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Roasted brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables to roast, but when you want extra crispness, you’re going to love this crispy smashed brussels sprouts recipe with parmesan. Smashing the sprouts means more surface area touches the pan, so they crisp up more. They are similar to smashed potatoes, but healthier.
Why You’ll Love This Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts Recipe
- Savory, cheesy flavor
- Crispy edges with tender inside
- Just 5 minutes prep
- Mostly hands-off cooking time
- Vitamin-packed, healthy side dish to any meal
Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this smashed brussels sprout recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Brussels Sprouts – Fresh brussels sprouts are best here, I don’t recommend using frozen. Look for sprouts that are uniform in size, so that they cook at the same rate. Remove any browned outer leaves.
- Olive Oil – I like the flavor of olive oil in this recipe, but avocado oil also works great.
- Parmesan Cheese – I used finely shredded parmesan, but pre-grated parmesan is fine for convenience. You can also omit the parmesan if you need them to be dairy-free or vegan.
- Sea Salt
- Garlic Powder – This works better than fresh garlic, because we are roasting the sprouts at high heat and garlic would burn.
- Cayenne Pepper – I used just a bit for mild heat, but you can adjust this based on how much you like. Or use black pepper instead.
VARIATION: Want a little zing? Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or a teaspoon of lemon zest in the seasoning step below.
How To Make Smashed Brussels Sprouts
This section shows how to make smashed roasted brussels sprouts, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Boil. Add brussels sprouts to a large pot of boiling water seasoned with salt and boil for 10 minutes, until tender, but not fully cooked.
TIP: Be careful to not overcook sprouts at this step. The end result will be mushy if cooked too long. The goal here is to soften them enough to be able to smash them, but not fully cook through.
- Drain. Run cold water over the sprouts to stop the cooking process, then drain in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season. In a large bowl, drizzle brussels sprouts with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, parmesan, sea salt, and cayenne pepper. Toss to coat.
- Smash. Arrange brussels sprouts in a single layer on a sheet pan, making sure each piece touches the pan, and smash them flat with the bottom of a mason jar. Sprinkle with more parmesan cheese, if desired.
TIP: For maximum browning, use either a foil lined sheet pan or an unlined one. You can lightly drizzle it with oil if you are concerned about sticking. Using parchment paper won’t give you the same browning, so don’t recommend it.
- Roast. Bake brussels sprouts until the bottoms are crispy and golden brown.
Why Don’t My Brussels Sprouts Get Crispy?
No one likes soggy brussels sprouts! This recipe for smashed brussels sprouts with cheese gets them nice and crispy because we’re flattening them (increasing surface area) and roasting them at high heat. If you still experience issues, these are the most common reasons:
- Not cooking for long enough – The sprouts need time to get crispy, so if they are not browned, cook them for longer.
- Lining the pan with parchment – Parchment paper can prevent browning, so a bare pan or foil lined pan works best.
- Crowding the pan – It’s important that each sprout is touching the pan and has breathing room around it. If your pan is too crowded, your smashed brussels sprouts won’t crisp up.
- Not drying the sprouts – It’s important that they are completely dry after boiling. Water can prevent crispness.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep crispy smashed brussels sprouts in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Reheat: For best results, reheat the sprouts in the oven at 374 degrees F, or lightly pan fry them. Microwaving is not recommended, as they will be soft instead of crispy.
- Freeze: Freeze brussels sprouts for 2-3 months in an airtight container.
What To Serve With Brussels Sprouts
Serve this smashed brussels sprout recipe with a main protein like:
- Chicken – Try air fryer whole chicken, lemon parmesan chicken, or pan seared chicken breast with your crushed brussels sprouts.
- Beef – Sprouts are a classic side for steak, like sirloin steak, NY strip steak, or air fryer filet mignon, but they are delicious with burgers, too.
- Pork– Pork recipes such as pan seared pork chops, slow cooker pork loin roast, or rosemary pork tenderloin all pair well with roasted smashed brussels sprouts.
