I think the secret to the popularity of this Brussels sprouts recipe is all in the roasting! Roasting brings out the very best in these little green cabbages, mellowing their natural bitterness and transforming them into tender, flavorful bites with a hint of sweetness and nuttiness. The outer leaves turn beautifully golden and crispy, while the centers remain perfectly tender. Add sweet apples, plump raisins, crunchy pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup, and you have a delicious medley of sweet, savory, and nutty flavors. It’s a combination that’s hard to resist—even the biggest Brussels sprouts skeptics will be coming back for seconds!
Prep: 10 mins Total: 30 mins Cook: 20 mins Yields: 6
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts, rinsed and quartered
1 large Granny Smith apple, rinsed, cored, and diced into 1’’ pieces
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup dried raisins, or more, to taste
¼ cup roasted pecans
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine Brussels sprouts and apple in a large bowl. Whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and pour over Brussels sprouts-apple mixture. Toss until well combined and distribute in one layer on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast in the preheated oven until Brussels sprouts are tender and browned, 10 -15 minutes, turning them after about 10 minutes. Add in raisins and pecans and allow to cook for another 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Substitutions: The pecans can easily be substituted with walnuts, almonds, cashews, pepitas or your favorite nuts. Feel free to use what you have on hand. Raisins can be swapped for dried cranberries, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots. Each adds its own touch of sweetness and pairs beautifully with the roasted Brussels sprouts and apples.
One of the tricks to roasting Brussel sprouts well is to cut each sprout in to quarters. This makes the Brussels sprout easier to eat and allows to cook quicker than the whole sprout.
Roast the Brussels sprouts on pan lined with foil to make clean up a breeze. You can also fold the mixture right in the foil and roast on the grill.