowl, add the lemon juice, Parmesan or Romano, and garbanzo beans (if using) and toss until combined. Season to taste, adding a little more olive oil if desired, and serve.


More Farmgirl Fare vegetable side dishes:

Still hungry? You'll find links to all of my sweet and savory Less Fuss, More Flavor recipes in the Farmgirl Fare Recipe Index.

© FarmgirlFare.com, the roasty toasty foodie farm blog where some of us even eat Brussels sprouts for breakfast.

41 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting a recipe for Brussels Sprouts. I have to admit I've never had one, but often been curious what all the hatred was about. After all, I like most vegetables, how bad could they be??

    Now that I know a good way to prepare them, i look forward to trying them next time I get a chance!

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  2. i just discovered these tasty little cabbages. They are fabulous roasted with parmesan cheese!

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  3. I agree whole heartedly with you about Brussels Sprouts. I love them. Most people don't like them. We are fortunate to have a bounty of them in Maine. What is left over is chucked into the chicken coop and goat yard. They love them too. The easiest and best way that I love those little cabbages is, nuked to soften just a bit, brown in a frying pan with butter and salt. Oh I'm in heaven. LOL. Later the fart fairy makes a stop and stinkys up my bedroom. LOL. Sorry to anyone that offends.
    Kelly

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  4. YUM! I too have a pound from TJ's in my fridge waiting for me to decide what to.

    Brussels Sprouts, It's what's for dinner.

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  5. delicious! i roast my brussels in a large frying pan with a little olive oil, then simply grate some parm cheese on top. i can eat pounds of these.
    i love to serve brussels sprouts this way when we have company for dinner. i love to see their faces when i say i am serving brussels sprouts (choking back disgust and memories of soggy boiled smelly things), and then watch at dinner as everyone fights over the last of the sprouts. we just purchased 3 pounds for thanksgiving. hope its enough...

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  6. I've only rediscovered brussels sprouts, making them last week and again tonight. Yours look delish, and I love the addition of Parmesan.

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  7. I have always adored brussel sprouts. My dad grew them in our garden when I was growing up.

    These recipes just might convince the two males in my household that these aren't the worst vegetable around, so thank you!

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  8. I have always liked Brussel sprouts. I like them anyway but over cooked. When I live in AK they were easy to grow. Have not tired to grow them here in WI yet.

    @ Kelly or Alex. But the more the fart fairy shows up the better you feel.

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  9. I like Brussel sprouts but have never tried them roasted. Thanks for the recipes.

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  10. I LOVE Brussle sprouts. I've never done anything but steam them, and I can't wait to try these recipes...my mouth was watering just reading them.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you!

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  11. I KNEW I wanted to grow these little gems for some reason! What wonderful recipes.
    I too spent many childhood years trying desperately to avoid the stinking things cooking in the kitchen. Thanks to you and your blog showing me examples of foods Ive never tried, with such glee and delicious sounding recipes I decided to grow Brussels sprout this year. Alas, even with preparing pretty good soil, adequate growing time and moisture and having gorgeous plants, the stem had loose, undefined sprouts up the sides. (I just realized when I wrote that what my problem must have been. Too much fertilizer, Ill bet). I was looking forward to eating some right out of the garden. I guess Ill save your recipes for next year's attempt.

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  12. I've never had Brussels Sprouts prepared this way - but I can't wait to give it a try. The pictures look amazing and just reading the recipe...well, YUM!

    Thanks for this and...

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  13. Fresh brussels sprouts still on the stalk are tasty, but INCREDIBLY time consuming to prep. At least, I've always found them to be so, since the outer layer on mine always need to be peeled off, and peeling brussels sprouts is about as much fun as peeling pearl onions. That is, not. So the store ones have their advantages too.

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  14. Brussels and I am always trying to convince friends that they are so wonderful when roasted. I love them any way but so many have only been treated to sprouts which have been over-boiled.
    Thanks for raising brussel sprouts awareness! Happy Thanksgiving, and I am so so sorry about the loss of the donkey baby!!

