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Crack Brussels Sprouts

Perfect oven-roasted brussels sprouts made in just 30 minutes! My Crack Brussels Sprouts recipe produces crispy charred brussels sprouts with a crunch that aren’t mushy or soggy. An easy and healthy side dish that features brussels sprouts tossed in olive oil, ranch powder, garlic, salt, cracked pepper, and lemon citrus served with seasoned sliced almonds and parmesan cheese. The BEST oven-roasted brussels sprouts bake in a quick 18-minutes with outrageous ranch and lemon flavor throughout the vegetable much like my Crack Broccoli recipe. Now featuring a video showing a step by step guide to making them at home.
Easy oven-roasted ranch and lemon brussels sprouts.

Classic roasted brussels sprouts are simple to make at home in a cinch. Like most other roasted vegetables, it needs oil and seasoning like salt and pepper. Step the flavor up a notch and use your favorite seasonings like ranch powder and garlic in addition to lemon, salt, and pepper to transform bland vegetables into delectable morsels that will make the dinner menu regularly. Even if you’re not a fan of brussels sprouts or are scared to try them after decades of getting a bad rap, give them a try because you will love them!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts - An overhead view of brussels sprouts ingredients. Small bowls featuring salt, lemon juice, pepper, lemon zest, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and ranch seasoning. Larger bowls of oil, almonds, and cut brussels sprouts displayed on a white backdrop.

Roasting Brussel Sprouts

  • Pick firm, tightly bound sprouts. Skip wilted ones that are loose.
  • Choose green ones with some yellow ones. Skip ones that are going brown along the edges. Brown leaves may be torn off but skip buying any that are generally this color.
Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts - Delicious ranch and lemon flavored sprouts roasted on a sheet pan in 18 minutes!
  • Cut any stubs off the bottom of the sprout. Remove any tough yellow leaves.
  • Cut the vegetable in half. This helps it to evenly cook. Roasting a whole brussels sprout can leave the center of it mushy and overcooked. Aim to undercook them where they result in a mild crunch.
  • Rinse and dry well. Rinse under cold water. Place a large bathroom towel on the countertop folded in half. Place washed brussels sprouts between the layers and pat dry. Very well dried brussels sprouts will result in crispy bottoms. If they are wet, they will steam resulting in a different texture.
  • Space sprouts cut side down about 2-inches apart. This will ensure the sprouts roast to a crisp.
  • Roast in the oven at 400°F for 18 minutes. Bottoms should be crispy and dark. The center of the sprouts should be tender but not too soft or you run the risk of them being soggy. Traditionally, sprouts with a little bite that may appear undercooked are much more preferred than overcooked.
Easy oven-roasted ranch and lemon brussels sprouts.

Brussels Sprouts Ingredients:

  • Crack Brussels Sprouts use olive oil and seasoning.
  • BRUSSELS SPROUTS: 1½ lbs fresh brussels sprouts or 48 ounces.
  • OIL: Oil is a traditional ingredient used to roast vegetables. It also helps the dry rub seasoning to adhere to it while it bakes.
  • SALT: Adds deep flavor to this vegetable.
  • RANCH SEASONING POWDER: My secret ingredient used to transform plain vegetables into delicious savory vegetables. Trust me, your kids will gobble every morsel up!
  • FRESH LEMON: A little citrus goes a long way and lemon helps to bring out the flavors even more.
  • PARMESAN CHEESE: I love cheese. Especially salty parmesan cheese. Use the stuff from the green can or use grated cheese.
  • ALMONDS: Add a nice crunchy texture and nutty flavor. Toasted in the oven the last 5-minutes.
Ranch Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a delicious and addictive flavor.

