My husband and I will be spending Thanksgiving break with all my extended family on my dad's side this year, and everyone is coming from out of town except for us, so that means last minute grocery shopping and easy meal planning for the week.
My mom started a Google doc sheet that we've all been editing to figure out exactly what we're all eating, and let me tell you, there's A LOT of food!
Of course roast turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and fluffy rolls made the list...
But then I saw green bean casserole and I rolled my eyes. Really? Do we have to?
So I came up with a MUCH better option - Roasted Cinnamon Maple Brussels Sprouts! One sheet pan, 30 minutes in the oven, 4 ingredients, and one delicious side dish. (chef's kiss!)
Believe it or not, there's actually a correct way to prepare Brussels sprouts! I didn't learn this until a couple months ago, but it's totally changed the game for me.
First, trim and peel the sprouts. To trim, cut off the last 1/4" of the bottom of the sprout where the stem is (refer to the first and second picture below). Trimming helps remove the part of the sprout that isn't flavorful and allows for easier peeling.
Then, peel off the first layer of leaves that naturally fall off after removing the stem (see third picture below).
These leaves are usually dirty and wilted, but they've protected the integrity of the rest of the sprout. They're also darker than the interior. You'll be left with a firm, light green sprout with almost no blemishes.
Repeat this process of trimming and peeling with all the sprouts. Once finished, transfer the Brussels sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg and toss to coat.
Spread maple Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet. No need to spray or line with foil - we want them to be crispy! Make sure each sprout is laying on its side (instead of the flat edge) to help roast evenly.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the sprouts are just how you like them.
Allow the sprouts to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Since the sheet pan is hot, it will continue to crisp up the sprouts even out of the oven without cooking them any further.
Transfer the roasted Brussels sprouts to a bowl and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Enjoy warm and don't leave any leftovers!
Usually, my answer would be yes. Halving the veggies allows them to cook faster and crisp better.
However, with this recipe, I discovered that cutting them in half allowed the oven heat to bake out more of the maple syrup than if the sprouts were left whole, which is not what we want.
Yes, but they won't taste as good. With roasted vegetables, I've found the fresh is best, especially when serving guests and holiday meals like Thanksgiving. With this in mind, I made sure the cook time was as short as possible - 30 minutes.
Yes, but I would thaw them to room temperature first, then pat them dry. The excess liquid from thawing them will both cause the sprouts to steam in the oven rather than roast and prevent the maple syrup from fully saturating the veggies.
Store in an air-tight container (I would recommend glass containers like these) for up to three days in the fridge. Any longer and the maple will have lost its flavor and the sprouts will taste bitter.
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I can't wait to hear what you think of these Roasted Cinnamon Maple Brussels Sprouts! They're more than just your basic roasted veggie side dish, but less work than any casserole you might consider making for Thanksgiving dinner.
Be sure to leave a comment and rating below to let myself and other readers know what you thought of the recipe!
Made entirely on one pan, these roasted Brussels sprouts are sweet, crispy, and tossed in maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the easiest fall-inspired side dish. They're gluten free, refined sugar free, and vegan too, so everyone can enjoy them!
*See blog post for detailed descriptions and photographs.
Nutrition facts are a calculated estimate of one serving using sugar-free maple syrup.
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