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  15. Nancy from Mass11/24/2009 7:47 AM

    I tried brussels sprouts for the first time 1 1/2 years ago when I went veg. It's a pity it took going veg to try them...OMG they are fantastic. I love them roasted (actually, I love any veg roasted) with garlic cloves, olive oil and salt & pepper. I could eat my weight in these! One of my favorite 'treats' while roasting them are the little outer leaves that fall off during roasting and crisp up nicely...even hubby likes the brussels sprouts chips!

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  16. I'm so excited about this recipe! given the choice, I'd choose a plate of brussel sprouts over chocolate.

    my easiest recipe is to bake them until slightly toasted. Toss with just a little bit of olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. This time of year i make a batch of these pretty much every time I'm using the oven.

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  17. I love brussel sprouts too and thankfully my boyfriends dad always makes them for thanksgiving, yay! :D

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  18. I love Brussel sprouts, too. I almost convinced DH that they are not tasty (I pointed out that they grow in the "armpit" of bigger leaves). But alas, he likes them as well. I will have to try this recipe, it looks awesome!

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  19. I will return to brussel sprouts! --Love this blog! I admit after seeing Julie and Julia, I began reading Julie's original Julie and Julia food blog. Yours is so much brighter! Also, YOU inspired ME to blog, so there. Thanks Farmgirl! --Sidney

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  20. Yum, I adore brussel sprouts, especialy roasted. They make a mean risotto, too. Saute a chopped onion in olive oil or butter until softened, add risotto rice, saute until rice is transparent, add sliced sprouts, then add glass of white wine and continue with stock in the usual way. Season, stir in spoonful of double cream and parmesan, and yum!

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  21. I love Brussel Sprouts but never had them prepared like in the recipe that you posted. I just gotta try that for Thanksgiving
    Thanks for posting the recipe. :)

    Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

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  22. I am a FREAK for leftover brussels sprouts! We roast them a few times a month!

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  23. After reading your blog, I put a pan of these little cabbages in the oven last night. They never made it into a bowl. I had to try one, then two.... I love cauliflower toasted until brown and these guys are great too. Crunchy outside and butter soft inside. I'm going to try again and put them over pasta.

    They are excellent cut in half, cut side dipped in oil then cheese and pan fried till cheese is crunchy but they don't get as tender. I'm hooked on the oven method now. Thanks much!

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  24. I have a whole bag in the fridge, fresh from the CSA on the stalk. I've never been a huge fan of the sprouts, but this recipe has me DROOLING.. I'm printing this one out for the favorite recipe binder

    Thanks !

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  25. I love brussel sprouts too! when they ar not in season I get the bags of baby ones from the freezer section. Thaw and treat just like farmgirls recipe. See http://www.culinate.com/search/q,vt=top,q=brussel+sprout/7222 for my inspiration

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  26. Hi there! Thanks s much for posting this recipe. I ended up making this last night as the vegetable accompaniment to our meat and it was a great hit! Even my younger brother who is an avid veggie hater ate these up!

    This will definitely be a reoccurring menu item in my home :)

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  27. Oh now I know we were seperated at birth!! Brussels get a bit of a bad rap in the UK, being every child's nightmare vegetable but me, I can't get enough. Always looking for new ways to do them but can easily scoff several pounds clothed only in salt and a vinegar! Oh gosh, I feel as though I have just made the biggest confession!!

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  28. Hi Everybody,
    Thanks for all the comments. It's great to hear from so many fellow Brussels sprouts enthusiasts! I'm tickled that some of you are already addicted to this recipe - and I love hearing all your other favorite ways to enjoy them.

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  29. Brussel sprouts are heaven. Like anything else, straight out of the garden doesn't compare to anything else, but I have to agree, the frozen ones are pretty good too! So delicious!!

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  30. I did the "simple" with Orecchiette pasta and lots of parmesan. So savory and perfect! I never thought to cook them at such a high temp, but I loved it. Thanks!

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  31. Just made the "gussied up" version for a mid-morning snack :) My house smells heavenly and I am one happy camper. I stuck a handful of split fingerlings around the edge of the pan that were due to be eaten, and life is indeed good. I am sharing this recipe with everyone who will listen!

    Melissa in Chicago, where it is much much too cold today

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  32. I'm not one to knock anyone else's recipe, and I am positive this is a great one, because roasted brussels are just soooo good, even if you only dress them with salt, pepper and olive oil. But try a little balsamic vinegar and brown sugar mixed in with your mustard/worcestershire sauce version, and be prepared for a flavor POP! :-)

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  33. I love brussels sprouts but never roasted them before. These look great and I can't wait to try them! Thanks.

