I had no idea! Okay – so I had a little bit of an idea, but I didn’t realize that I could love Brussels sprouts even more than I already did. I have loved sprouts ever since I discovered them roasted. After that, I branched out and have discovered a number of different ways that I love to eat them. This has been going on for years now. I’ve learned ways to love them sautéd, shredded, raw, braised, natural, sauced, so many ways. What I also learned, though, is that typically I don’t like them boiled or previously frozen. Those are totally different beasts.

What happened here was that I went to watch a play-off football game at some friends’ house while I was doing a Whole30. My friend graciously roasted off brussies and cauliflower to snack on but she did them a little differently than I do. I have a tendency to cook my veggies to al dente, leaving a little bite to them and keeping some of the bright green color. When I had hers, though, they were cooked longer. And they were awesome.

Of course, I had to try it at home within days. Cooked long and low, they are allowed to really caramelize. The outer leaves get crispy, while the inside becomes meltingly tender. The flat side becomes golden and chewy. The whole vegetable is transformed. Generally I prefer the smaller ones, but not in this case. Either worked really well, but the bigger ones ended up having more crisp on the outside and more tenderness on the inside. I honestly can’t get enough of these. Here’s a little secret too – if you toss them with just a little melted butter at the end, they’re even more amazing. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Well-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2 lbs. Brussels sprouts

2 Tbsp. Olive oil (or other fat of choice)

Large pinch of salt

Cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut the sprouts in half. Generally, I will cut off the bottom, but even the stem gets tender with this preparation so I often leave them as they are.
3. Toss the sprouts with the oil and salt generously. Add pepper to taste.
4. Spread the sprouts on a cookie sheet, making sure the cut side of each sprout is face-down on the pan.
5. Roast for about 45 minutes. You might even go for an hour – you want nice and dark, but not burned, so taste and decide.
6. Try not to burn your fingers as you eat them straight from the pan.