I love roasted vegetables. The warmth that emanates from the oven. The aroma from the roasting vegetables. The soft and tender texture. The caramelized exterior. The enhanced flavor. Just talking about it is making my mouth water!
And one of my favorite vegetables to roast is brussels sprouts. I know it has a bad rap; but obviously, those who aren’t crazy about brussels sprouts haven’t tasted them well roasted. My husband was one of those people. Needless to say, once he tasted these roasted brussels sprouts, he did a 180. I think his exact words were “hey, these brussels sprouts are amaaaaaazing – the best I’ve had, EVER!” Yeah, he gets a little dramatic when it comes to food. But you know what? They really were SO good.
An added benefit of roasted vegetables is that it is so easy to make. You just stick them in the oven, and wait for the oven to do the job. I don’t have much time or energy to cook an elaborate dinner every night. Sometimes my dinner consists of many side dishes that can easily be prepared. It was one of those nights. Lucky for me, most hearty vegetables taste great simply by roasting them.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Optional Balsamic-Honey Drizzle Recipe
Ingredients
1 lb Brussels Sprouts
1 small red onion
3 garlic cloves
1/4 – 1/3 cup pine nuts
salt & pepper
2 TB olive oil
drizzle of balsamic vinegar and honey (2:1 ratio): optional (for tangy/sweetness)
- Toast the pine nuts for about 3-5 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat (or turn up) the oven to 375 degrees. Clean and trim brussels sprouts. Cut them in half length-wise. Peel and cut red onion into wedges. Peel and smoosh the garlic cloves by wacking it with flat part of the knife. Combine brussel sprouts, red onions, garlic, olive oil, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
- Spread the contents onto a roasting pan in a single layer. Roast in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until the brussels sprouts are nicely browned. Shake or toss the brussel sprouts midway to achieve even browning.
- Remove from oven and add in the toasted pine nuts from step one. Add more salt to taste. If you choose, drizzle with honey/balsamic vinegar (1:2 ratio).* Toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature.
*Cook’s Note
If you are using honey/balsamic vinegar mixture, you can place them back in the oven for about 3 minutes to allow the mixture to caramelize a bit. But this step is totally optional.
