Inspired by a Whole Foods Hot bar favourite, these Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts are delicious, flavourful and so simple to whip up- Suitable for those following a gluten free, paleo, grain free or vegan lifestyle!
Happy Friday folks!
MY OTHER RECIPESBefore we get into today’s post, I want to address something really important. For newer readers here, I moved to Sydney this earlier this year. A few days ago, my city was put in a complete lock down when a terrible incident happened at the Lindt Chocolate Cafe. I live about 10 minutes away from the location and was fortunate not to be in the vicinity that day. My prayers and thoughts go out to all those affected- especially the families of the two individuals who lost their lives in their heroic attempts.
***
So back with another copycat recipe which is also from the same place I stalked during my American trip. Brussels Sprouts are something I do enjoy, but they have to be cooked the right way.
In Australia, traditionally, the method for cooking brussels sprouts was similar to our British cousins- Boiled and bland eaten with a roast meal. It was without a doubt, the meal component nobody enjoyed. In fact, pretty sure brussels sprouts are considered to be the most despised vegetable in our country. Probably the United Kingdom too.
Thanks to the plethora of cooking shows, food appreciation and quirky restaurants opening up worldwide, these previously despised greens are now becoming quite the iconic ‘it’ food. I recently went to a restaurant I frequent quite often because they have delicious chicken parmigiana plates and don’t cost an arm to eat ($10 Mondays to Wednesdays = perfection). I noticed their side dish options were no longer just broccoli, mashed potatoes or rice. There was now brussels sprouts. Not just brussels sprouts but ‘brussels sprouts with BACON‘.
So they may have had me at bacon but still.
It’s interesting to see these trends. Two years ago, kale was unknown here and places that did stock them, it was $8. Now, you can score some for under $3 and our mainstream supermarkets stock them. Next year, who knows what it will be. Regardless, I’m glad the sprouts are getting the appreciation they deserve because let’s face it- They are delicious.
Similar to the curried cauliflower, I was obsessed with these brussels sprouts from the infamous hot bar. The only downside was easy to get carried away and end up spending $12 on Brussels (not that it ever happened..) so of course I had to recreate it. I must admit, the basis to this recipe is super simple and barely need any ingredients. It was the proportions which Whole Foods get back on right- Not too sour from the balsamic and not too oily from the olive oil.
Grab a pan, turn the oven on and be thankful this delicious vegetable is finally getting the attention it deserves.
- 1 kilogram of brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 T balsamic vinegar (I used red)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and set aside a deep baking dish/tray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the brussels sprouts with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and using your hands, mix well to ensure all the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Transfer the brussels sprouts to the baking dish and sprinkle the sea salt and pepper over it. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, remove and shake loosely before cooking for an extra 20 minutes, or until golden brown and caramelised.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately or allow to cool completely.
- These brussels sprouts are one of my favourite vegetables to eat cold. I allow them to cool and thrown in salads or eaten as a side!
Are you a fan of Brussels Sprouts?
What food do you think gets an unfair stigma?
What food do you think will trend in 2015?
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Brussels sprouts have become trendy, I think you’re right in that pairing with bacon has hooked a lot of people! $12 is hysterical, but totally within normal range for Whole Foods 🙂 Looks delicious!
Haha, Michele I was shocked when the check out chick weighed them….then I did the same thing the next day. Oops.
clearly i just about DIED when i saw this!! you know my love for the WF brussels (COLD >>>>) so much so that i take the wallet and bloat struggle that sometimes follows =l i actually just saw the third hunger games movie straight from work and ate brussels sprouts out of tupperware during the movie.. #allergyproblems and i’m surprisingly not a bacon person so i prefer mine in the flesh 😉
i feel like broccoli rabe kind of came out of nowhere in fancy restaurants? although still not sure it’s technically mainstream haha
you have given me all of the tools for success this weekend! falafel balls and carrot cake is happening.. now brussels might have to be added to the list danggiiitt!
Oh man, we literally must be twins.
I actually have so much newfound respect for you now that you just told me that. RESPECT.
I roasted brussels sprouts the other day and I totally should’ve added the balsamic vinegar! I hated them for a really long time, but after trying a delicious version at a restaurant I’ve decided to give them another shot.
So glad you have- They are underestimated (provided they are cooked the right way!)
My love affair with sprouts has been going strong for the past 2 months. Love love love sprouts in balsamic.
YES. Let’s hope it only gets stronger!
Brussles are the best. I typically keep a bunch roasted in the fridge to just randomly snack on with mustard, eat in salads, etc. Long live the brussel.
I’m amazed they can last that long!
I’m pretty sure I would eat my shoe if it was roasted or drizzled with balsamic. Seriously.
LOL.
I just spat water on my screen. I’m holding you to this Suzy. You roast that shoe.
I LOVELOVELOVE Burssels Sprouts, ESPECIALLY with balsamic. So, just ship me some of these these, and no one gets hurt.