- Seafood – Pair smashed sprouts with fish, like pan seared salmon or lemon baked cod, for a weeknight meal, or up your game on special occasions with air fryer shrimp, lobster tail or crab legs.
More Brussels Sprouts Recipes
If you like this smashed brussels sprouts recipe, you might also like some of these other brussels sprout recipes:
- Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
Tools To Make Smashed Brussels Sprouts
- Dutch Oven – Boil your brussels sprouts in this large dutch oven that’s also great for soups and stews.
- Baking Sheet – These are my favorite baking sheets, I have them in every size.
- Mason Jar – These are great for flattening brussels sprouts and using for all-purpose cooking and storage.
Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts Recipe
A super easy crispy smashed brussels sprouts recipe, with just 5 simple ingredients, quick prep, and tips for perfect browned edges and lots of flavor.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
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Add the brussels sprouts and 2 teaspoons of sea salt to a large pot of boiling water. Boil for about 10 minutes, until very tender and bright green, but not fully cooked. Drain the brussels sprouts and pat dry with a paper towel.
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In a large bowl, toss the brussels sprouts with the olive oil, garlic powder, parmesan cheese (if using), 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and cayenne pepper.
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Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure each sprout touches the baking sheet.
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Using the bottom of a small glass or a mason jar, press down on the sprouts to smash them flat. Sprinkle additional grated parmesan cheese on top (optional).
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Roast smashed brussels sprouts for about 30 minutes, until the bottoms of the sprouts are crispy and golden brown.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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43 Comments
Liz
0Not edible. Incomplete recipe. 3rd time trying to give an honest review and they keep getting deleted.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Liz, Sorry to hear you had issues with the recipe. I’m not sure what you mean by “incomplete recipe” though – the full recipe is on the recipe card above. I’d be happy to help you troubleshoot if you can provide more detail about where you had trouble or what didn’t turn out.
Liz
0The fact that I’ve left FIVE reviews that disappeared while “waiting for moderation” says you do delete reviews. This makes it seem like you’re doing this to bolster your reviews.
You don’t say to boil the water then add the sprouts. You say that only in a comment below (if people are asking you that should be a clue your recipe is incomplete). Then you only say to line the pan in the blog post. No one should have to read your life story or 40 comments to get the full recipe. Not including all the steps in a recipe is wrong. Can you imagine if you had to read every page of a cookbook, including the reviews on the back, and the inside page about the chef just to put together a simple recipe? That would be silly. What you’ve done is the same. Then you censor reviews and deny it.
This is the second time I’ve posted this. Since you don’t agree with it you delete it. That is censorship. That is deleting an honest review.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Liz, All our comments get moderated to avoid spam and profanity, so may take some time to approve. I don’t see any others pending from you, but we do limit star reviews to one per person as this represents the number of people that tried the recipe (one person spamming a recipe with multiple reviews is not helpful to anyone and our goal is to be helpful to all readers). Your 1-star review was published, and sorry to hear the recipe was unclear. Thanks for explaining what was confusing. I have updated the blog post to clarify for others, the brussels sprouts get added while boiling the water, not after. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
Debbie
0I grew up hating brussels sprouts, but I’ve made these twice now, and both times they’ve been amazing! My only problem is they stick to the aluminum foil coming out of the oven, so next time I’ll spray the liner first (which you did mention). I’m putting this out there in case anyone else is thinking of making it, and they’re only reading the recipe or comments. Do yourself a favor and read ALL of the instructions for the best shot at getting the desired results. 😉
Aza
0I love it! Thank you!
Heather
0These are AMAZING!!! I personally won’t salt them after boiling in the salty water, because the cheese has plenty of salt for my taste.
Lesli
0First, I love Brussels sprouts, and it’s easy to cook them. I never taste with cheese, so it’s a great idea that melted cheese gives it a delicious flavor.
Penney Summers Muzyka
02 1/2 tsp of sea salt was waaaaay to much! Not edible!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Penney, Did you use the entire 2 1/2 teaspoons for seasoning the sprouts? The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons for the salt water, and only 1/2 teaspoon for seasoning the sprouts later.
alex
0I added honey to mine for a sweet & spicy situation and it paired SO WELL with the parm. I did have to take them out of the oven a lil early to avoid the honey burning.
