Perfectly tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, these crispy smashed brussel sprouts are sure to be the star of your table! Perfect as a side dish to any weeknight dinner or special occasion meal. Simply boil, smash and bake for crispy brussel sprout success!
Who doesn’t love a good crispy brussel sprout? To be fair, brussel sprouts aren’t the most delicious vegetable if they’re prepared traditionally (boiled brussels yuck!) but if you boil THEN bake them you can perfectly tender on the inside and crispy on the outside brussel sprouts that make you feel awesome about eating veggies.
This is one of those simple side dish recipes that you should always have in your back pocket. Sure, you need to do one extra step (boiling the brussel sprouts first) but then you have show stopper veggie side that truly everyone will love. Even my baby enjoyed them…my toddler on the other hand? We’re still working on her!
Ingredients Needed
- Brussel sprouts – Be sure to remove the stem and any loose outer leaves.
- Olive oil – or avocado oil if you don’t have olive oil.
- White wine vinegar – red wine vinegar will also work in a pinch.
- Flaky sea salt – I like using flaky sea salt for this recipe but you can use regular table salt or whatever salt you have on hand.
- Black pepper – just a pinch.
- Shredded parmesan – this is optional. I love the flavor but if you want to omit it you most certainly can.
How to Make Crispy Smashed Brussel Sprouts
STEP 1: BOIL BRUSSEL SPROUTS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add brussel sprouts and boil them for 12 minutes or until fork tender. Strain brussel sprouts and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Pat brussel sprouts dry with paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
STEP 2: FLATTEN BRUSSEL SPROUTS
Place brussel sprouts on parchment-lined baking sheet and using a glass cup press down on each brussel sprout to flatten it. Drizzle brussel sprouts with olive oil and white wine vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if using.
STEP 3: BAKE
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until brussel sprouts are crispy. Check occasionally to ensure they aren’t burning.
FAQs
1) Turn your oven up to high heat. Roast your brussel sprouts at 450. Lower heat tends to cause soggy sprouts.
2) Avoid using a silicone baking mat on your sheet pan. I love my silicone baking mat but I’ve found that it doesn’t crisp up vegetables very well so I’d recommend using parchment paper or tinfoil on your baking sheet instead.
3) Do not overcrowd your sheet pan. If you plan on doubling the recipe be sure to split between two sheet pans otherwise they will be overcrowded and will not crisp up.
4) Be sure to dry your brussel sprouts after boiling. Removing any excess water will ensure they get crispy.
Absolutely! To make these crispy brussels vegan and dairy-free simply omit the parmesan cheese.
Yes. In order to be able to smash you brussel sprouts you need to make them soft. Boiling them allows them to be squished on the sheet pan so that they crisp up.
For sure! However be sure to split the recipe between the two sheet pans. If you overcrowd your baking sheet they will not get crispy.
Storage Instructions
I personally prefer these crispy brussel sprouts immediately from the oven but you can save them in the refrigerator for up the 3 days. They won’t stay as crispy but they will be delicious.
You can reheat them in the microwave or oven but to keep them crispy I recommend using an air fryer.
More Brussel Sprout Recipes:
Crispy Smashed Brussel Sprouts
Perfectly tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, these crispy smashed brussel sprouts are sure to be the star of your table! Perfect as a side dish to any weeknight dinner or special occasion meal. Simply boil, smash and bake for crispy brussel sprout success!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Bake
- Diet: Gluten Free
- 1 lb brussel sprouts, stem removed + loose leaves removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan, optional
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add brussel sprouts and boil them for 12 minutes or until fork tender.
- Strain brussel sprouts and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Pat brussel sprouts dry with paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Place brussel sprouts on parchment-lined baking sheet and using a glass cup press down on each brussel sprout to flatten it.
- Drizzle brussel sprouts with olive oil and white wine vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if using.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until brussel sprouts are crispy. Check occasionally to ensure they aren’t burning.
- Store in fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in oven, skillet or microwave or use an air fryer for optimal reheating results.