Pinned!
I will ship these to you for some eggnog…Please?
I’ll even send some squash too because it’s bloody everywhere here.
I’m thinking Christmas dinner….
Definitely!
This makes brussel sprouts the star of the meal…not the dreaded veggie that you have to try!! YUM! YUM!
Thank you so much- I love it when that happens haha!
OMG! This is my absolute favorite way to eat brussel sprouts!!!!
You have VERY good taste.
This is hands down my favourite way to eat brussels sprouts. They get all crispy and sweet. Even my husband will eat them and he usually hate sprouts. I put a TON of garlic powder on mine too.
YES! Garlic powder and garlic salt on them is so good!
I’m so relieved to hear you are doing okay Arman- you were on my mind all day as soon as I heard about it but then fortunately I saw you had commented on a blog so figured you weren’t affected…the wonders of social media for checking up on friends :)! I love Brussels Sprouts but preferably roasted- boiled sprouts just take me back to gross boarding school dinners!
Naw, thanks Khushboo- That means so much!
You went to boarding school! Ahh dude, I want to hear more about this, I’m fascinated by those who went to boarding school!
I’m a huge fan of roasted brussels sprouts – love the balsamic vinegar – going to have to give these a try!
Thanks Jeanette 🙂
Okay…obviously the Whole Foods I go to is seriously lacking in the cruciferous veggie department! I have never seen brussels there…ever :'( I love them so much! I was deprived for so long at school so now that I’m home, I am like eating my weight in the little beauties! Haha!
DUDE. What the hell! We need you to be situated near a Whole Foods that has these. Then again, you’re a whiz in the kitchen so you could make your own hot bar 😉
making this for the family this christmas! 😀
Hope they enjoy it!
Hi Arman. Glad you’re safe. And I’m all about brussel sprouts, but have never made them at home! I will try this one:)
Thanks Ashley! Definitely give this a go!
I have never cooked them and mostly find them bitter when other people do. I am going to try this!
I used to swell, the key is roasting them to a crisp until they caramelise! 🙂
Glad you and your family are OK, sad to hear about the Lindt place. Super scary.
Brussels sprouts were once a daily staple in my diet. Halved, roasted, salted, consumed. Then the gut bugs had a little too much bloaty fun so I started eating them once in a while. These do look quite tasty.
Thanks Britt- It’s still quite solemn here at the moment. I would make them a staple, should they be a decent price. They are ridiculous right now…
How have I not seen these at Whole Foods?! Brussels are so underrated. So what if they’re a little stanky…they taste DELISH hot outta the oven! Bravo.
Sunshine, you have some epic salad concoction which would trump this!
I don’t think you can find a food that doesn’t taste better with bacon, especially when it comes to veggies. Umm, you need to come to Alberta, and then take me to LA or New York and we’ll eat at Whole Foods. K deal? deal.
Geeze, full of demands. Can we actually do that and find Americans to marry to give us green cards? Then we have a double deal.
I am 100% down for this plan.
I love Brussels sprouts every which way and yours look awesome! Pinning now!
Thank you, Sonali! You and me both!
watch out WF, the big man is putting you to shame. I like them sprouts. Yours!
Haha, come eat sprouts with me!
I LOVE that they are becoming the “it” food. They have always been a fav or mine. How could anyone not love these gorgeous little gems? This recipe looks amazing–
Thanks Michelle! Please tell me they have become cheaper in Malaysia- I remember it being SO expensive when I was there!
Oh I need to take you to the Whole Foods in Boulder, CO – their hot bar brussels sprouts, garlic/lemon juice/pepper/salt… OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG! I pretty much murdered my roommate in college with the stench, LMFAO! I do think I told you this story though, right?
Dude, I think road trip there needs to happen.
…Ms.Febreeze.
You already know how much I love my alien bug brussels sprouts. WOW these look so delicious. I will be trying these for sure…and promptly eating the whole pan by myself most likely. It’ll be a nice change from our usual coconut oil pan-roasted sprouts!
P.S. So glad to hear that you’re safe. Praying for Sydney! ♥
LOL. That is so date, my favourite vlog ever.
Thank you so much. The aura here is weird. Like, surreal. I’m going to go to the site on Friday.
I think pickles get unfair stigma. I could eat pickles all day, everyday on everything and be happy. Some people think I should have “grown out of them”. Bahumbug! I’ll be praying for those affected by the terrorism in the chocolate store!
Oh I love pickles!!! I want to this Turkish restaurant and ate all the parsnip pickles then got extra. I woke up the next day with a puffy face!
Glad you are doing well after that incident in Sydney. Such a terrible thing. But these brussel sprouts are the opposite of terrible. They’ve been making quite the appearance in my household this year as I’ve grown to love them more and more. I’ve been roasting these and broccoli with balsamic vinegar and sea salt for months now! Addicted.
Thanks heaps, Kaylin!
