This was the very first time I cooked Brussels sprouts. Why do they get such a bad rep? Are you a lover or a hater of Brussels sprouts?
They are super easy to prepare and just taste like cabbage. Cabbage isn’t bad. Plus, you have to admit: They are kind of cute. My dad hates Brussels sprouts, so my mom never prepared them for us growing up. Do you have things that you think you dislike, but aren’t really sure because you haven’t had them in ages? I don’t know about you, but my taste for things has changed a lot over the years, so I think it is very important to try things more than once. Most things. Unless you’re into eating worms or other weird stuff. Then once is probably good.
When I asked my husband if he liked Brussels sprouts, I fully expected to hear a two letter word (“no”) and probably get an are-you-crazy look along with it.
To my surprise, he said “Yeah.” No look either! So I decided to give them a fair chance.
Maple Cayenne Roasted Brussels Sprouts
adapted from Everyday Food magazine
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil and salt and spread on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Roast 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway. They should be tender and browned.
4. While the sprouts are roasting, in a small bowl, combine maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
5. Pour the maple syrup/cayenne mixture over the sprouts, stir to coat, return to oven for one more minute.
6. Serve and enjoy!
Verdict: They were good. I am a huge roasted vegetable fan, I love the sweetness that roasting brings out in the vegetables. I don’t think they are something that will make it into my weekly rotation, but they were good for a change.
Husband’s take: My husband really does likes Brussels sprouts! He ate these for dinner and ate the leftovers. In fact, I think know he liked them even more than I did.
1-year-old daughter’s take: Gobbled them up!
Changes I would make: None. If you hate, hate, hate Brussels sprouts (and still made it this far into my post), try this recipe with carrots. I’m sure carrots would taste great with the maple/cayenne mixture. In fact, I think I personally would like that better than the Brussels sprouts.
Difficulty: Very easy!
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Maple and cayenne are an excellent combination!
Umm…how did you know brussel sprouts are my favorite thing ever??? These look awesome and I am most definitely trying them! I’ve recently discovered an undying love for roasted vegetables as well. They are just so freakin’ good!
So as a child sitting at the dinner table after everyone was finished & I was trying to force the {now} cold Brussels Sprouts down with my {now} warm milk…. I swore I’d NEVER eat them as a grown~up. But that was when most people boiled them and they were ~~ gross.
This past year I began roasting them and also cooking them in a pan on the stovetop with some bacon…. and I LOVE them! Bookmarking your recipe to make soon…. sounds perfect for fall. Happy Friday!
Oh I love that you added maple to the mix! How creative. I bet the maple with the cumin is a perfect match. I love brussel sprouts but for anyone who is not a fan I am sure one bite of this recipe and they will think twice! Awesome
The problem with Brussels is that they are vile when prepared incorrectly, so bad in fact that most people are put off them for life. I have only recently revisited them as an adult and with correct preparation they can be quite good, but done badly they are little green balls of the devil.
Ha! Little green balls of the devil. Love it.
I have brussel sprouts planned for tonight but was just going to roast with salt & pepper – going this route now! Thanks!
It’s been my experience that people who say they dislike Brussels sprouts have only had them boiled. Don’t blame them–yuck! We all LOVE roasted Brussels sprouts in this family. My favorite way to make them is to throw them in the pan halfway through roasting a chicken.
Yum, good idea!
Lover, lover, lover!
Ok, I’m convinced to give these babies a try. It seems Brussels sprouts have such a nasty connotation but everyone is making some awesome sounding dishes with them. The color on these looks amazing!
Made these! Perfection!
Great! I’m glad you liked them!
Yum! I think my girls MIGHT even try this since they could be a bit sweet.
I just love brussels sprouts! These look fabulous!
If I had to try Brussels sprouts again this would be the way I do it. Yum!
My husband loves brussels sprouts! The other day while in the market I ALMOST bought some to make for my husband but I passed them up until I found a good recipe to try them with! Next time I am at the market I will be picking them up and trying this recipe now! I’m sure this will make my darling husband happy!
What a good wife you are! Let me know how they turn out!
I’m a lover! I didn’t start cooking them until last year because I assumed I would hate them.I also love to maple glaze them and top with crumbled blue cheese! These look perfect!
It is so unfair for brussel sprouts to get such a bad reputation. I think they taste delicious and 10x better than many it’s fellow green counterparts.
I cannot wait to try the brussel sprout and maple flavor combination. I’ve heard many good things about it but I’ve always been a little hesitant…
Thanks for sharing!
I love roasted brussels sprouts, especially when there’s also maple syrup involved. Yum!
i LOVE brussels sprouts. i’ve made them with maple syrup before but never cayenne–can’t wait to give it a shot!
These I love, I’ve roasted them but never added maple syrup, going to give that a try. It is a shame that they have such a bad name, I like them steamed with just a tad of butter. I guess you just have to love them or hate them. Nice to meet you Rachel.
I made these and they were very enjoyable. I would recommend them for anyone who has kids and maybe lighten up the pepper if your kids don’t like spicy food. The maple syrup makes them candied brussel sprouts. Thanks for the recipe!
Great! Thanks for letting me know, glad that you enjoyed them.
I love roasting vegetables. I made roasted brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving last year (without the maple syrup, because I hadn’t seen this recipe). My daughter said she didn’t ever want brussels sprouts made any other way. Me too. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Enjoy! Aren’t roasted vegetables the best? Love, love, LOVE.
Huge hit in my house! Recently I ran out of maple syrup and subbed w honey…also very good!
Yum! Sounds great!
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