Chili Roasted Spicy Brussel Sprouts

These chili roasted spicy brussel sprouts pack the perfect punch of sweet and spicy. These are not your mom's boring, mushy sprouts. The perfect weeknight side dish!

If you'd told me 15 years ago that my favorite vegetable would be brussel sprouts, and I'd be making recipes called chili roasted spicy brussel sprouts, I would have told you you were nuts.

Growing up, I never really liked vegetables. I was a somewhat overweight tomboy that enjoyed lots of playing, but also enjoyed lots of cereal.

And I'm not sure you understand what I mean when I say, " lots of cereal."

We're talking whopping, tremendous, oversized bowls of cereal. I ate cereal out of serving bowls, or things that should have been serving bowls.

A box of cereal would last me 2-3 servings, 4 if I was being conservative. My favorites? Fruity Pebbles, Crunch Berries, and a mix of half Honey Nut Cheerios and half Kix.

I don't even want to think about the amount of sugar I was consuming, not to mention the pink and purple milk at the end that I drank out of the bowl (the best part!) Gross.

But, here we are. Now I read ingredient labels on everything I buy, grocery shopping involves multiple stores, farmer's markets, and direct sourcing from locals, and I make things like chili roasted spicy brussel sprouts.

Never say never.

My go-to preparation for sprouts is with balsamic vinegar - you can see my quick and easy method for roasting sprouts here. But, I was feeling something a little different this time.

Instead of that salty vinegar taste, I wanted sprouts with a kick. Enter chili roasted spicy brussel sprouts.

Don't let the chili intimidate you - its not overwhelming, just a good strong hint of flavor.

Pair them with some roasted chicken, or as a side to some burgers, or with some cauli rice. They're just an easy side dish to whip up, and they can really pair with next to anything.

And even if you're not a brussel sprout person, you could use the chili sauce recipe on any vegetable and roast it.

I bet it would be extra tasty on some diced sweet potatoes! Totally trying that next.

Just don't put it on your cereal.

How to make spicy brussel sprouts

These spicy brussel sprouts couldn't be easier, seriously.

Listen, sprouts get a bad rap. (Read why most people don't like them here. Hint - it's all in how you cook them!)

But they don't need to, if you do it right. High heat = crispy outside, tender inside. Water and boiling is NOT the answer to sprouts.

Combine all your sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. If you're on Whole30, you can omit the honey and sub a single pitted date, then whir the whole thing up in a blender to smooth it out.

You can adjust your level of spicy as well, if you want to add more.

Once your sauce is smooth, you just need to coat the sprouts. I'm a huge fan of working vegetables with my hands - it's the only surefire way to make sure they all get good and coated most of the time.

I like to dump the sprouts on the pan, drizzle the sauce over, and then just push the sprouts around and massage them with the sauce, tossing around and making sure all sides and all sprouts get a fair shake at the sauce.

Once you do that, just pop them in the oven until they get tender on the inside and crispy around the edges, and they're done.

How to store spicy brussel sprouts

I'm going to shoot it to you straight - brussel sprouts do not make the best leftovers. The good news is they're low calorie, low carb, and great for you, so you can eat a ton of them and not feel guilty!

If you must save your sprouts, then I would recommend putting them in a tupperware, sealed with a lid, in the fridge.

To reheat, dump them back out on a pan, preheat your oven, and cook them for just a few minutes to get them warm.

Alternatively you could also zap them in the microwave for heat (which will result in them getting mushy) and then pop them under a broiler to get them crisped up before re-serving.

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