I love brussels sprouts, which is pretty funny, as I used to hate them as a kid. Now, they are one of my favorite vegetables. Chock full of potassium, fiber, iron and fiber, sprouts are something you should definitely try again if you haven’t always been a fan. No longer served simply steamed, you’ll find brussels sprouts roasted, sautéed, baked…even in creamy dips.
My go-to brussels sprout dish is one I found years ago in Bon Apetit. The sprouts are sautéed in olive oil and garlic, white beans, chicken stock, pecorino cheese and seasoned up with salt and pepper. It’s an awesome recipe. However, when I looked above my fridge today I noticed a bunch of cippolini onions and thought, hmmmm….let’s roast. So, that’s what I did and let’s just say it turned out absolutely delicious.
I decided to add some dates which are a MUST. When cooked in the oven with the veggies they add the perfect caramelized flavor to compliment the crunch of the sprouts and tang of the balsamic. A match made in heaven.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
- 1 8 0z. bag cippolini onions, skins removed (I left mine whole, but you could certainly cut them in half if you wanted to)
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 10 dates, pits removed and sliced thinly
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- pinch of chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine brussels sprouts, onions, walnuts, sliced dates, salt, pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and the chili flakes.
Spread everything out on a sheet pan. Scatter the melted butter over the vegetables and place the pan in the oven.
I roasted the sprouts for 15 minutes (moving around periodically with a spatula) and could have stopped there. But, I do like my onions with some browned bits. If I had cut the onions in half I think everything would have been done at the same time (but I like the way they look whole). So, I removed the sprouts, dates and nuts using tongs (very easy as the whole onions are so large that it’s easy to separate). Keep the sprouts warm and continue to cook the onions for another 5-10 minutes. I went for 10 minutes longer.
Once done, remove onions from the sheet pan and combine everything in a bowl.
The flavors of the onions and the sprouts go so well together. And again, those dates add such a nice touch of sweetness. This would make a wonderful side dish or a main for those who prefer strictly vegetarian. The sprouts are definitely filling enough to make a meal of it! Enjoy!
KristinKooks 