Whole Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
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If there were an international award for the easiest and most delicious side dish ever, this whole roasted brussels sprouts recipe would take the gold. You don’t even have to pick up a knife to achieve this. They’re beautifully caramelized and slightly crispy on the outside and creamy-tender inside. Let me show you how it’s done!
Have you ever wondered, “Can you roast brussels sprouts whole?” I have – that’s how this recipe was born. I was planning to make my quick and easy 8-minute baked salmon. The idea of chopping and prepping a side dish felt like too much effort that night – I wasn’t even in the mood to pick up a knife! That’s when it hit me: why not roast the brussels sprouts whole?
The result was simple, effortless, and incredibly delicious. Why are whole roasted brussels sprouts so good? When you leave them whole, the insides stay very protected, meaning they’ll soften up to become creamy, almost like mashed potatoes, but the outside will still have that crispness. This method gives you the best of both worlds!
Key ingredients needed
The simple ingredient list means you can whip this up quickly! Here’s what you need:
- Brussels sprouts: I prefer small to medium-sized brussels sprouts for this recipe. When selecting your brussels, you want to pick ones that are firm and have a nice bright green color. Inspect the leaves – you want to make sure they’re not wilting away. Remove any outer leaves that don’t look great.
- Olive oil: You can substitute a different oil if needed, but I love the subtle flavor olive oil brings to this dish.
- Lemon: A fresh lemon is what you’re looking for here.
Tip for crispy brussels ⇢ I love it when the outer leaves become crispy while the insides turn creamy. To get the crispiness, you must use a large enough baking sheet so the brussels don’t steam. Make sure they have ample room on your baking sheet.
Brussels sprout recipe variations
I love roasting these with some garlic and adding a squeeze of lemon to brighten them up – it’s super simple and easy. There are other ways to dress these little gems up though – here are my favorite ways:
- Cheesy: Pull these out of the oven five minutes before they’re finished, and grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the top. Pop them back in so it melts over them – the sharp parmesan works perfectly with the earthiness of the sprouts.
- Capers: If I’m adding parmesan, I’ll often sprinkle a few capers on top.
- Balsamic: Drizzle some balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze after cooking for a touch of tang.
- Savory: Throw some salty bacon bits over the top – the flavor contrast is delicious!
- Spicy: If the cayenne isn’t enough for you, add a sprinkle of red chili flakes for a spicy kick.
- Maple glaze: To sweeten the deal, take your brussels out halfway through cooking, drizzle with maple syrup, and return them to the oven to finish roasting.
What to serve with this brussels sprouts recipe
My favorite way to serve these brussels is with a roasted protein and a big, easy salad. Easy to make and delicious! While the oven is on, make some baked BBQ chicken, juicy baked chicken thighs, or baked fish with lemon garlic butter.
If I’m extra hungry, I’ll throw some mini potatoes (cut in half) on the tray with the brussels when they go into the oven. They’ll cook in the same amount of time. Easy!
Make-ahead, store, and reheat
Make-ahead: If you need to make these ahead of time, say for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or a potluck, you can. Cook them for 30 minutes, then take them out of the oven. Let them cool, cover the pan, and put them in the fridge. When the turkey comes out of the oven, remove the cover and put them back in the oven to warm through and finish cooking. By the time your turkey rests for 15 minutes, it’ll be ready to go!
Store: Leftovers can be kept for up to 4 days in a covered container in your fridge.
Reheat: These reheat well in the oven or the microwave.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb brussels sprouts
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 lemon (cut in half)
- 1 head garlic (head NOT clove. top cut off)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the whole brussels sprouts on the baking sheet and toss with the oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Add the lemon halves (cut side up) and the garlic to the baking sheet and drizzle with a little oil.1 head garlic, 1 lemon
- Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, tossing the brussels halfway through.
- Let the garlic cool for a couple of minutes and then squeeze the cloves from the skin. Transfer the brussels to a serving dish, sprinkle with the roasted garlic, and squeeze the lemon over the top.
Nutrition
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More brussels recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our side dish recipes!
I love one pot meals especially when it’s my wok. Easy peasy and my family will love all the flavors. Great recipe. I can’t wait to make it for my family!
One pot is the best isn’t it?
Super tasty! I followed the recipe for Greek Lemon Potatoes and then added brussels sprouts when I was about halfway finished cooking the potatoes. I will definitely make this recipe again!
That’s wonderful to hear!
I made these for Christmas dinner and everyone raved about them. I cooked them half way then finished them after the turkey. Will make them again!
I’m so happy to hear they were a hit!
I made these today, trying out the recipe before Christmas since everyone is expecting me to bring the Brussels sprouts. This recipe looked easy and good. The good thing about this recipe is that these are certainly the easiest Brussels sprouts i’ve made. They were tender all the way through at 40 minutes and were appropriately charred, not too black.
I would also say, if you do not have a winner recipe for Brussels sprouts, this one would surely work, with one exception. I found that after squeezing on the roasted lemon, that made the sprouts taste like fish! So I would likely not add that next time. And they needed more salt, quite a bit more salt.
There is a Brussels sprouts recipe from America’s test kitchen that I use. It does take more time but it is the best. A lot can be done ahead of time but if you want the best Brussels sprouts, that would be my recommendation. Even the little kids happily gobble them up and ask for more.
I’ve definitely never experienced that before! Not sure what happened with your brussels or lemon. 🙂
Hi Kristen! I love your blog!
Can I use frozen Brussels sprouts?
Awww thanks Mel! I wish I could tell you but I’ve never cooked with frozen brussels before so I don’t know how they cook. I’m sorry!
I’m cooking them with frozen sprouts right now. I imagine it will loose something, but heck, the roasted garlic will make up for it, I’m sure! I can’t wait to try the recipe with fresh sprouts!
How did it turn out with frozen brussels?
I love brussel sprouts! These look absolutely amazing! love your blog and thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thank you so much! I hope you love them as much as I do!