Ahhh, brussels sprouts! That little green veggie used to torture kids all across America. As you read this, know that somewhere, some mom is forcing their child to eat brussels sprouts. However for me, I must admit that I like them. Quite a bit.
I was a lucky child who grew up in a brussels sprout-free household. I don’t think I had even seen a brussels sprout until I came down here to Southern California. So by the time that I actually tried them, I had no preconceived gag reflexes. I simply ate and enjoyed.
Guarding Lunch (from possoms & Dante)
Now, there are many food items which I hated as a child and have grown to love. I couldn’t stand tomatoes as a kid (it was the texture) but now can’t imagine a summer without them. Tomatoes are easily one of my favorite things to grow and eat straight from the vine. And beans just weren’t my thing growing up. Not the green bean type, I was cool with those, but black beans or re-fried beans or anything of the such. Straight out hated them. But now the gagging is gone and I can actually heartily enjoy a good pinto or especially beans cooked with duck fat. So tasty!
If you do have an aversion to brussels sprouts, we understand. But as grandma would say, “Just try a little bit. You never know, you might actually like it.” That open minded approach has allowed me to embrace and enjoy foods I would never have expected.
Brussels sprouts roasted with balsamic vinegar is easily my favorite way to have them. It’s quick, simple and tasty. At the restaurant where I used to manage, we had a medley of roasted veggies with balsamic vinegar, and I always found myself snagging the brussels sprouts, beets, and sweet potatoes for a little munchie. The sweet tang of the balsamic vinegar livens up the little mini-cabbages quite nicely. If they are roasted correctly, the roasted brussels sprouts will still have a slight bit of crunch to the texture, and not seem mushy. Hope you like them as much as we do.
-Todd.
P.S. -This is something we haven’t tried to grow yet. Anyone with experience growing them?
P.S. II -We want to know what it is you hated as a kid, and now have come to love. Confession time!
Print This Recipe
Roasted Brussels Sprouts w/ Balsamic Vinegar Recipe
For this recipe we are going to deviate from the norm. We aren’t going to list quantities for the ingredients. We want you to trust yourselves and cook from the seat of your pants. Toss it, taste it, and just relax and cook. If you want to do a medley of veggies like those mentioned above, since they all would have different roasting time we suggest that you roast them individually then toss everything together when you are ready to serve.
Ingredients
Brussels Sprouts
Olive Oil (don’t use the cheap stuff. The tastier the oil, the tastier the dish)
Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
1. Preheat oven to roast at 375°F.
2. Peel the outer, beat-up layers of the brussels sprouts off. Trim the end, then cut brussels sprouts in half.
3. Toss in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat evenly, then add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Lightly oil a sheet pan, then spread out brussels sprouts, cut side down. Roast in oven for 15 min., flip the sprouts to cut side up, then roast for about 10 minutes more or until gently browned.
That’s it. If you want you can serve them with a little creme fraiche, or maybe toss them with a touch more oil & balsamic for an extra tang. These make an excellent easy side dish, or a nice little munchie.
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{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
My childhood memories of sprouts: they came in a box, frozen and were boiled to mushy orbs. Definitely not a favorite then. Roasting and/or sauteing the halved or quartered orbs has made all the difference to us and, like you, we don’t use a recipe. The little sprout never lets us down now, we love them. I have only experimented with fresh, not the frozen, boxed ones. Do you grow your own? I love your garden, your dogs, your posts. Thanks!
I LOVE Brussel Sprouts! As a kid, not so much. I roast them in the oven all the time – so good. When I was a kid I hated zucchini, now it’s one of my faves. I’m always telling the boys to try things a few times, cause you never know when your taste buds are going to change their minds.
As a child I hated anything remotely spicy: mustard, black pepper, etc. Now, I can’t get enough! I am a black pepper fiend.
If you had asked me as a child, I would have said I hated fish. But now I know I had never really eaten seafood at all, barring (hee!) fish sticks and Long John Silver’s. Here in Barcelona, I practically live on fish.
