Spicy Brussels Sprouts

These spicy Brussels sprouts are roasted until ultra crispy, then tossed with a spicy sweet balsamic sauce. So good, they taste like restaurant style!

Do you love heat in your food? Then let us introduce you to your new favorite. Meet these spicy Brussels sprouts! They’re impossibly crispy, roasted until tender and browned in a hot oven. Then they’re tossed with a balsamic honey sauce, and doused with a little more hot sauce for good measure. Take one bite and it’s crunchy, tender, sweet, tangy, salty, and spicy all at once! Alex and I can polish off an entire pan in one sitting. (Truth.) Here are all the secrets to these spicy sprouts.

The keys to the best spicy Brussels sprouts

These spicy Brussels sprouts use our favorite technique for cooking crispy Brussels sprouts. Luckily you don’t need a fryer or any special tools: just your oven! Here’s what we do to get them perfectly crisp and the right level of spice:

• Roast 25 minutes at 450F. The key to crispy Brussels sprouts is high heat! Cut them in half and place them face down on the baking sheet to get them perfectly browned.
• Toss with spicy honey balsamic sauce. The key to these spicy sprouts is two hits of heat: the first is in this tangy honey balsamic sauce, which coats them all .
• Drizzle with more hot sauce to taste! Then to get the real hit of heat, you’ll drizzle with more hot sauce over the top! Because the heat level of all sauces vary, you can do it to your own taste. Speaking of…

Types of hot sauce to use!

These spicy Brussels sprouts can be made with any type of hot sauce you like! Each type has a different heat level and flavor. We like making this one with Frank’s Red Hot sauce, but there are lots of other options that bring different flavors and spice levels. Here are some popular hot sauces that we always have in our refrigerator, and how spicy they are:

• Frank’s Red Hot: Mildly spicy
• Tabasco: Mildly spicy
• Sriracha: Medium spicy, adds a Southeast Asian vibe
• Gochujang: Medium spicy, adds a Korean vibe
• Cholula: Spicy, adds a Mexican vibe
• Harissa: Spicy, adds a Mediterranean vibe

Use parchment paper for easy cleanup (not silicone mat)

When you’re making spicy Brussels sprouts, it’s easiest to use parchment paper to line the baking sheet. Why? This helps for easy cleanup when you’re done roasting! If you don’t have parchment paper, you can also skip it and roast right on the pan: just be prepared to put in some elbow grease afterwards!

Whatever you do, don’t use a silicone baking mat! Over the years, Alex and I have found that these types of mats make for soggy vegetables. If you want the crispiest spicy Brussel sprouts, avoid using this type of baking mat!

Other ways to flavor spicy Brussels sprouts

These spicy Brussels sprouts work well as a side dish, or a tasty appetizer before a meal! The foods they pair with depend on the hot sauce you use! You can also mix in different ingredients to taste depending on the vibe you’re going for. Here are some ideas:

• Asian-style flavors: Try swirling in a little soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or toasted sesame oil (if you’re planning to use soy sauce, you may want to cut back on the salt in the recipe). Substitute rice wine vinegar for the balsamic.
• Mexican-style flavors: Substitute the balsamic vinegar for lime juice and use Cholula. Or, use a little adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers for the hot sauce.
• Mediterranean style flavors: Use harissa and top with feta cheese crumbles.

And that’s it! We hope you enjoy these spicy Brussels sprouts. Let us know if you try them in the comments below!

More spicy foods!

If you love spicy, here are a few more of our recipes you’ll surely enjoy:

• Spicy Mayo Spicy mayo is the best condiment and it’s only 2 ingredients! It adds a tangy richness to sushi, poke bowls, burgers, and more.
• Spicy Edamame Spicy edamame is an easy, healthy snack or side dish with a kick! It’s ready in minutes and has just the right level of heat.
• Hot Honey Hot honey is the hottest new sauce for drizzling on everything from biscuits to pizza.
• Spicy Pizza Diavola Diavola = “deviled” in Italian, meaning spicy! This one is a fan favorite starring Kalamata olives, spicy peppers, and gooey mozzarella cheese.

This spicy Brussels sprouts recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Best Brussels sprouts recipes

Brussels sprouts are one of the best vegetables you can eat: and they are so delicious! Here are a few more ways you might enjoy Brussels sprouts:

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Here’s the straight-up best roasted version of Brussels sprouts, perfect as a side for any meal.
• Fried Brussels Sprouts These salty, crunchy sprouts are tossed with hot honey for a sublime side dish.
• Brussels Sprout Salad Brussels sprouts are fantastic raw and shaved! Here they make the greens in a salad with apple and pomegranate.
• Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan You can also cook Brussels sprouts in a pressure cooker! Here they’re flavored with butter, chives, and Parmesan cheese.