I serve these Brussels sprouts often, and folks gobble them up each time. They love the heat from the kicky spice blend, the sweetness from the apple cider-plumped cranberries, and the crunch of the nuts. These couldn’t be easier to make or more impressive to serve.
Contents
What You’ll Need to Make This
- Brussels sprouts–Choose sprouts that are firm with closed leaves and no blemishes or bruises.
- Coconut oil–You can substitute olive oil, or another oil suitable for roasting, such as vegetable or canola, if you prefer.
- Dried cranberries–I like to use sweetened dried cranberries (aka craisins) and plump them with apple cider. They become jammy and create a more complex autumnal flavor.
- Pecans–The nuts are optional but do add a lovely crunch to the finished dish. Feel free to swap in other nuts, such as almonds, macadamia, or walnuts.
How to Make Spicy Brussels Sprouts
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Add the Brussels sprouts to the bowl and toss to coat them thoroughly.
- Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. If you want extra-brown sprouts, roast them cut-side down the whole time.
- Combine the cranberries and 1/4 cup of apple cider in an uncovered saucepan over low heat.
- Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the cranberries are plump.
- Add the cranberries to the Brussels sprouts and continue to roast until the sprouts begin to brown.
- Transfer the roasted sprouts and cranberries to a serving dish and top with the nuts and garam or chaat masala, if desired.
Common Questions
Cut away exposed stems and discard any leaves that are bruised or blemished, then slice them in half. That’s it.
The sprouts should be golden brown outside, with some crispy edges. If you poke them with a fork, they should be tender and offer no resistance. Be mindful not to roast them too long, or they’ll be mushy.
If you want extra-crispy leaves on the outside but don’t want them to become mushy in the middle, switch the oven to broil for the last 1 to 2 minutes. Watch them carefully, as they can scorch quickly.
In the oven: Arrange the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast them at 350°F until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Halfway through, give them a stir and make sure they’re not burning.
In a skillet: Toast them in a single layer over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Toss them frequently to avoid burning.
Helpful Tips
- Store leftover roasted Brussels sprouts in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat leftover sprouts, spread them on a baking sheet and pop them in a 400°F oven until they are warmed through and the edges are beginning to crisp.
- This recipe is suitable for gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets.
More Easy Brussels Sprouts Recipes
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If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted over low heat
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
For the Brussels sprouts
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup apple juice, apple cider, or water
- 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped (or substitute macadamias, almonds, or walnuts), optional
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or chaat masala (optional)
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Crank up the heat to 425ºF (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
Make the Brussels sprouts
- Add the Brussels sprouts to the dressing and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. (If your Brussels sprouts are cold from the fridge, the coconut oil will harden. Fear not, it all will work out in the oven.)
- Roast the Brussels sprouts for 15 minutes, stirring and rotating the baking sheet once.
- Meanwhile, warm the cranberries in apple cider or juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the cranberries are plumped and jammy, 6 to 10 minutes. If the liquid doesn’t fully absorb, simply drain off any excess.
- Add the plumped cranberries to the Brussels sprouts and continue to roast until the sprouts begin to brown at the edges and are tender but not mushy, 5 to 10 minutes more.
☞ TESTER TIP: If you like some of your sprouts a little extra crispy, slide the Brussels sprouts under the broiler for a minute or so before removing them from the oven. Watch them carefully, as the leaves can quickly scorch.
- Scrape everything from the baking sheet into a serving bowl and top with the macadamia nuts and garam or chaat masala, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage–Store leftover roasted Brussels sprouts in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating–To reheat leftover sprouts, spread them on a baking sheet and pop them in a 400°F oven until they are warmed through and the edges are beginning to crisp.
- Dietary–This recipe is suitable for gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan diets.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
These are the most exciting and flavorful Brussels sprouts I’ve had! The combination of sweetness, spice, and heat makes this the most interesting Brussels recipe I’ve tried and enjoyed so thoroughly.
I was unable to find the chaat masala but went ahead without it. However, I still plan to try it in the near future to see what it adds to the recipe.
The timing was spot on. It took fewer than 10 minutes to prepare everything, and this makes six plentiful servings.
This spicy Brussels sprouts recipe was delicious and so easy to prepare, it felt a little guilt-inducing to put so little effort into the preparation.
The dressing was delicious as-is, but the chaat masala added a fruity, floral note that was unexpected and reminded me of other Indian vegetable dishes I’ve had. The dressing came together quickly, and the cayenne heat added a nice note to the mix.
The dressing would go well with almost any type of roasted vegetable. Sweet potatoes come to mind, but roasted carrots, butternut squash, or a mix of vegetables would be great. Any type of nut would also work with this dish, especially hazelnuts or almonds.
Wonderfully spicy sprouts that are worth making year-round. I thought I’d tried almost every variation on preparing Brussels sprouts out there, from raw salads to slightly stir-fried leaves to full-on bacon and roasted chestnuts, but this was new. The spiciness and slight caramelization of the leaves work well with the slight bite of sweet cranberries (and you could substitute dried cherries if you wanted).
Don’t you dare reserve these Brussels sprouts just for Thanksgiving dinner. They’re super easy to make.
The dressing’s flavor is assertive enough to stand up to the sprouts, but do adjust the amount of cayenne to suit your taste. That much tongue-twisting heat isn’t for everyone and may affect your enjoyment of the rest of your meal.
I’d have liked more cranberries in this dish. They added a nice, sweet tartness to counterbalance the heat of the cayenne.
Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite side dishes. I remember as a kid I hated the smell when they were cooking but one time my parents asked me to try just one. And of course, like most of my family’s cooking, they were covered in butter and seasonings. They were absolutely delicious. This is when my relationship with Brussels sprouts began.
This recipe was different than I have ever made them before. The flavor of these Brussels sprouts were to die for. It had a spicy kick with tons of flavor and the sprouts were almost caramelized. I thought the idea of plumping the cranberries with the apple juice was fantastic. I feel I could use that for a lot of additional recipes. The macadamias on top were just and added bonus. I will definitely be making this recipe again.
There’s nothing quite like the smell of overcooked Brussels sprouts, Chelsea. I’m so glad that you tried this and loved it as much as the butter-drenched version.
I should preface this by saying that I freaking love roasted Brussels spouts. They make an appearance in my home at least twice or thrice weekly thanks to how easy and versatile they are. I will even keep a tupperware full of pre-cooked sprouts in the fridge that I will reheat and serve with eggs and bacon for breakfast. This was a lovely spin on plain old Brussels sprouts roasted with oil. It’s very autumn-centric, so if you need a dish for Thanksgiving or a fall potluck, this is it.
For the life of me, I could not find chaat masala–I had garam masala on hand and went with that.
Thanks, Camilla.
I’m new to this site. I found it by accident and I’m really glad I did! I made these tonight and WOW!!!!. Better than great. And I totally forgot about the cranberries and nuts. We love brussels sprouts but this recipe will win anyone over. If you are looking this recipe over and thinking the ingredient list is too long….Too much trouble for a side dish. Think again. Takes 2 min to measure, toss and throw into the oven. I halved the recipe (only the two of us) Will make again tomorrow with the other 1/2 bag. This time with the cranberries. Thank you for this great site!
Welcome, Anna! We’re delighted that you found us, and are so pleased that the Brussels sprouts recipe was such a success for you. Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know. We can’t wait to hear what you try next.