I also didn’t like peanut butter (especially on PB & J, too cloying, too gummy)… and I’m still not a huge fan. Some tastes say the same, I guess!
I’m with you on the childhood gaggerific responses to tomatoes and beans. And I’ve also since come to love them massively. I can’t really remember my parents ever serving Brussels sprouts… the first time I remember eating them in earnest was after I met my then boyfriend (now husband) who adored them. That probably helped me be brave enough to try them. Now? I’m a total Brussels sprouts addict; roasted, steamed, grilled, any way at all.
As for growing them, this is actually something I’m familiar with. They’re wicked easy AND they’re super hearty. Can’t go wrong!
Roasting really enhances vegetables a lot. I hated bell peppers as a kid and now I eat them all the time, they’re one of my favorite vegetables. (I love your walkway – and your doggie!)
I must say I have only had brussel sprouts once before – it’s not that I don’t like them, they just never seem to cross my path. These look wonderful – I’ll have to hunt some down and try it out! As a kid I hated cooked carrots as a side dish (they were okay in stews). Now with a bit of butter, tarragon and honey I think they’re grand.
I love brussel sprouts too! I saute them with a little olive oild, sherry and salt & pepper until they are nice and carmelized. so yummy.
Most kids have only had them frozen from a bag, so understandably hard to appreciate when served soggy and tasting like dish water. Ugh.
I never liked the big purple eggplants. I can tolerate them now, but still not a favorite food. The texture was like snot to me.
Believe it or not, as a kid, I pretty much ate anything my mom put in front of me!
I wouldn’t eat tomatoes if you held a gun to my head, but butter beans by the pound – now I won’t touch butter beans (texture thing), and I still won’t eat tomatoes raw. But I’m growing: I love salsa, and I actually make my own marinara, a sauce I wouldn’t even look at before. Other than that, I was a pretty free-range kid; Mom used to have trouble keeping carrots in the ground long enough to grow to full size. I was worse than any possum!
I grew up in brussel sprout free home my self. Now I love them assuming they are cooked properly. Your look not only good properly but wonderful!
Yum! I love brussels sprouts – I feel like I just recently got over my childhood bias against them and rediscovered just how delicious they are. Here is another great idea for brussels sprouts in this recipe for Slow Roasted Veggies with Garlic Yogurt Dip. Enjoy!
Confession #1- I never ate brussel sprouts…(also grew up in a brussel sprouts-free household)
Confession#2- I am in love………with your white dog……..
Regarding the brussels, I think I might try this one, everything tastes so good with balsamic, isn’t it true?
Thanks for sharing
You know, I used to LOVE brussel sprouts when I was a kid – and nothing has changed there. I was a real vegetable boy. I am loving the look of these brussels – I have never actually roasted them with balsamic – that is going to change very, very soon.
Just loving your garden too!
I used to think I hated lasagna when I was growing up. I would never eat it. Until I was over at a friends house, and his mum cooked it for dinner. Well, I didn’t want to be rude, so I tried it. It was, of course, the best thing I had ever tasted in my life. After that I remember demanding lasagna all the time (I was pretty bloody young..).
Oh, and artichokes, I hated artichokes. Still do.
Never tried growing brussels, but they look so darn cool on their stalks, I think we might try this year.
I was like most kids in America . . . except I was from Cuba. No matter. I still despised brussels sprouts, until one day, when I tried roasting them.
I’m happy to say I now love brussels sprouts and proudly sing its praises.
Honestly, I don’t think there’s a better way to prepare brussels sprouts! Unless of course you add back
. And for those who don’t like ‘em — your loss because there’s more for me!!
I grew brussels sprouts this year and they were delicious! It’s such a beautiful plant. They’re best after a frost, which may be tough in So. Cal.
add bacon, i meant to say…
If you want to grow brussels sprouts, have a large corner of your garden set aside. The plants will take up at least a 3×7 foot area. And be extremely vigilant about aphids. Good luck! Brussels sprouts are one of my favorites, especially with bacon.
