Brussels sprouts can be tricky. If not cooked and seasoned carefully, they’ll soon be bitter and pungent. But it’s all in the preparation.
To me, two steps are crucial. First, they need to be roasted or fried – never boiled, unless you’re blanching them for a minute. They should get slightly caramelised, but retain a bite. This brings out flavour, while keeping most of the bitterness and pungency at bay. Second, they need seasoning. And by that I mean more than just salt and pepper, as you also want to balance the bitter undertones you can’t fully escape, even with roasting.
Growing up, this was the role of bacon. There’s no denying it works well. But it also makes for a fairly heavy side dish, often adding to the heaviness of the main course rather than balancing it. And so it is I thought that the flavours of the Middle East would be our good friend here, in spite of brussels sprouts’ relatively minor place in the local food cultures. Please welcome pomegranate and allspice.
The dressing is in fact a variation on a recipe from The Moro Cookbook, a trusted ally in my kitchen for more than a decade now. I’ve used it before in a bulgur salad, but here I’ve changed it up a little with allspice instead of cinnamon. I find it works better with the sprouts. And don’t skip the fresh pomegranate seeds, which add both colour and a pop of sweet and sour that’s essential to balancing all the flavours and keeping the dish tasting fresh.
Altogether this makes for a much lighter side dish that, both in theory and in practice, works better with roast meats than the more traditional sprouts & bacon side. And that’s not just me saying it. I first published this recipe to my Norwegian readers nearly eight years ago, and it’s since proven a long standing hit. Hundreds, if not thousands, look up this recipe specifically every December and January.
I also like this as part of a seasonal table of sharing dishes. Since it’s best enjoyed at room temperature, it’s perfect for making ahead, meaning you can focus more on finishing your main dish to perfection.
Roast brussels sprouts with pomegranate
Ingredients
- 500 g brussels sprouts, halved or quartered
- 2 small red onions, chopped into 1 cm (½ in) squares
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, I use a mild extra virgin
- 3-4 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
- ½ medium pomegranate, seeds
- salt and pepper
Dressing
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed in a mortar with a little salt
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses, see notes
- ½ Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
How I make it
- Preheat the oven to
220 °C. Grease a baking sheet (my preference), or line it with parchment. - Add the brussels sprouts and red onions to the baking sheet and mix with 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Distribute well, ensuring none are on top of each other. I prefer the sprouts cut side up.
- Bake in the middle of the oven until the sprouts are coloured, but retains a bite, 18–20 minutes. Leave to come to room temperature.
- Make the dressing by whisking the garlic, pomegranate molasses and water, then adding olive oil little by little while continuing to whisk. Season with salt and pepper, adjusting with more pomegranate molasses, allspice or olive oil to taste, if needed.
- Mix the baked sprouts with the dressing, then transfer to a serving platter. Top with flat-leaf parsley and pomegranate seeds.