Brussels Sprouts Tips and Questions

  • What do roasted brussels sprouts taste like? I find the taste very similar to steamed or roasted broccoli but the flavor is deeply more complex. Roasting the brussels sprouts correctly yields vegetables that are crispy on the outside without overcooking the centers.
  • Where can I find brussels sprouts? Find them near the fresh produce at your local grocery store. They may come in a large bin that needs bagging or pre-packaged. Brussels sprouts are typically available year-round with the peak season between September and February.
Quick and easy brussels sprouts roasted in the oven for a healthy side dish vegetable recipe.

CRISPY ROASTED TIPS:

  • Why didn’t my brussels sprouts get crispy? It is possible that the pan was too overcrowded. Overcrowding a pan prohibits air to circulate and instead, result in vegetables steaming. For more on this, see the caramelization step below.
  • CARAMELIZATION: Cut the brussels sprouts in half then toss them in the oil mixture. Place the sprouts cut side down on the pan about 1½ -2 inches apart. TIP: Don’t overcrowd the pan as this will result in vegetables that steam. The key trick is to give them enough space on the pan to allow air to circulate and crisp it.
  • EXTRA CRISPY: To get sprouts even more crispy, take the pan out of the oven and flip the sprouts over so the cut side is facing up. Turn the oven to high broil and broil tops to the desired texture. They
  • TOASTED ALMONDS: Almonds should be rubbed in any remaining seasoned oil then added to the oven the last 5-minutes of baking. They tend to roast pretty quickly, so keep on eye on them and remove them from the oven before they burn.

HOW TO SERVE BRUSSELS SPROUTS:

Brussels sprouts have a bad reputation due to decades of misinformation. For decades, this simple vegetable had a reputation of tasting bitter while it turns out it was being cooked the wrong way the entire time! Now, this superfood is a prominent vegetable at the dinner table once again. Pan-roasted brussels sprouts are a popular side dish vegetable for holidays. It can be served in a salad as an appetizer or as a quick side dish to your family’s meal.

 

If you like this Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe, try these GARLIC BUTTER BRUSSELS SPROUTS next or my Crack Asparagus recipe.

Easy oven-roasted ranch and lemon brussels sprouts.

Crack Brussels Sprouts {The Best Roasted Brussels Sprouts}

Perfect oven-roasted brussels sprouts made in just 30 minutes! My Crack Brussels Sprouts recipe produces crispy charred brussels sprouts with a crunch that aren't mushy or soggy. An easy and healthy side dish that features brussels sprouts tossed in olive oil, ranch powder, garlic, salt, cracked pepper, and lemon citrus served with seasoned sliced almonds and parmesan cheese. The BEST oven-roasted brussels sprouts bake in a quick 18-minutes with outrageous ranch and lemon flavor.
5 from 12 votes
Prep Time12 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 222 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • lbs (about 24 oz) brussels sprouts
  • cup oil (olive oil or vegetable oil)
  • 3 tsp ranch seasoning dry powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground or cracked black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ zest of lemon
  • 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • cup sliced almonds
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Cut off the hard ends of the brussels sprouts. Remove any yellow outer leaves.
  • Cut in half. Rinse under cold water. Drain and dry well on a kitchen towel.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, ranch powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  • Add in brussels sprouts. Using your hands, toss and coat the sprouts well in the seasoned oil mixture.
  • Transfer to 2 large baking sheets, with parchment paper. Oil the parchment paper well with vegetable or canola oil. Place facing the cut side down on the sheet about 1½-2 inches apart. Discard any fallen out leaves.
  • Bake in oven 18-25 minutes. I prefer mine cooked to about 18 minutes or just until the bottoms are brown. Careful to not overcook the sprouts as they will turn too soft.
    TIP: To check for doneness, take one out and try it then adjust cooking time accordingly. Sprouts should have a bite and appear more undercooked than overcooked. If bottoms still need more time to crisp, flip over and broil for a few minutes.
  • Place sliced almond in the large bowl and gently coat with any remaining sauce. TIP: If none remains, add a splash of oil and a splash of salt and ranch powder.
  • With 5 minutes remaining, add the almonds to a clean side of the sheet pan. If no space, bake almonds after brussels sprouts.
    For extra crispy tops, face the sprouts center side up and broil on high for 3-6 minutes. Be sure to remove any almonds.
  • Remove from oven and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and any extra sea salt.

