These crispy roasted brussels sprouts topped with parmesan and pomegranate simple syrup will give new meaning to the words side dish!

Close up of crispy roasted brussels sprouts on a dark baking sheet.

This post may contain sales affiliate links. Please see my full Disclosure Policy for details.

Many people are trying to incorporate more veggies into their diet and one great way to do that is via interesting side dishes. Like it probably is for many of you, eating enough veggies has been an ongoing challenge for me I've been experimenting with a number of different things this year in my quest to achieve this goal. I'll be focused on side dishes for two and will keep sharing the good stuff along the way!

Brussels sprouts are one of those veggies that seem to cause a lot of controversy. Some people hate them, others love them. Personally, I loathed these little green, leafy spheres for much of my life. Then one day I was out with some friends for lunch and discovered that they were amazing raw. Who knew?! After that lunch, I created this Shaved Brussels Spouts salad and have kept trying to find ways where I would enjoy them cooked. I discovered that for me, the secret is making sure they are super well cooked and crispy with some tasty sauce or something like that added in.

Contents:

Notes from the Kitchen
Ingredient Notes
Recommended Tools
Making Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Make Ahead Tips
Serving Suggestions
More side dish recipes
Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Pomegranate Syrup

Notes from the Kitchen

So what is the secret to making crispy brussels sprouts? High Heat and oil. That's it - easy!

These babies get roasted in pretty high heat with nothing but oil, salt and pepper. You'll stir them up a few times to make sure they all get nice and crispy and add some parmesan at the end for extra flavor. A bit of pomegranate syrup after they are done and you have a delicious veggie side dish.

This recipe will make almost anyone a fan of these cute little green veggies!

Here are a couple of tips for success when making this recipe:

You might be asking why I used avocado oil instead of olive oil. Avocado oil is actually better for high heat than olive oil because it has a higher smoke point. You can definitely substitute olive oil if that's your preference.
Be sure to give veggies some space on the baking sheet when roasting them. This helps to ensure they get nice and crisp. If you crowd them on the baking sheet they will essentially steam instead of roast, which won't result in the crispy texture you are trying to achieve.
Brussels sprouts pair well with salty, rich foods like bacon and pancetta, which you could add to this recipe if you like. They also work with light acidic things like vinaigrettes and lemon zest since which help to combat some of the slightly bitter flavor that you sometimes get with brussels.

White bowl filled with crispy roasted brussels sprouts with parmesan

Ingredient Notes

The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.

Brussels sprouts: You can use frozen shrimp in this dish, just defrost before you marinate them and be sure they are not pre-cooked. With the tail on or tail off is fine.
Parmesan cheese: As always, I recommend you use freshly grated cheese for the best results.
Pomegranate syrup: The syrup gives this recipe the perfect finish so you'll want to buy a bottle of premade syrup, which is also great for cocktails or drizzled on desserts. If you prefer to make it from scratch, which is pretty easy to do, try this recipe from Alton Brown.
Avocado oil: I'm a big fan of using avocado oil, especially when it comes to recipes that require high heat. It has a great taste and works in place of olive oil in many recipes. If you haven't added it to your pantry yet, I'd definitely recommend picking up a bottle next time you are at the grocery store.

Recommended Tools

Large baking sheet – I always say these rimmed baking sheets are a kitchen must-have. You can use them for roasting veggies, baking chicken or fish and for making cookies. They work great for bacon too! Since they are rimmed you don’t have to worry about juices or grease running off the edges and getting all over your oven. I have them in a couple of sizes to accommodate various baking and roasting needs!

Making Roasted Brussels Sprouts

The full printable recipe card is below, but let’s walk through the details before you start cooking.

Roasting brussels spouts is super easy, but there is a trick....you've got to use high heat. If the oven isn't hot enough, you'll end up with soggy sprouts.

Cut brussels sprouts on a dark wood cutting board

Step 1 | Prep the sprouts. Cut the bottoms off of the sprouts and then cut them in half or quarters if they are larger. Try to keep the pieces a fairly consistent size.

Step 2 | Season the sprouts. Place the cut sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle them with oil. Season them with salt and pepper then toss to coat. Make sure the brussels are mostly cut side down on the baking sheet.

Step 3 | Roast. Roast the sprouts for 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss well. Return it to oven and roast for an additional 10 minutes.

Step 4 | Add the parmesan. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss again. Sprinkle the spouts with parmesan and roast for an additional 10 minutes until the sprouts are crisp and beginning to turn dark brown.

Roasted brussels sprouts on a dark baking sheet

Make Ahead Tips

Since the goal is nice, crisp sprouts, you really want to cook them shortly before you serve them. You can prep the spouts the day before as outlined in step 1. Store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.

Serving Suggestions

These brussels sprouts make a great side dish for just about any meal. Some of my favorite pairings include these Turkey Meatloaf Muffins or this Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Merlot Sauce.

More side dish recipes

If you are looking for other unique side dishes for two check out these reader favorites:

Miso Glazed Roasted Cauliflower. Take your side dish to the next level with this cauliflower glazed with a miso sauce and then roasted to crispy perfection!
Twice Baked Potatoes with Kale Pesto. These creamy twice baked potatoes get an added punch from the addition of kale pesto, making them the ultimate side dish!

Click here to subscribe to Urban Foodie Kitchen's Newsletter for free and fresh smaller scale recipes right to your inbox!

If you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment with a star rating below. You can also take a photo & tag @urbanfoodiekitchen on Instagram.

These crispy roasted brussels sprouts topped with parmesan and pomegranate simple syrup will give new meaning to the words side dish!

Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Pomegranate Syrup

Author: Kathryn | Urban Foodie Kitchen

These crispy roasted brussels sprouts topped with parmesan and pomegranate simple syrup will give new meaning to the words side dish!

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Course Veggies & Sides

Cuisine Continental

Servings servings

Calories 122 kcal

Ingredients

12 to 16 ounces fresh brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons avocado oil
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
dash of salt
3 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup

Instructions

Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 425°F.
Prepare the brussels sprouts. Cut the bottoms off of the sprouts and cut them in half. For larger ones, you'll want to cut them in quarters so they are essentially the same size. Peel off any tough outer leaves and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the oil, pepper and salt. Toss to coat. Make sure the brussels are mostly cut side down on the baking sheet.
Roast. Place baking sheet in preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and toss well. Return to oven and roast for an additional 10 minutes.
Add the parmesan. Remove from oven and toss again. Sprinkle with parmesan and roast for an additional 10 minutes until the sprouts are crisp and beginning to turn dark brown.
Serve. Remove from the oven and add the pomegranate syrup. Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe makes two large servings or three smaller servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ouncesCalories: 122kcal

Did you make this recipe?Tag @urbanfoodiekitchen on Instagram or hashtag it #urbanfoodiekitchen

This post was originally published in January 2018. It was updated in December 2024 with some new information and photos. No changes were made to the original recipe.

Comments