How funny that you’re talking about food you hate as a kid. I just blogged about a food I hated as a kid–bittermelon! And now, I can eat it without gagging…matter of fact, I like it quite a bit now. As for tomatoes, I didn’t understand the hype until I grew my own. Now, I totally understand why people love tomatoes. Btw, if you want seeds to any uncommon tomato variety, please send me an email and I will be happy to send some your way (I have over 250 varieties in my seed bank).
The brussels sprouts I can live without, but is that your yard?? I can’t stop looking at that gorgeous path and that wall and the cute doggie too!
When I was a kid, I hated sweet potatoes. I didn’t like the texture or the taste and refused to eat them. Today, I absolutely LOVE them. I would eat them every day if I could. Lucky for me, living in Japan they also love sweet potatoes. Although they are not the orange fleshed variety (they have purple skin and white flesh) they are still yummy! On another note- I just started reading your blog and I love it. Thanks for all that you are sharing!
I love brussel sprouts…even as a kid. My own kids complain and say they look like skulls (boys!). What I hated was canned cream corn…yuck! My father loved that stuff.
wow. the color and char on those is just amazing. they look so, so, so delicious! i love brussel sprouts! and your pup is so cute! i love that he’s guarding your sprouts for you
Great comments everyone! It’s so fun to see how so many of us have learned to appreciate foods we hated as kids. Thanks to those who love our garden & pups. We love them too.
After laying the pathways, we didn’t have fingerprints for a year. Bacon with brussels sprouts sounds mighty tasty, Julia. We are going to have to try that. Thanks for the advice, Beth. And Annie, we may just have to take you up on the seed offer. We have a few favorites which are coming back up for us, but one can’t have a tasty enough tomato. Have you tried sun golds? It’s our current favorite.
Keep those stories coming! Love it! -WORC
I can relate totally to your experience — I never had brussels sprouts as a kid either and now (after having tried them for the first time in adulthood) I love them! I am tucking this recipe away for future use!
As a kid I couldn’t stand okra…even now I am wary, although we are slowly learning to be friends!
I too, grew up being a brussels sprouts hater.
After having roasted brussels at Mario Batali’s LUPA in nyc, we were instantly converted.
We roast them all the time and sprinkle some Pecorino Romano on top and serve them room temperature. A great first course!
Great photos!
Stacey Snacks
when i was a kid i hate mushrooms and beans! i could spot it like a mile away. now i love both. i still don’t eat much of sweet red beans though. the first time i ate brussel sprouts was only couple years ago and i loved it! and it’s so cute too – like a mini cabbage. i have a thing with mini things.. hehe.
My confession is about something i used to love but not anymore: I once tried to smoke some herbes de provence. I was young and stupid. Now i can’t stand herbes de provence anymore. Go ahead, make fun of me!
LOVE brussels sprouts! The best way is to roast them, i agree!
I’ve never had brussel sprouts the way you’ve prepared them, but surely, they’re delicious. I used to adore brocolli, then went through a period of despising them. Now, I’ve learned that I’ve again accepted them enough to enjoy
Your dogs are too cute! I love the possum entry. In my family, we will use ‘possum’ as an endearment of sorts. For example, “That poor possum” can be used in reference to a friend who’s ill.
Everyone has their eccentricities, I suppose :-p
I was lucky that my mom knew how to prepare Brussels sprouts properly, so I never had to hate on the sprout. However, when I was younger I despised fish. I have figured out that it was because of the damn fish sticks, which was my only fish eating experience. Now fish is one of my favourite things to eat. But I still can’t abide fish sticks. Zenchef, if you read this, PLEASE tell me what tortured chain of reasoning led you to smoke herbes de provence. DYING to hear that story!
Sounds like a great recipe. Annie just bought some brussels sprouts, so we’ll be cooking some in the near future.
