The BEST Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
& here’s why…
Brussels sprouts are affordable, easy to work with, & versatile enough for standard weeknight dinners OR the most special holiday meals. They’re an incredibly underrated seasonal veggie – winter’s little rockstars, if you ask me!
We’re kicking the average Brussels sprouts recipe up a few notches with super flavorful staples like pure maple syrup, two kinds of mustard, pancetta, pine nuts, & parmesan cheese.
These maple mustard roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta are seriously gooood. They just might be my favorite Brussels sprouts recipe… EVER. I’m not being dramatic – these cuties are borderline life-changing.
this Recipe for Later!
Brussels Sprouts & Pancetta
Bacon & Brussels sprouts are a pretty classic combination, but I love swapping out bacon with pancetta whenever I can. Pancetta is basically Italian bacon. It has all of the richness of bacon without the smokiness. Aside from the Brussels sprouts, it’s kind of the star of the show here!
Because of its richness, we balance out this roasted Brussels sprouts recipe with a little sweet & a little tang: pure maple & mustard! The sweetness from the maple syrup serves two purposes: it nicely complements the richness of the pancetta & helps caramelize the Brussels sprouts.
All of these elements come together to make the PERFECT bite: salty, sweet, & crispy Brussels sprouts with tons of deep, rich, flavor thanks to the pancetta, maple syrup, & mustard.
Everyone who tries these roasted Brussels sprouts loves them – even those who claim to hate Brussels sprouts. They’re that good. ♡ Read on to learn more about these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, orjump straight to the recipe& get cookin’!
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Ingredients
Made with just 8 ingredients, each has an important job!
You will need…
- Brussels sprouts –Pictured here are whole Brussels sprouts, but you can also use shredded Brussels sprouts for extra crispy roasted Brussels sprouts.
- Pancetta – AKA Italian bacon! Pancetta is cured Italian pork belly, similar to unsmoked bacon. Feel free to swap it out with regular ol’ bacon if that’s what you can find easily. (Thick, center-cut bacon works best.)
- Olive oil & maple syrup – Be sure to use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup!
- Mustard – This recipe calls for a combination of Dijon mustard & whole grain mustard.
- & a few finishing touches: pine nuts & parmesan, to take things totally over the top.
All of these components balance & complement each other wonderfully. Every bite is exploding with fall flavor!
How to Prepare Brussels Sprouts for Roasting
Properly preparing Brussels sprouts for roasting is KEY to making them delicious. Often, I think Brussels sprouts have a bad rap because they aren’t prepared correctly. If you typically don’t like Brussels sprouts, I encourage you to give these maple mustard roasted Brussels sprouts a try – let me know what you think!
Like any other cabbage or lettuce, Brussels sprouts’ outermost leaves are tough & don’t have as much flavor as their tender, inner leaves. It’s super important to remove the outer leaves before you cook & serve Brussels sprouts.
How to Trim Brussels Sprouts
Couldn’t be easier! Grab a paring knife &…
- Remove the stem: Slice the stem end off of the Brussels sprouts & discard.
- Halve lengthwise: Cut the Brussels sprouts in half, lengthwise. This makes it easier to remove those pesky outer leaves & creates more surface area for the Brussels sprouts to get beautifully caramelly & crispy as they roast.
- Remove the outer leaves: Use your fingers to peel back the first couple layers of outer leaves. Remove these & discard.
Meal prep tip: Whether you’re prepping for a weeknight dinner or for a holiday meal, trimming Brussels sprouts is something that you can totally do in advance to cut down on day-of prep time. Simply trim the Brussels sprouts as described above, then pop them into an airtight container, & store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Easy!
How to Roast Brussels Sprouts
One of my favorite things about this Brussels sprouts recipe is how effortless it is to make. It’s the kind of side dish that totally steals the show & no one even has to know how simple it was to throw together!
Here’s what you’ll do…
- Make the maple mustard roasting sauce. Whisk the maple syrup & mustards with some olive oil & S&P in a large mixing bowl.
- Toss in the brussels sprouts & pancetta. Add the Brussels sprouts & pancetta straight into the mixing bowl with the maple mustard roasting sauce, tossing to coat evenly.
