Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Oven Method)

These Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts have deeply browned edges, crisp outer leaves, and tender centers with just olive oil, sea salt, and optional red pepper flakes. They take 5 minutes to prep and 25 minutes in the oven, making them an easy side dish for weeknights, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.

I've tested these on different baking surfaces and compared arranging every sprout cut-side down with simply spreading them across the pan. The biggest differences in my kitchen came from thoroughly coating the sprouts in oil, using a metal baking sheet, and giving them enough space. I don't bother arranging every half cut-side down.

Why This Recipe Works

• The recipe stays intentionally simple. Olive oil, salt, and optional red pepper let the roasted Brussels sprouts provide the flavor without cheese, breadcrumbs, bacon, or a sweet glaze.
• Thorough oil coverage matters more than fussy placement. In my testing, sprouts with a thin coating of oil browned and crisped better, while incompletely coated leaves became dry and papery.
• A metal baking sheet gives me the crispest texture. Silicone produced noticeably softer sprouts in my tests; parchment works when I want a liner.
• You don't have to arrange every sprout cut-side down. I tested both methods and didn't find the extra arranging necessary for a crisp batch.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This crispy roasted Brussels sprouts recipe needs only four ingredients for the perfect flavorful *crunch*!

Brussels Sprouts

Trim the rough stem ends and cut the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise. Fresh sprouts work best for roasting.

Olive Oil

Toss the sprouts thoroughly in olive oil so every surface gets a thin coating. Avocado oil or another neutral cooking oil can also be used.

Sea Salt

Salt draws moisture from the Brussels sprouts, and I get the crispiest texture when I wait to season them until after they come out of the oven, just before serving.

Red Pepper Flakes

Optional, for a little heat.

See the recipe card for full quantities.

How to make Crispy Brussels sprouts

These Brussels sprouts are tossed with olive oil, spread on a metal baking sheet, and roasted until deeply browned and crisp.

When you make this recipe, please leave a rating and review below. I always appreciate the feedback! ❤️

📖 Recipe

Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Jamie Monkkonen

These crispy roasted Brussels sprouts have browned, crisp edges and tender centers with just olive oil, salt, and optional red pepper flakes. An easy 30-minute oven side dish.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Side, Holiday, Thanksgiving

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 90 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 ½ pounds brussels sprouts , halved lengthwise with rough ends sliced off (0.7 kg)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

 

• Prep: Fully preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Add the halved Brussels sprouts and olive oil to a large metal baking sheet. Toss thoroughly until every sprout has a thin coating of oil, then spread them into a single layer with some space between them.
• Roast: Roast for 20 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and toss, then roast for about 5 minutes more, until the outer leaves and edges are deeply browned and crisp and the centers are fork tender.
• Season: Toss with salt to taste and serve immediately.

Notes

For best taste: FULLY coat the Brussels sprouts in oil. They will still be crispy if you have some leaves that are not fully coated in oil, but they will be papery and lack flavor. I usually toss the Brussels sprouts in olive oil for a full 2-3 minutes, making sure every last bit has a thin coat of oil.

Pan: I get the crispiest results on a bare metal baking sheet. Parchment works too, but a silicone baking mat produced a softer texture in my tests.

Placement: I tested arranging every half cut-side down and simply spreading the sprouts over the pan. I don't find the extra arranging necessary for crisp Brussels sprouts.

Wait to add the salt. Salt begins drawing moisture from the sprouts as soon as it’s added. Since excess surface moisture works against browning, I roast them unsalted and season immediately after they come out of the oven.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The sprouts soften as they sit.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 127mgPotassium: 443mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 880IUVitamin C: 96mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg

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