Charred Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Sweet-and-Sour Glaze

These vegan charred Brussels sprouts are coated in a sweet-and-sour balsamic glaze with maple syrup, mustard, and Sriracha. The BEST way to make brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving!

Charred Brussels sprouts are the only style of teeny-tiny cabbage I’m interested in eating on Thanksgiving. Charred Brussels are not just roasted, they’re slightly over-roasted – deeply caramelized and absolutely delicious.

Charring Brussels sprouts (i.e. roasting them at a high temperature until dark brown and crispy) brings out their natural sweetness and gives them a nutty, smoky flavor, all while maintaining their hearty texture. (Nobody likes mushy Brussels sprouts.) It’s a simple and fast way to cook this autumn vegetable and is sure to be loved by everyone at your table.

My love affair with this concept first started when I was recipe-testing for my cookbook, Friendsgiving. Unsurprisingly, the Brussels recipe turned out to be the most popular one from the whole book. Here’s my latest iteration of it. These babies are simply roasted, then tossed in a flavor-packed balsamic glaze and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. This treatment results in Brussels sprouts that are sweet and sour, with just a hint of spicy.

What’s In These Charred Brussels Sprouts

This recipe starts by roasting halved Brussels at a high heat until they’re dark brown and crispy. While they roast, you make a quick glaze of balsamic vinegar, grainy mustard, maple syrup, and hot sauce. After the Brussels come out of the oven, you toss them in the glaze and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep the Brussels Sprouts: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Wash the sprouts and pat completely dry with a kitchen towel; this will ensure optimal browning. Next, trim the bottoms and discard any outer leaves that look wilted/gross. Cut each one in half and place on a large rimmed baking sheet.

Season the Brussels Sprouts: Drizzle some oil on the sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. The sprouts should be glossy and evenly coated – not dry and not swimming in oil either. My general rule is about 1 tablespoon oil per 1 pound Brussels. 

Roast the Brussels Sprouts: Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on the baking sheet – each tiny cabbage should have a bit of free space around it to allow for hot oven air to flow through. This is the single most important factor for getting the sprouts properly browned.

Do not overcrowd your baking dish, otherwise they will steam and get mushy, instead of roasting and getting crispy. If the Brussels don’t all fit in a single layer in your baking dish, divide them among 2 baking dishes and rotate them between two oven racks during roasting. Roast until dark brown and crispy, 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through cooking.

Make the Glaze: Meanwhile, in a bowl large enough to accommodate all the Brussels, stir together balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, grainy mustard, and Sriracha.

Glaze and Serve: When the Brussels are done, transfer them to the glaze and toss to coat evenly. Then transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Charred Brussels sprouts are best served hot, straight out of the oven, so serve them immediately.

How to Seed a Pomegranate

I always prefer buying a full pomegranate and seeding it manually versus buying the cleaned seeds. Firstly, in my experience, store-bought pre-seeded pomegranate is never fresh. Secondly, it’s more expensive. And thirdly, why buy something packaged in single-use plastic if it’s not totally necessary?

There are a bunch of hacks for getting seeds out of this gorgeous fruit. My favorite way is to do it in a large bowl of water, which keeps your kitchen counter from looking like a blood spatter scene from Dexter.

First, cut an X through the top of the pomegranate (through the stem) and cut about halfway down. Using your hands, separate the pomegranate into 4 wedges. Working with one piece at a time, submerge it into a large bowl of water and gently pry the seeds off with your fingers, keeping the wedge submerged the whole time. At the end, the white membranes will float to the top. Drain off the membranes and water, and all you’re left with are clean seeds!

More veggie sides…

• Vegan Potato Gratin
• Balsamic Caramelized Onion Crostini 
• Massaged Kale Caesar Salad
• Roasted Cauliflower with Curried Tahini Sauce and Dates

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with #TheNewBaguette and @thenewbaguette on Instagram.

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