Quick and Easy Roasted Brussel Sprouts

These easy roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic glaze are quick and delicious! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with a sweet and sticky balsamic glaze. Meet your new favorite vegetable!

Hey you! Yes, you. The one who has been turning their nose up at brussel sprouts their entire life. I'm about to change that. Meet my crispy roasted brussel sprouts with balsamic glaze.

Listen, brussel sprouts get a bad rap. I get it. If you've had someone cook them for you the wrong way (boiled, mushy, and just overall unappetizing), I don't blame you for being hesitant.

But do me a favor - just try cooking them like this. I've converted multiple people to the dark side of eating brussel sprouts with this method, and I think I can convert you too.

First off, they're cute. They're like mini cabbages. Plus, if you can find them on the stalk anywhere, they're really fun to pop off!

How to Cut Brussel Sprouts

Grab your sprouts, a sharp knife, and a cutting board. First trim the ends off. Then, slice them all in half on the vertical axis, cutting the root end in half.

If your sprouts are on the larger side, you'll want to cut them in half again, so you end up with quarters. You're looking for somewhat petite pieces, with maximum surface area for roasting.

How to Roast Brussel Sprouts

Now that we have our chopped sprouts, we're going to coat them in some oil. You want to make sure you get them good and coated on all surfaces. Don't be afraid to get in there with your hands and give them a little massage.

Now we're going to roast them in the oven. The trick is high heat for a short period of time. They're a tender vegetable, and we've just made them smaller, so we want them to get a little "blast" of heat - crispy outside, tender inside, brussel sprout perfection. (See those individual leaves that are all brown? Those are what I call the "chips" - they aren't burned, I promise - they are the most delicious part!)

I recently saw this crazy brussel sprout trimming tool in a magazine. I get the idea behind it, but really, you'll still need a knife to cut them in half. Now if the tool would both trim the bottom AND slice them in half, THAT would be an invention worth investing in.

But honestly, leaving them whole is the exact thing that makes them disappointing. You've got to cut them at least in half to get that outer edge crispiness, and keep them from being truly mushy on the inside.

How to Make a Balsamic Glaze

Real talk: the balsamic vinegar glaze is the game changer for this recipe.

While the sprouts are in the oven, add your balsamic vinegar to a pot on the stove. You'll bring it to a boil to get it good and hot, then reduce it to a simmer. Let it simmer in that pot on the stove while the sprouts roast.

It will reduce in volume and get a bit sticky. This is what we want! You're looking for it to be a glaze for the sprouts and stick to them.

If you don't reduce the vinegar, it will just be liquid pooling on your plate that you have to try to sop up with every bite. See those little beads of vinegar on the sprouts? That's what you're going for - it should stick to them!

Seriously, if you're not a fan of sprouts, give this method for crispy brussel sprouts with balsamic glaze a try. They're crispy & delicious. I've been known to make these for myself for dinner when my husband is out of town, not joking.

Yes, I literally eat an entire bag of brussel sprouts! They're that good.

If you prefer a spicy option instead of the balsamic, try my Chili Roasted Brussel Sprouts recipe!

I may earn a small commission off purchases made through affiliate links in this post from Amazon and other sellers. This helps me continue to run the blog and keep providing you fresh content. Thank you for your support!