Roy
0Hi! I’m thinking about making this for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Do you think I could do the boiling step today, drain and store the sprouts in the fridge, and then continue tomorrow?
Roy
0Never mind! I see someone else was asking about that. Thank you!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Roy, Yes, that would work.
evie
0Hi, Do we trim the brussels sprouts first?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Evie, You don’t have to trim the brussels sprouts, but you can if you like.
Nicknack
0Hi there! I am going to try this recipe with less salt next time. They were way too salty. Great way to cook the Brussels.
Jill Durkin
0What temperature do I roast them at for 30 minutes?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jill, 425 degrees.
Mary
0If I prepare the boiling and draining and drying the day before, should I refrigerate them overnight before baking?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Mary, Yes, they should be stored in the refrigerator.
Dan Flanagan
0Very tasty, but way too much salt! 1/4 teaspoon is plenty. Also, watch the cooking time with smaller sprouts, and DO run under cold water to stop the cooking after draining. Great way to eat brussels sprouts!
Janet Sorensen
0Can this recipe be prepared the day before? I would like to do everything except roast them ahead of time.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Janet, Yes that would work.
Susan
0This is another recipe I was really looking forward to, but that didn’t work well for me. It started with the parmesan sticking to my bowl rather than the sprouts. Unfortunately, I planned to do this with your bacon wrapped chicken tenders, which needed a hotter oven. I cooked them for less time because of the extra heat, but the parmesan did not do well during the baking process – it ended up somewhat burnt. Not a lot, but enough to make it taste bitter. I reduced the amount of garlic powder by half, and it was plenty. I’m not sure I want to make these again, because it seems like even with the correct oven temperature, cooking them longer would still result in the parmesan having a burnt flavor. Maybe it’s just my taste buds…
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Susan, I recommend trying to make them at the correct temperature, which should allow them to bake without burning.
Jessica
0Hi! I have a question about step 2, do you add the brussels to cold water and then bring to a boil for 10 mins? Or boil the water first and then add brussels and boil for 10 mins?
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jessica, Bring the water to a boil first and then add the brussels.
Noel
0Lovely snack.
Peter
0Is it possible to use the steam-in-bag brussels sprouts for this? Would be really convenient if we could get a package from Aldi and use that as the starter. (I’ll give it a try, but curious if anyone has already tried it.)
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Peter, I have never tested the recipe using steam in a bag brussels, but if you try I suggest not steaming them for the full recommended amount of time. You want them to be a little underdone because they will be in the oven for around 30 minutes.
Glenda
0Vegetables never tasted so good! I love how simple the recipe is to prepare and the flavor is delicious.
Amy L Huntley
0The crispy outside and tender inside is perfection! So much flavor too. One of my very favorite veggies!
Renate
0My husband doesn’t like many vegetables this is one of it, after I served him this recipe he liked it so much I promised him to make it real soon again.
Also great snacks when having friends over.
Raquel
0Such a great recipe and so simple! Will be making these again for our holiday dinner.
Bev
0This recipe missed the mark for us. Cooking times were way long yielding mushy and burnt sprouts. Another reviewer mentioned burnt parmesean but I chose not to include the cheese for dietary reasons.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Bev! It’s likely that your sprouts were smaller than mine, so that would cause them to cook more quickly. You can adjust the cook times based on the other doneness indicators listed in the recipe next time.
Andrea
0Brussel Sprouts are my FAVORITE vegetable and with this recipe, I have found a great new way to make them! Love this!
Kristyn
0These are seriously the best!! I love how crispy they are & the little kick from the cayenne adds great flavor!
Ashley
0These are delicious and such a fun way to do Brussels sprouts!
Robin Donovan
0Great recipe. I’ll never make Brussels sprouts any other way again!
Taylor
0These have the absolute best flavor and texture! If you’re a fan of regular roasted brussels sprouts, you are going to love this version!
Doris Layhe
0Even my son that doesn’t like Brussels loved these! Great recipe.