So many veggies are at their best quickly roasted and browned in the oven! This recipe for roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic, parmesan, and pecans is full of caramelized, toasty flavor offset by sweet and sour balsamic and salty parmesan. You haven’t really had vegetables until you’ve tried them roasted.
Hello, all!
I hope the new year is treating all of you lovely readers right so far! Make any new year’s resolutions? I’ve got the usual ones. Eat right, exercise more, drink my water, and be more organized. š
We’ll see how long they last…
Especially the being more organized one. I wish I was organized. On top of things. Focused. Instead I’m easily distracted by shiny things and I’ve decided that later is the better time to do anything. Wish me luck!
Mediterranean Diet
Now though, the eating right one is a resolution I can really work on! Particularly since the Mediterranean diet has been crowned the best diet to follow. And I’ve been adding more Mediterranean friendly recipes to my diet, my weekly meal plans, and here on my blog all this past year.
More fish recipes – like Grilled Swordfish, Crispy Seared Salmon, and Pan Seared Cod. More vegetarian recipes – like Roasted Tomato Soup, Kale and Freekeh Buddha Bowls, and Kolokithopita. And more fruit forward desserts – like Plum Galette, Poached Peaches, and Blueberry Skillet Cobbler.
While I’m unlikely to completely give my creamy and saucy comfort foods or fun celebration recipes, I do hope to add many more vegetable soups, healthy dinners, fish and seafood, and other dishes to help us move away from the standard American diet more to towards a Mediterranean influence.
Who’s with me? I hope you are!
And we’ll start the year with this recipe for roasted brussels sprouts. Which is proof positive that healthy and good for you doesn’t mean boring or flavorless.
Because, how good are these? Soooo good!
I’ve been making them regularly for months now and I love them every time. I even whipped up a batch for dinner one evening when I was visiting with my parents over Thanksgiving and we all loved them.
Sweet and salty and crispy and tender. This recipe has it all!
What do you need?
- Brussels sprouts – Choose bright green ones with tightly wrapped leaves.
- Olive Oil – A couple of tablespoons.
- Chopped Pecans – These provide crunch and sweetness. You’ll need about 1/4 cup.
- Spices and Seasonings – Smoked paprika, parmesan, and balsamic round things out.
How to make this
To make roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic, toss trimmed sprouts with olive oil and salt then roast in the oven until browned. Add the pecans and continue roasting. Move to a serving dish and toss with balsamic and parmesan.
- Trim brussels sprouts and toss them with olive oil and salt.
- Roast at 400F until they are browned and almost tender.
- Add the pecans and roast a few more minutes.
- Add the balsamic and shredded parmesan and serve.
1. Trim
So, the first thing you need to do is to trim. Cut off the stem end, remove old leaves, and cut them in half. Don’t worry if you have good leaves which have fallen off. Add them to the baking sheet if you wish and they’ll get super browned and crispy. Yum!
Tip: If your market has trimmed and packaged brussels sprouts, this is a great way to cut down your prep time and get you from cooking to eating faster. I love them myself and find I make them more often when I can find them all trimmed for me.
2. Toss with Seasonings
Once your sprouts are trimmed, toss them with olive oil, a bit of smoked paprika, and some salt and pop them in the hot oven. If you are super into having them as browned as possible, turn them so that they are facing cut side down. I do this when I have the time.
Tip: Smoked paprika is a spice you should have in your spice rack. A pinch here or a shake there can take the flavor of your dishes from blah to wow!
3. Roast and Enjoy
Roast for about 15 minutes, or until they are mostly tender, and then add the chopped pecans and give everything a stir. A few minutes more and you’re done!
All that’s left is to drizzle over the balsamic and toss everything with shredded parmesan.
More Roasted Vegetables
If you try my recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pecans, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And Iām happy to answer any questions you might have.
– Happy Roasting, Annemarie
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 lb (about 4 cups) brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- pinch smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Toss trimmed brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and a pinch or two of smoked paprika. Spread out on a baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Check them - they should be almost cooked through. If not, give them another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the pecans and stir the brussels sprouts. Bake for 3-4 minutes more, or until the pecans are browned and the sprouts are tender.
- Remove from oven. Toss with balsamic and parmesan. Serve with more parmesan if you wish.
Notes
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts: If you want them to have maximum browning and crispiness, start them off cut side down when roasting.
- Nuts: You can use chopped walnuts or almonds in place of the pecans.
BitofBacon Pet Corner
I leave you with a picture of Apollo, who would not look at the camera. š Probably because he wanted me to put it down and give him some brushies. Since brushies are his absolutely favorite thing in the world.
Won’t anyone think of how itchy he is and take pity on him? (Don’t worry. He gets LOTS of brushies.)
Dee says
Walnuts or pecans? The title says walnuts but the actual recipe and directions say pecans.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Wow, how did I do that? The pictures are pecans and my recipe notes say pecans but I somehow titled it walnuts. I’ll fix that now, but note that you certainly can use walnuts in the dish if you wish.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
Happy New Year, Annemarie!! I love roasted brussels sprouts! I can make a meal on this alone. Good luck on your resolutions. Mine is to eat a healthier diet, but it’s getting off to a slow start š
justalittlebitofbacon says
Same to you Thao! I could make a meal of roasted brussels sprouts too. š Changing habits is tough so good luck there.