Balsamic-Glazed Charred Brussels Sprouts

Charred Brussels sprouts are a topic I’ve been diving into every November for the past couple of years. These are not just roasted Brussels, they’re slightly over-roasted – deeply caramelized and absolutely delicious.

Charring Brussels sprouts brings out their natural sweetness and gives them a nutty, smoky flavor, all while maintaining their texture (i.e. they’re not mushy).

It all started when I was first recipe-testing for my book, Friendsgiving. Back then, I landed on a version wherein roasted Brussels get tossed in balsamic vinegar and then sprinkled with crumbled feta and pomegranate seeds. I loved that recipe and unsurprisingly, it turned out to be most popular from the whole book.

Later on, when I eliminated cheese from my ingredient arsenal, my charred Brussels sprouts evolved to get crowned with crispy fried shallots, diced tart apple, and a balsamic reduction. Delicious still, but too much work.

Here’s my latest iteration. These babies are simply roasted and then tossed in a balsamic glaze with maple syrup, grainy mustard, and Sriracha, and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. This treatment results in Brussels sprouts that are sweet and sour, with just a hint of spicy.

And they’re absolutely addictive! Like I’m not going to claim I ate the entire platter after this photoshoot, but I won’t deny it either…

About Roasting Brussels Sprouts

The most important factor for getting Brussels sprouts properly browned is baking them in a single layer, with some free space left around each teeny-tiny cabbage. (A rimmed half-sheet pan is best for this). If your baking sheet is overcrowded, the Brussels will steam and become mushy instead of charring and maintaining their texture.

The second most important factor is to bake them at a high temperature. 425ºF cooks the sprouts quickly, which also prevents them from becoming mushy – and caramelizes them, too.

If making a larger batch of this recipe, divide the Brussels sprouts between 2 baking sheets and rotate them between two oven racks while roasting.

Variations

If you don’t have maple syrup, use honey or date syrup instead. Instead of Sriracha, you can use almost any other hot sauce you have on-hand.

Whole grain mustard is important because it coats these Brussels with nice sporadic bits of crunch; it’s also mild in comparison to other mustards. If you can’t find it, though, use brown or Dijon mustard, albeit in a slightly smaller quantity.

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