Maple Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Tender Brussels sprouts, roasted and glazed in a sweet-and-tangy maple Dijon sauce. Not much better than these Brussels sprouts! They’re worthy of a special occasion but great for a quick and easy side dish too.

Love Brussels sprouts? Try my roasted Brussels sprouts with pomegranate and feta or these Brussels sprouts pita pizzas!

The Story Behind the Recipe

As a kid, Brussels sprouts were one of those vegetables that was practically used as a threat. They were widely considered to be one of the worst veggies of all time. Had I ever tried them? No! Was I ever going to? Also no!

But 20 or 30 years ago, I tried a batch of roasted Brussels sprouts, and mama. They were absolutely delicious! What were the people of my childhood going on about?! I’m guessing that’s back when people boiled the little baby-looking cabbages instead of roasting them, in which case, I guess I can see why they weren’t a hit. (It also helps that the bitterness was intentionally bred out of them about 25 years ago [source]).

Now, when you roast these little bits of heaven? Completely delicious! Roasted Brussels sprouts develop a caramelized, sweet flavor and crispy edges as they cook, and with a generous amount of salt and maybe a little pepper, they’re one of the best roasted veggies out there!

What makes roasted Brussels sprouts even better? A bit of a glaze! So I thought I’d get something sweet and savory going with a maple-Dijon mix. I love the combo, and I love these Brussels sprouts! Threat no more.

I tested these Maple Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts three different ways – adding the glaze before roasting, adding it after roasting, or adding it during the cooking process. It was door #3 that was the winner – adding the glaze halfway through the roasting process helps ensure that the glaze doesn’t burn, while also thickening and infusing the Brussels sprouts with all that sweet-and-savory maple dijon flavor.

Why You’ll Love Them

Special yet easy. The maple-Dijon glaze elevates your standard roasted Brussels sprouts so that they’re worthy of a special occasion (but fine for every day too).

Great for prepping ahead of time. If you’re making these maple Dijon Brussels sprouts for a holiday dinner, I suggest washing and cutting them beforehand, then storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also mix up the glaze ingredients beforehand too and store them. Then it’s just a matter of roasting and glazing.

Maple Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe Ingredients

Brussels sprouts – You’ll need one pound. If you want to save a little time, sometimes you can find pre-washed and prepped Brussels sprouts in the produce section (Trader Joes often has them).

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

Pure maple syrup – I like to use Grade A for more subtle maple flavor, but if you really want that maple punch, go for Grade B.

Dijon mustard – Your favorite brand; any will work.

Tips for Success

Buy a few extra. Sometimes you get a sprout that’s bad all of the way through and needs to be discarded. Buying a few extra gives you a bit of insurance that you’ll have enough.

Tips for washing Brussels sprouts: I like to add my Brussels sprouts to a large bowl of water and swish them around. Then, I grab a few and cut off the stem end. Then, I pull off the outer layer or two of leaves. Oftentimes, I’ll find dirt hiding under there, and if so, I rinse well and keep peeling until clean.

Try to get Brussels sprouts that are the same size. That way, they’ll cook evenly. If you have some smaller and some bigger, I suggest slicing the larger ones in half before roasting.

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