So good, right? Even broccoli roasted is delicious!
I ALWAYS get these when I go to Whole Paycheck! With bacon. Duh. 😉
Duh! We need to add this to our date list. You already have a Vegas. Can I be…the strip? Ha, Vegas Strip and bacon strip. Okay, I need to go to sleep.
Brilliant! Just say when.
I want in on this trip! strip!
My boyfriend’s favorite item from the hot bar. I am sure the recipe will be delicious. Thanks for sharing this one!
No worries, hope you try it out!
Totally random but I thought you might appreciate this youtube video of americans trying australian snacks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru6wri23Ljk
Haha, I’ve seen that! I hope no one else does, it might detract them from coming here!
Growing up I thought I hated brussels sprouts because I’m pretty sure my mom just boiled them or something gross. I made them not long ago for my family and they were a huge hit – I will have to try this recipe for sure!
Thanks Kim- I promise it’s super simple 😉
I was so shocked when I was following the incident in Sydney on the news. It’s hard to believe things like this actually happen, and I’m sure it must be really scary when it’s so close to home. I’m glad you weren’t personally affected by it.
I never really hated Brussels sprouts, but I only just liked them as a kid. Now I LOVE them thanks to discovering the concept of roasting them. SO much better than steaming/boiling.
Thanks heaps buddy. I’m going to go by the site on Boxing Day. The city is so sombre right now.
I’m a big old fan of the sprouts although the Hubby can’t stand them. I still force them upon him from time to time. He appeases me because he’s a good man, and I just shared a great tip for marital bliss right there.
WHAT? I used to be like that too. Just cover it in cheese and call it a green souffle.
Great recipe! As a yummy alternative I’ve roasted Brussels with a mix of EVOO and maple syrup. SO good!
Sandi, I’ve been dying to try maple syrup with my brussels- Thanks for the reminder!
Yum! I love Brussels sprouts but have never thought of using balsamic. Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Sami- It gives it a delicious tang! 🙂
I’ve never tried brussel sprouts, but this recipe looks really good and I might just have to give them a shot!!! Thanks for sharing them at Gluten Free Wednesdays 🙂
-Cassidy
Thanks so much, Cassidy- You need to try brussels- They are so underrated!
Found your recipe on the Weekend Pot Luck. We love brussel sprouts – all 14 of us. Recently I purchased some and had to hide them from the 7 year old son to keep him from eating them raw. Really!? Anyway . . . I’ve never made them with balsamic and I can’t wait to try your recipe :-). Blessings –
http://www.theprairiemom.com/blog/apple-pie-in-a-bowl/
14 of you guys?! Wow that is impressive Connie! And eating them RAW? Respect- so much respect there!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Oh Arman – I get such a kick out just reading all your replies to comments…the comments are awesome too huh? You’re gonna be so glad you linked back to our Weekend Potluck party, Man! ;-} So glad you shared with us.
Roasting Brussels sprouts is my favorite way to prepare them! Love the idea of adding balsamic. Yum!
Thanks Holley- I can’t stand brussels any other way!
would you believe I only just started enjoying Brussels sprouts like, two years ago? I never liked them either, until I had them roasted.
now I make them all the time. mine are Ginger Lime. I love the WF version, thank you for this recipe!!!
WHAT! No way….well, so did I haha!
Ginger/Lime? That sounds divine!
Oh my gosh, ginger lime? Recipe please??
My fav veggie and my fav vinegar…Yeah, I am in love.
Match made in heaven!
I want a bajillion of these balsamic brussels in my face. They’re totally in tune with my ALL THE GREEN FOODS theme this month too =)
Pretty sure cheese and pizza aren’t green. But let’s pretend we’re colour blind 😉
There’s nothing better than balsamic roasted sprouts, and this looks easy enough to pull off. Thanks for sharing!
Of course! thanks Kelly!
I really need to use Brussels sprouts more. Wonderful approach, can’t wait to try it.
Thank you!
My entire family loved these. I made them last night. Thanks for sharing the recipes with us!!!!
Dianna! Thanks so much for your feedback- That means the world! 🙂
This was yuuuumy! I used red vinegar and added onions and tasted like the Whole Foods brussels. Next time I’ll try another vinegar and maybe add another tablespoon. Thank you for sharing!
Oh yay- Thanks so much, Ruth! The addition of onions sound great!
I love brussel sprouts! My usual preparation: I get minced onions going in a hot pan with grapeseed oil, let them get just a touch of color, then throw in halved sprouts, add salt and pepper and lightly brown them, add a splash of water and cover the pan for just 2 minutes; they’re so simple and sooooo delicious! I have tried these as well. Yuuummeeee! Balsamic vinegar is good on so many things! (I dunno about old shoes lol!) Whoever thought to boil Brussels? yuck! Though, I can imagine boiled sprouts with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a dash of salt. A simple fix if some grandmother or someone boiled your sprouts lol
This sounds fabulous, Sofia!