Roasted Frozen Brussel sprouts

These roasted frozen brussel sprouts are a fantastic and easy side dish for serving delicious brussel sprouts with minimal effort required. They're ready in under 30 minutes, soft in the middle, and beautifully crispy on the outside.

Brussel sprouts are such a delicious vegetable to enjoy in the colder months of the year - a commonly misunderstood vegetable, the best way to enjoy brussel sprouts is by roasting them until they're beautifully tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

This balsamic and walnut brussel sprouts recipe is ever a favorite of mine, but these simple roasted frozen brussel sprouts are a fantastic no-fuss way to serve brussel sprouts. Perfect if you're low on time or prepping multiple components for a meal (such as Thanksgiving or Christmas!). Try these super popular roasted frozen green beans too!

Ingredient Notes

The exact quantities of the ingredients you need for this recipe are included in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here, I've added a few notes on the ingredients you need, plus a few potential substitutions you could make if you can't eat/find a certain ingredient.

• Brussel Sprouts: Frozen brussel sprouts will typically come whole, and attempting to cut them in half when frozen isn't the safest choice! So in this recipe, we roast the brussel sprouts whole - resulting in soft middles and crispy exteriors.
  
• Olive Oil: I love roasting vegetables in olive oil for the best flavor. You could also use a different neutral oil, such as vegetable or rapeseed oil.
  
• Seasonings: I keep the seasonings really simple for this recipe, using just salt, black pepper, and some garlic powder.
  
• Toppings: Finally, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and some grated hard cheese (I use Pecorino cheese but you could use Parmesan if you're not vegetarian!) really help to elevate this simple but delicious side dish.

Variations & Substitutions

Other ways you could adapt this recipe if you want to elevate your frozen brussel sprouts could include:

• Adding a drizzle of maple syrup at the same time you add the oil to help caramelize the sprouts.
• Add some crushed walnuts or roasted chestnuts for a Christmas feel.
• Omit the balsamic vinegar and use some fresh lemon juice along with the hard cheese instead.

How To Make Your Roasted Frozen Brussel Sprouts

Again, the exact step-by-step instructions and ingredient quantities will be in the recipe card at the bottom of this page. 

Below is an overview of making this recipe, plus some process shots to help you visualize how this recipe should turn out.

Step 1) Dry Roast Your Brussel Sprouts

First, add your frozen brussel sprouts to a lined baking tray and roast them in your preheated oven for 15 minutes. This helps the sprouts steam slightly - so when you do add the oil and seasonings, they turn crispy and not soggy!

Step 2) Add the Oil & Seasonings

Drizzle your brussel sprouts with the olive oil and seasonings, and then use a spatula or tongs to gently toss them to ensure they're coated evenly.

Arrange your sprouts so they lay evenly on the baking sheet, and then place them back in the oven for a further 10 - 15 minutes until the tops have just started to turn crispy.

Step 3) Add Final Toppings

Remove the sprouts from the oven and drizzle over the balsamic and hard cheese.

Top Tips \ Chef's Notes

• Cooking from frozen: Cooking your vegetables from frozen does have the risk of the brussel sprouts going soggy as they essentially defrost before cooking in the oven. Roasting them without any oil or seasonings at first helps remove excess moisture without the sprouts turning soggy.
  
• Don't cut your sprouts: Trying to halve a frozen brussel sprout is not only difficult, it's dangerous! Avoid cutting your sprouts and just roast them whole.
  
• Size: If you are using button brussel sprouts - which are smaller - you'll need to adapt your roasting times accordingly. 

Storage

These roasted frozen brussel sprouts are best served immediately when they are hot and crispy from the oven! You could store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but they won't be as crispy and delicious even when reheated.

How To Serve?

Serve your roasted frozen brussel sprouts as part of a bigger dinner! If you're making this recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a big family dinner, some other recipes that would pair well include:

• Crispy roast potatoes
• Potato and leek gratin
• Honey butter carrots
• Braised red cabbage
• Stuffing balls

FAQs

Can I use fresh brussel sprouts?

Absolutely! Halve your brussel sprouts and skip straight to the step where you drizzle them with the oil and seasonings.

Will this recipe make my brussel sprouts go soft?

Frozen brussel sprouts will always be a little softer than if you were to roast them fresh, but this recipe does deliver deliciously crispy brussel sprouts that are full of flavor and soft on the inside.