Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe: Oma's Gerösteter Rosenkohl (2024)

FAQs

Do I need to boil brussel sprouts before roasting? ›

Your first step should always be to blanch the brussels sprouts. This is basically when they get submerged in boiling water just for a few minutes, not until they're fully cooked, but just enough to take away some of the bitterness. Blanching also softens them and preserves their beautiful bright green color.

Why Are My Brussel Sprouts Not Crispy? Spread them out into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet to avoid overcrowding. If they're too close together, they'll steam instead of roast which stops the crisping process.

Like all cabbages, Brussels are unavoidably fibrous and dense. You must overcome this by either cooking them in salty water until fork tender (blanching), or by roasting at a high (over 425F) temperature for upwards of 20 minutes. To guarantee great texture, do both!

The flavor components that contribute to a bitter flavor are concentrated in the center of the brussels sprout. If you slice the the veggie in half, it helps to release some of those compounds during the cooking process. Smaller is better when it comes to tenderness and flavor.

To maximize the flat areas, which get the most crispy surface area, cut your Brussels sprouts in half. If your Brussels sprouts are very small, you can leave them whole (and if they are very large, quarter them).

Not only can soaking make the centers more malleable, but the water that's absorbed into them will create a steaming action, whether you choose to roast, saute, or make your Brussels sprouts in your air fryer. The steam can help to ensure the cooking is even throughout the Brussels sprout.

Avoid mushy Brussels sprouts by making the most of your heat

Cooking your Brussels sprouts quickly will prevent them from releasing their characteristically foul odor and also ensure that they crisp up instead of turning mushy (via Kitchn). One way to do this is to also preheat your baking tray.

If you want your roasted Brussels sprouts to be seriously crispy, you need to crank up the heat. Roasting at a low temperature won't allow them to brown properly, so you want to get that oven nice and hot before tossing in your baking sheet. Follow this tip: Roast Brussels sprouts at a minimum of 400°F.

Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and broccoli are bitter mainly from a specific type of compound: glucosinolates. They are released when cell walls are damaged from cutting or chewing.

Unlike other vegetables, Brussels sprouts can be parboiled (even a day ahead) to reduce the roasting time without hurting their texture. That means the sprouts can be popped in the oven while the meat is resting before carving. Of course, if the main course is grilled or pan-cooked, the oven will be free for roasting.

Do you wash Brussels sprouts before or after you cut them? ›

Sauté: Wash sprouts under cold running water and remove any yellow spots and then cut them in half.

In a large pan, bring the water and salt to a roaring boil. Blanch the sprouts for 3 minutes, then strain into a colander and place in iced water to stop the cooking.

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

This could be caused by using too little oil for roasting. You need a nice coating of oil—enough to make the heads shiny or if they're cut, enough oil to get inside the folds of some of the leaves. Without oil, Brussels don't brown and soften—they dehydrate.

Yes, according to the Los Angeles Times, Brussels sprouts inherited another gene that causes them to stink up your kitchen when you cook them. When you cook Brussels sprouts they give off a gas: hydrogen sulfide. And if you are the least bit sensitive to smells, it will make you want to hurl.

Steaming and boiling use moist heat, and moist heat can make Brussel Sprouts mushy and stinky—not a good combo. Give them the treatment they deserve by roasting them instead.