I was definitely a Brussels sprouts hater when I was a kid, but I’ve come to love them now. However, I will only eat them roasted — not boiled, broiled, sauteed. Just roasted. Brings out the sweetness.
All those caramelised edges are making me hungry! Great shots guys (again!). I’m so jealous of your garden, I can’t wait to settle and plant one of my own.
Me too, I never liked these babies until recently we started forcing ourselves to eat them and have made them so many different ways that now we love them.These look so delicious, but as I was admiring your shots I thought B would never eat them b/c he hates vinegar…well, he just walked by glancing at your photos & said a big “yum” to it…maybe it’s a sign
Ooh, love Sungolds. Pop them just like candy, except not like candy because I don’t eat much candy, esp. since I acquired the fun torture device known as braces. Anyway!
I love and adore brussels sprouts and in fact wrote about them long ago when I was first falling in love with the little nubbins. How cool do they look on their Tim Burton-ish stalks?! I’ve always loved them roasted, but have yet to try adding balsamic! Going to rectify this immediately, thanks!!
I hated onions as a kid; now couldn’t cook without them of course. Although I still don’t much care for them raw. I hated mustard, too, but now it’s a staple. Kids!
Oh my goodness, for all those who live in NYC, or visit, you absolutely MUST try the brussels sprouts at Casa Mono. Your mouth will positively sing. Opera.
I grew up eating the frozen ones, boiled, and STILL liked them. I don’t know what it is, I just loved them no matter what.
I just recently roasted some at home for me and Steve, who has never had them. The change in taste from the roasting was amazing. And, even better, I was so, so relieved that he liked them too so I can make them from now on.
thank you for the delicious and simple recipe. i never ate brussels sprouts as a child, but my boyfriend was practically raised on them and introduced me to them years ago. i have been a devout eater ever since.
brussels sprouts are EASY to grow!!! they can withstand a variety temperatures, and are one of those plants that tastes a million times better when you grow them yourself (ok, ok, all veggies taste better when you grow them, but brussels REALLY taste better!). they are in my garden every year, you should definitely include them in yours.
I have always liked brussels sprouts. My husband was another story. My way of making them so he not only eats them, but comes back for more is similar to your method here. I brown some butter in a oven-safe skillet, add the balsamic vinegar, then add the raw, halved sprouts (and salt/pepper) to the pan and let them cook for a few minutes. Then place the skillet into a hot oven for say, 5 or 10 minutes, depending on how many are there (don’t overcook). After the quick roast, sprinkle with toasted nuts (pine nuts, chopped almonds, whatever nut you like) and serve. Divine!
Elise: HOW do you keep aphids from absolutely ruining homegrown sprouts? I’m in the Pacific Northwest and the aphids (along with slugs) seem to run the place.
I used to hate mushrooms and olives and butter and bacon as a kid… now I adore all of them! Thanks for the yummy looking brussels sprouts recipe.
I successfully grew brussel sprouts for the first time this year. The problem in the past has been those tenacious velvet cabbage worms, and it seemed that without chemicals, the only hope was to pick them off. I could’ve done that all day. This year I dug a little deeper and discovered the BT spray–it worked perfectly. We had a late frost, so the seeds I started in July (WAY too late) managed to produce pretty decent sprouts. The other trick is to shear off the growing tip after the sprouts appear, so the energy goes into them and not the leaves. They are slow growers, so patience is a virtue here. Always worth a try!
I know, funny coming from a cookie baker, but I love cooking and have always loved veggies – any kind including brussel sprouts. Tried your recipe and loved it! Have since ad libbed and eliminated the balsamic vinegar – just toss with olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and freshly ground nutmeg. My mum is from Belgium where nutmeg is added to just about everything. Fantastic!
luv the little sprouts..roasted, steamed. yummmmmm!
i just have one question..they give us gas..and ideas??
According to Dr. Phil that’s good for you. Nice long walks after dinner are always a good idea. Helps clear the air