Crispy Baked Brussel Sprouts | Balsamic & Honey

This Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic and Honey recipe is so easy and makes the crispiest brussel sprout chips for the perfect appetizer or side dish!

The trick to making brussel sprouts a vegetable that you actually CRAVE is all in the outer leaves that, when baked, taste like flavorful potato chips!  

These crispy bites are a perfect appetizer for entertaining because they might not make it to the table once they are served.  The leaves take a little time to remove, but you only remove the ones on the outside that naturally fall off, then you can bake up the rest of the whole sprouts too so no vegetable is left behind!

Why this recipe is delicious

• Baking brussel sprouts creates a crispy and caramelized texture to the sprouts without the mess of frying them.
• The leaves crisp up like healthy chips. You can pull apart as much or as little leaves from the sprouts as you like.
• The balsamic and honey make a tasty and simple glaze over the brussel sprouts.
• It’s a great appetizer or side dish for a gathering.

Prepping the Brussel sprouts

I took about 5 cups of brussel sprouts and sliced off the ends which made the outer leaves fall off.  Remove any leaves that come off easily and set aside.  Don’t waste your time plucking all the leaves off, it will only irritate you to no end!  

Slice the brussel sprouts down the center and set aside as well.  After you’ve sliced them in half, remove a few of the leaves off of some or all of the whole sprouts, depending on how many crispy chips you want.

Can this recipe be made in advance?

Because brussel sprouts can get soggy if they sit out for too long, it’s best to serve them as soon as they come out of the oven.  They don’t taste as crispy when prepared in advance.

However, you can slice the brussel sprouts and peel off the leaves in advance and place in an airtight container in the fridge one or two days in advance.

The balsamic and honey glaze can be made in advance as well.

 

What type of seasoning blend do I use?

I love using Essence of Emeril seasoning blend since it’s basically the greatest seasoning blend that ever existed.  Of course, if you have a favorite blend with herbs, garlic, and onion, you can substitute it with that.  

Or you can keep it simple and use salt and pepper. If you are unsure how much salt to use, you can add a good sprinkling before baking, and when it comes out of the oven you can taste it for seasoning and finish with a bit more salt at the end if need be.

Above I baked the brussel sprouts halfway through and tossed them to ensure even browning, then I finish baking them in the oven.

Making the balsamic honey glaze

• This recipe tastes best if the balsamic has been “reduced” or thickened.
• If your balsamic vinegar is already the viscosity of a thin syrup (like an aged balsamic or “balsamic glaze”) it doesn’t need to be reduced. Just simply whisk the honey and balsamic together and it’s ready.
• If your balsamic has the viscosity of water, it will need to be reduced in a small saucepan with the honey so that it can thicken. This should only take 2-4 minutes.
• The recipe works better if you pour the glaze over the hot-out-of-the-oven crispy brussel sprouts right when you serve them.

I would LOVE to hear any comments below if you get to try this recipe!!