- Transfer the Brussels sprouts mixture to a baking sheet & roast. Easy peasy!
2 Simple Tips for Even Better Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roast the Brussels sprouts cut side down.The cut side of a halved Brussels sprout has more surface area than its rounded side, so make sure the cut side of the Brussels sprout is directly in contact with the sheet pan. This promotes browning which results in a richer roasted flavor. Be sure to take that extra second to arrange them cut side down on the pan – it makes a huge difference!
- Roast on 2 baking sheets to double down on the browned & crispy factor!My best advice when it comes to roasting any veggie is to avoid overcrowding on the sheet pan. If the veggies are overcrowded, they’ll steam instead of truly roasting – so nothing gets browned, crispy, or delicious. Use a second sheet pan if you need to – yes, it’s another pan to wash, but I promise it’s worth it!
How Long to Roast Brussels Sprouts?
Roast these maple Brussels sprouts at 425 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Roasting veggies at a high temperature encourages browning, creates deep, caramelly roasted flavor, & results in gloriously crispy roasted Brussels sprouts. Pretty hard to beat!
About 5 minutes before they’re done roasting, pull the Brussels sprouts out of the oven & quickly sprinkle a handful of pine nuts over the top. Like any nut, pine nuts taste best when they’re lightly toasted. They’ll toast up perfectly as the maple mustard Brussels sprouts finish roasting.
Holiday Planning Tip ⇢ This is a great recipe to prepare ahead of time! Brussels sprouts can be trimmed & the maple-mustard roasting sauce can be mixed up to 5 days in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. See Recipe Notes, below, for step-by-step guidance.
I hope you give this Maple Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe a try very soon – I’m pretty sure it’ll make regular appearances in your rotation of fall & winter recipes!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutteronInstagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
Love savory side dishes? Us too! Be sure to try my Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, , or my Butternut Squash Gratin next. Happy cooking! ♡
Maple-Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Parmesan, & Pine Nuts
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 13 reviews
- Author: Jess Larson
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes (includes inactive time)
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Side Dish Recipes, Thanksgiving
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Brussels sprouts oven-roast with pancetta in a simple sauce made of pure maple syrup & mustard, until perfectly crispy & caramelly. Finish with pine nuts & parmesan cheese for an extra special touch. Your new favorite roasted Brussels sprouts recipe!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, tough outer leaves removed, and cut in half
- 4 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch dice (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- optional: 2-3 tablespoons grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil and set aside.
- Prep the Brussels sprouts: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mustards, maple syrup, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Add the halved Brussels sprouts and pancetta, tossing to combine. Pour the entire mixture on the prepared baking sheet, arranging the sprouts & bacon in a single, uniform layer.
- Roast the Brussels sprouts for 25 minutes, then remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven and sprinkle the pine nuts over top. Return the Brussels sprouts to the oven to roast for 5 additional minutes, 30 minutes total.
- Serve: Once roasted, carefully transfer to a large serving dish. Season with extra salt & ground black pepper, to taste, and top with a generous sprinkling of parmesan. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: A little meal prep goes along way in getting these roasted Brussels sprouts pulled together! Trim the Brussels sprouts & prep the maple mustard roasting sauce up to 1 week in advance, storing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. When it’s time to roast the Brussels sprouts, all you have to do is toss everything together on a sheet pan – easy!
- Trim the Brussels sprouts.Refer to the blog post, above, for how to trim Brussels sprouts. Store trimmed Brussels sprouts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Prep the maple mustard roasting sauceaccording to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, mixing everything together in a small airtight container or jar rather than a large mixing bowl. Whisk/shake to combine and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Portions: As written, this roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta recipe yields a small batch, serving up to 4 generously as a side dish. If you’re serving a larger crowd, there are 2 options:
- Scaled up:To serve up to 8 as a side dish, double the recipe. Be sure to roast the Brussels sprouts on 2 baking sheets to ensure that they crisp up (they will steam if they’re overcrowded on a single baking sheet).
- Scaled up even more:To serve up to 12as a side dish, triple the recipe. Be sure to roast the Brussels sprouts on 2 baking sheets to ensure that they crisp up (they will steam if they’re overcrowded on a single baking sheet).
Recipe by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Eat Love Eat
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