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  34. I'm the only one who eats brussels sprouts around here so I cook up 5 or 6 of these little gems whenever I get hungry for them. First I clean and boil them in lemon spiked water for 10 minutes. Put them in a little oven proof pan, dose them with a good, dark balsamic vinegar and bit of olive oil and roast them in my toaster oven. They don't know what they are missing!

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  35. I've always hated Brussels Sprouts (the stinky boiled kind). When one of my besties told me a few years ago that Brussels Sprouts was her favorite food, I had to figure out how/why (couldn't be those boiled things!). Once I tried them roasted, I fell in love! My all-time favorite is the simple: EVOO, sea salt and ground pepper. I've turned many of my friends onto this. Also works well with many veggies, although Brussels Sprouts remains my favorite. Love the loose leaves that get roasted thoroughly.

    LOVE your blog as well. You do a great job. God Bless.

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  36. Jackie Cohen2/22/2011 1:45 PM

    Hi, I am the one that got hooked on these and asked about the frozen ones. Still have not tried the frozen ones but found fresh 2# bags at Sam's Club so got 2. Now, I think it only fair to mention that the first time I had made these about a year ago I had printed the recipe off at work and forgot and left it there. What can be so hard roasting brussel sprouts right? Rereading many times since then I have to say nothing I did besides light the oven was as per the recipe. I put generous amounts of olive oil on the pan, put on whole sprouts, LAVISHLY sprinkled (loaded) them with garlic powder and roasted. Heaven, and so was the smell while they cooked. No wonder yours don't soak up olive oil as an eggplant. My second bag I am going to do your way. I actually did the lemon and parmesan BUT put it on the pan and roasted it all. Cheese and garlic powder do turn black, but taste good. Now that the recipe and method are firmly burned in my head i will do it that way and will probably love that also. It is the roasting that does it I am sure. I will also probably occasionally do my oil and garlic powder on the pan method also as they turn out so good, even though some of them are a bit oily. Jackie

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  37. I just happened upon this website via a search for a brussels sprouts recipe. What a great site! I love all the sweet photos of your farm, the delicious recipes, and all your great tips. This has been bookmarked so I can return again and again. Thank you so much for taking the time to share!

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  38. Made the brussel sprouts for Hubby tonight ... absolutely Delicious ... we loved them ... must share recipe with Daughter,Thanks So Much!

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  39. Made these slightly gussied up (no chickpeas) for Thanksgiving to rave reviews. Just delicious. And so easy!!!!!!!!

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  40. One of the best ways to make brussels sprouts, which are not exactly a favorite by all at my house but I love them, is to "fry" them in a cast iron pan in coconut oil or butter (or a mixture of the two) in the oven until they brown. You can add anything else you choose - like other veggies (julienned carrots, celery slips, chopped green onion) and any spices you wish. I like a little cracked black pepper and nutmeg but that's my Swedish heritage!

    Also, this is off-subject a tad but I wondered if you'd ever made a german dish (pronounced and spelled differently depending on whether you're using low german or high german) called Plachinda or Blachinda? It is little pie-crust type turnovers with a filling made from mashed pumpkin, melted butter, browned sauted onions and lots of pepper. The crust is best made with home-rendered pork lard. This is a primarily german dish but my Swedish gramma made them often. Some people don't add the onion but without it, they really have no characteristic flavor. Please email me at rushmoregal53 at hotmail dot com if you would like the entire recipe. Might be a good one for your "recipe file". ;- >)

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  41. We've been making this recipe all of the time since you first posted it in 2009 and I've shared it with various friends and family members. Thank you! It's great.

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December 2015 update: Hi! For some reason I can't figure out, Blogger hasn't been letting me leave comments on my own blog (!) for the last several months, so I've been unable to respond to your comments and questions. My apologies for any inconvenience! You're always welcome to email me: farmgirlfare AT gmail DOT com.

Hi! Thanks for visiting Farmgirl Fare and taking the time to write. While I'm not always able to reply to every comment, I receive and enjoy reading them all.

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