Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Thyme
Today I have a recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Thyme as a part of our simple seasonal vegetable side dish series here on Healthy Seasonal Recipes. You’ll want to hang onto this one because is the best way way to cook Brussels sprouts in the oven! They’re made with only a few basic ingredients, but the results are utterly delicious!
This recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts was originally published on November 1st, 2016. I have updated the text and images to share it with you again today.
Table of contents
- Why This is a Great Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
- Ingredients For Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- How To Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- FAQs and Expert Tips for the Best Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Our 5 Top Tips For Perfect Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Menu Ideas For This Recipe
- More Recipes for Roasted Vegetable Side Dishes
Why This is a Great Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
To make this recipe, simply toss the trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts with some basic seasoning, and let the oven do the rest of the work. Then you can serve them with holiday dinners or as a delicious and healthy vegetable side dish for a weeknight meal or Sunday supper. All it takes are a few simple ingredients and a hot oven! This is a perfect recipe for beginners!
If your family thinks they don’t like Brussels then, you’ll have to make this recipe for them to show them just how yummy they can be. Roasting makes them tender and sweet. This recipe is paired with sweet and tart balsamic vinegar which cancels out any remaining bitterness! The flavor of the thyme and the coarse salt adds so much savory flavor, you’ll fall in love with them and so will the rest of your family.
More Brussels Sprouts Recipes
Ingredients For Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- 8 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped toasted sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction or balsamic glaze
How To Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Brussels Sprouts
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Trim the Brussel sprouts by cutting off the woody stem end. Take a moment to remove the outer leaves and cut them in half through the stem end. Smaller brussels sprouts can be left whole if desired.
Step 2: Toss Brussels Sprouts with the Oil and Seasonings
Toss Brussels sprouts with oil, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread out in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Tip: For the best browning, make sure the flat sides touch the large baking sheet.
Step 3: Roast
Roast, stirring once or twice until softened and browning in spots, 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 4: Finish with Toasted Almonds and Balsamic Vinegar
Remove from the oven, transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Just before serving, sprinkle with almonds and drizzle with balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction. (See tips below for our balsamic glaze recipe.)
FAQs and Expert Tips for the Best Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Keep leftover Balsamic Brussels Sprouts in an airtight container for up to three days. Brussels sprouts can get overly soft and let off a sulfurous aroma when they are reheated in the oven, so I don’t recommend roasting them and then reheating that way. Instead, quickly rewarming them in the microwave only until they are steaming hot is a great way to make them ahead. You can also prep them in advance by trimming and cutting them in half. That way they can easily be tossed together and roasted in no time.
Yes. Brussels sprouts are low in calories, and high in dietary fiber. They are a member of the brassica family which are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals which are known for a multitude of health benefits.
Balsamic glaze is thickened balsamic vinegar that can be purchased in the vinegar section of most supermarkets. To make your own balsamic reduction bring 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer and reduce until the vinegar is thick and syrupy about 13 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
After the oven preheats, spread the sliced almonds on a small baking sheet. Roast for 4 minutes until they have a nutty aroma and are lightly browned.
Our 5 Top Tips For Perfect Roasted Brussels Sprouts
HOT OVEN:
First and foremost, you have to use a hot oven. When you’re roasting veggies, you want to roast them with high heat so that they don’t steam in their own juices. You can read more about how liquid impedes caramelization here.
CUTTING TIP:
To make your life easier, when you are picking out the Brussels Sprouts at the grocery store, keep in mind that you ideally want all the same size. I personally like to cut them in half so that they cook more quickly and I like the way the seasoning gets into the layers of leaves. Plus I like the way the flat surface gives more opportunity for a good sear! If you have a mix of sizes, cut your larger sprouts in half and if you have any little ones, you can leave them whole. Note: after trimming, if you have any loose leaves, they can get added in, but they may end up browning too much.
AVOID BURNING:
Because you’re going for browning, you don’t want to add additional ingredients that, when chopped fine, will burn (like garlic.) If you do want to add garlic to roasted vegetables, that’s fine, just stir it in toward the end and only roast it for the last 5 or so minutes. I left it out entirely here since I wanted this recipe to be as easy as possible.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAN:
You want a large rimmed baking sheet or a heavy roasting pan that’s large enough to prevent crowding. I personally almost exclusively use half sheet pan for roasting veggies because it has enough surface area to spread out the veggies. You can get them at Williams Sonoma or the Pampered Chef. Or if there is a restaurant supply store that is open to the public that will be the cheapest place to find them. One thing to know about half sheet pans is that they are made out of reactive aluminum and you shouldn’t use them with acidic ingredients. That’s why I drizzle the Balsamic on after it’s in the serving dish.
VARIATIONS ON SEASONING:
I used tangy balsamic vinegar here because it is so simple and the sweetness of the vinegar goes so well with the natural sweetness of the Brussels sprouts. I also used thyme since I always have it on hand and it goes with a variety of flavors. We added in almonds too for even more nutty flavor. For some other flavor variations, you can also sprinkle on Parmesan cheese! instead of balsamic vinegar, you can use a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of lemon zest instead! You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the seasoning as well.
Menu Ideas For This Recipe
- These are the perfect side dish with pork or chicken. Try them with our Crispy Skin Chicken, Our Skillet Pork Tenderloin with Maple Mustard Glaze or our holiday-worthy Pork Loin Roast.