Video

Notes

  • Space sprouts cut side down about 2-inches apart. This will ensure the sprouts roast to a crisp.
  • Roast in the oven at 400°F for 18 minutes. Bottoms should be crispy and dark. The center of the sprouts should be tender but not too soft or you run the risk of them being soggy. Traditionally, sprouts with a little bite that may appear undercooked are much more preferred than overcooked.
  • Reheating sprouts. Simply reheat in the microwave or a 300°F until crisp.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 7gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 706mgPotassium: 483mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 903IUVitamin C: 98mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.

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Easy Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts - Quick, healthy brussels sprouts with outrageous flavor! Oven-roasted sprouts tossed in delicious ranch seasoning with parmesan cheese and toasted almonds. Healthy side dish vegetable to make for holidays.

updated 4/21

18 Responses

  1. 5 stars
    I made this as a side dish for our thanksgiving dinner and it was a hit! I ‘m wondering what the best way to preserve the leftover is and how long you would say they stay good? I am also hoping to make this again for some company this weekend but I know one of the people coming over is allergic to almonds. I don’t want to omit any kind of nut because they added such a nice crunch… if I was going to replace the almonds with another nut what would you recommend? Thanks so much!

    1. I have reheated them several times. While the flavor will be there, the texture won’t hold as well. Of course, they can be reheated and then broiled on high in the oven to achieve it before serving.

  2. I was tired of just roasted sprouts so this receipe sounded good. Made it and yes is was good. I printed it off and will use again.

  3. 5 stars
    These were incredible!! For the nutritional information, is that per serving or total? If per serving, can you clarify what that is? Thank you so much!

  4. 5 stars
    I have been searching for the perfect Brussel Sprouts Recipe~! This is it!!!! Absolutely delicious! & Very Easy!!

  5. 5 stars
    Made these last night and had some leftover fresh broccoli and threw that on the pan too. It was delicious! I did not have almonds and we did not miss them at all. Will try almonds next time.

  6. recipe was well received, even by my non-brussel-sprouts-eating husband!
    website kept jumping around as i was trying to read thru

  7. 5 stars
    Awesome. I’ve made the Brussels sprouts and they were a huge hit so we just roasted broccoli in this marinade and it was equally awesome. Sharing this recipe with all my friends. So good!!,

  8. I have made this recipe 3 times and we love them. My only issue is when I add the ranch dressing it turns the seasoning mixture into a thick paste. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Gwen, Are you using the DRY ranch dressing in a small package or are you using the ranch dressing that you put on a salad? I would think that the only reason it would turn into a thick paste would be if you used the regular ranch salad dressing otherwise there isn’t a whole lot of liquid to this recipe. Hey, we’ve all done that sooner or later. Keep cooking and learning that’s how everyone learns and some recipes your family might like the way you make it better, that’s how recipes are evolve. Keep enjoying cooking.

  9. 5 stars
    Amazing, but I absolutely cannot discard the leaves that fall off!! Those are my favorite part of roasted Brussels sprouts!!! Love, love, love the recipe, though!! They turned out fantastic! Possibly a family favorite!! Thank you!

  10. 5 stars
    I didn’t add the lemon zest or the Parmesan cheese but these were fabulous! They taste similar to the ones served at Cosmic Cowboy, but these aren’t deep-fried (and they use bleu cheese vs. Parmesan cheese).

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Welcome to Swanky Recipes!

I'm Jessica. Our approachable and enjoyable recipes aim to encourage people to cook and find joy in the kitchen. We believe that cooking should be a pleasurable experience. Thank you for joining us, and we hope you'll find inspiration and happiness in our recipes.

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