Balsamic Cranberry Brussels Sprouts

These cranberry brussels sprouts feature roasted sprouts glazed with sweet balsamic infused syrupy cranberries. It's a delicious, easy to make dish perfect for the festive season. Ready in just over 20 minutes!  

See also creamy brussels sprout cranberry salad!

Cranberry brussels sprouts are a delicious way of combining traditional holiday ingredients to create a delicious side dish. Cranberries as well as brussels sprouts are festive season classics, it's hard to imagine Thanksgiving or Christmas without them. Typically they are served separately, with sprouts either roasted or boiled and cranberries in the form of cranberry sauce (or less often chutney).

In this recipe I combined these 2 ingredients and the result was surprisingly delicious.

To make this cranberry and brussels sprout recipe I first roasted the sprouts until lightly browned and nutty. Before serving I coated the sprouts in a quick and easy glaze made with balsamic infused cranberries for a sweet and savoury finish.

Cranberry brussels sprouts ingredients and substitutions

• Brussels sprouts: ensure they are firm and bright green, without any dark or yellowish spots.
• Dried cranberries: briefly soaking them in the balsamic mixture and then cooking to make the glaze not only infuses the cranberries with flavour but also rehydrates and makes them juicy.
• Balsamic vinegar.
• Honey: adds sweetness and helps to thicken the glaze. Use maple or agave syrup instead if preferred.
• Soy sauce: intensifies the flavour.
• Olive oil: it's important to coat the sprouts in the oil mixture thoroughly so they don't become dry in the oven.
• Onion and garlic granules: add flavour.
• Butter: use either dairy or plant-based.
• Salt and pepper.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F/ 220 C/ fan 200 C/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Prepare brussels sprouts: Trim the sprouts by cutting off the tough ends and removing any loose leaves. Cut the sprouts in half through the base.

TIP: It's best to use medium or large brussels sprouts, but if some of your sprouts are very small you can use them whole.

3. Prepare cranberries: Combine the cranberries with the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and honey and stir thoroughly. Set aside.

3. Coat brussels sprouts in oil: Combine the oil with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic granules. Place the trimmed and halved sprouts in a large bowl and pour over the oil mixture. Stir gently but thoroughly ensuring the sprouts are evenly coated.

4. Roast: Spread the sprouts on top of your baking sheet in a single layer cut side down. Roast in the centre of the oven for about 15 minutes until fork tender and nicely browned. Be careful not to overcook the sprouts or they might come out a little dry.

5. Prepare cranberry glaze: Approximately 10 minutes into roasting prepare the cranberry glaze. Pour the entire mixture into a pan, bring to boil and cook over a medium heat stirring all the time for a few minutes until thickened and reduced in volume. Stir in the butter. The mixture should still be pourable.

6. Assemble: Remove the brussels sprouts from the oven and add the cranberry mixture. Give a gentle stir and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions

These festive cranberry brussels sprouts make an ideal side dish to serve with any holiday centrepiece whether meat or vegetarian. They are delicious as they are, but you can also serve them with the following ingredients:

• crispy bacon
• dry toasted pecans
• roasted chestnuts
• freshly chopped parsley or chives

Can I boil the sprouts instead of roasting

Boiled brussels sprouts can also be used in this recipe, but they contain more water so you need to tweak this recipe a little. If you decide to use this method here are some tips you might find useful:

1) Boil the sprouts whole in salted water for 5-8 minutes (according to their size) until tender, but still a little al dente and bright green. Remove from the heat and place in a colander to drain thoroughly.

2) Cook the cranberry mixture (with salt, pepper and onion and garlic granules) a little longer until quite thick.

3) Add the brussels sprouts to the syrupy cranberries mixture and cook over a high heat for a minute to remove any extra moisture (if necessary) before serving.

Can I make this dish in advance

I don't recommend it. Roasted brussels sprouts with cranberries should be served immediately, otherwise they lose their firmness and can become soggy (especially if they've been halved). I recommend making this recipe as the final dish of your dinner preparations.

Top tips 

• Use medium or large brussels sprouts and halve them before roasting. If some of your sprouts are very small you can roast them whole.
• Do not overcrowd the baking sheet so the brussels sprouts roast evenly.
• Soak the cranberries in the balsamic mixture while the sprouts are in the oven so they rehydrate and become infused with flavour.
• Try not to overcook the cranberry mixture as the syrup might simply disappear. However, if that happens you can still rectify it by adding a splash of balsamic. Add to to the sprouts while hot (it will set as it cools).
• The balsamic cranberry mixture can also be used with other roasted vegetables.
• Best served immediately.
• Leftover balsamic cranberries and brussels sprouts can be reheated in a little butter. They won't have the texture of freshly roasted sprouts, but they'll still taste nice.
• Not suitable for freezing.

More holiday side dishes to try next

• Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables
• Festive Holiday Coleslaw Salad
• Honey Miso Glazed Carrots

See also these other easy side dishes!

Recipe

Keep in touch!

If you make this cranberry brussels sprouts recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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