- For a vegetarian meal, try these with our Vegetarian Carbonara or our Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash.
- I should say that if you want to make it a meal on another night, these Roasted Brussels Sprouts would be divine served with these delicious Coffee Crusted Pork Chops by My Gluten-Free Miami!
- And to really take that meal to the next level add in these Salt and Vinegar Smashed Sweet Potatoes by Allergylicious. Seriously… Brussels, sweet potatoes and pork chops… dinner is served!
More Recipes for Roasted Vegetable Side Dishes
- This is surprisingly easy, but full of flavor: Roasted Cauliflower with Curry.
- Our Roasted Beets with Balsamic is another winter veggie recipe to try.
- In this recipe for Roasted Carrots they can be made with or without Onions. They go with everything! Or for an even easier option, these Roasted Baby Carrots are easy to toss into the oven with no prep work.
- These Roasted Green Beans with Almonds are classic and elegant!
- Try making Roasted Broccoli with Cauliflower with Cheese too! Or another version is our Roasted Broccoli with Lemon, Garlic and Almonds.
- These Roasted Parsnips and these Roasted Turnips are both great ways to use underappreciated root veggies.
- We make this Roasted Butternut Squash with Smoked Paprika all the time and it is amazing!
- Did you know you can even roast cabbage? It’s true! Try this Curry Roasted Cabbage!
- Our Roasted Sweet Potato recipe has a delicious lemony dressing to kick it up a notch. It is vegan and paleo so it is perfect for folks with special diets.
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
Description
These roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic and thyme are the perfect Thanksgiving vegetarian side dish! And they’re ready in 45 minutes leaving you time to focus on the rest of the meal.
Ingredients
- 8 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Toss Brussels sprouts with oil, thyme salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread out in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once or twice until softened and browning in spots, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Just before serving, sprinkle with almonds and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Notes
Make Ahead
Brussels sprouts can get overly soft when they are reheated so I don’t recommend roasting them and then reheating. But you can prep them in advance by trimming and cutting them in half. That way they can easily be tossed together with the seasoning and roasted.
Balsamic Reduction
Balsamic glaze is thickened balsamic vinegar that can be purchased in the vinegar section of most supermarkets. To make your own balsamic reduction bring 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer and reduce until the vinegar is thick and syrupy about 13 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 122
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 5 g
This recipe seemed to taste good overall. I like thyme a lot and thought the balsamic (just a drizzle) added something interesting, but could not tell if I thought it overpowered the dish or how well flavors went together because I accidentally overcooked mine (at 23 min). The outer leaves were too browned and the inside too mushy. I think this is largely my fault bc I know that my oven is a little on the faster/hotter side. However, I did look around and see some other recipes calling for the same amount of time at 400 degrees instead of 425 degrees. I would consider trying again to get a better feel for the specific flavors, but also thought I’d post a warning for anyone trying it who’s to be mindful on the time and heat setting and check your sprouts if needed early.
Thanks for the note. I will test this again to double-check my timing. In the meantime, since stoves, equipment and veggies are all different I like to create a time range for cook times. But you’ll notice that in my recipe text I also add the “degree of doneness” to the sentence before that range because it is my philosophy that it is more important that the timing. “Roast, stirring once or twice until softened and browning in spots, 20 to 25 minutes.” So really if your Brussels are browning and soft at 19 minutes, then great! No need to cook them longer just because my Brussels took longer. Another contributing factor could be the color of your pan and if you have a circulating fan in your oven. Both of these would cause the Brussels sprouts to darken more quickly. All that said, I will restest to make sure I still stand by the above timing. Thanks again April.
Family fan favorite!
Hi Kristen. I am so psyched you tried this one and that the family likes it! Thanks for rating today! Have a great week!
Not a big fan of brussel sprouts but I like them roasted with a splash of aceto balsamico 🙂
This dish is delicious! Brussels sprouts were never a favorite growing up so I had been reluctant to try them again. The balsamic vinegar added a great contrast to the roasted sprouts and the toasted almonds…Mmmm. They were a big hit! Thank you Katie. Your photos are stunning too. Healthy eating never looked so good.
Thank you so much Kathy! I am really glad you liked them and I appreciate your coming back by to review!
Katie,
I just have to try these brussels sprouts- they look so good! I had some luck growing them last year, but this year my garden looked like a pinterest fail posting with our lack of rain and abundance of rabbits. Sounds like you had better luck! Beautiful photos as usual!
That happened to us with rabbits years ago, and Jase took revenge with a bb gun. That reminds me, I never did cook it. Our vegetable garden didn’t get chowed as badly by rabbits this year because we added a layer of chicken wire inside the wooden fence and buried it down into the soil. That said those little green worms went to town on my kale. It’s always something!
I really look forward to your posts Katie and this one doesn’t disappoint. Images are stunning and the food is even better. Thank you so much for posting healthy recipes that are also delicious.
Thank you so much. That isreally nice of you to say. Have a great week!
Brussels sprouts are a family favorite especially around the holidays…this sounds wonderful. xo, Catherine
I’m so glad my family loves them too! Have a great day Catherine.
I sure wish my family loved brussels as much as I did, because I could eat these every night
Well if you do make them, the bright side is there will be more for you! Ha ha! 🙂 Thanks so much for coming by Heather.
I love Brussels sprouts, they are one of my favorite vegetables! This looks delicious!
I love Brussels sprouts too Marye! This is why we are friends! Have a great day.