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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers, Sides, Dips

    Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Cranberries

    December 15, 2016 By Monika Last Updated February 3, 2022 13 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Brussels sprouts with cranberries are a delicious, easy to make dish perfect for the festive season. It consists of roasted sprouts and balsamic infused cranberries in syrup. Ready in just over 20 minutes!  

    Top down view of roasted brussels sprouts with cranberries in white bowl with spoon.

    Why you will love brussels sprouts with cranberries

    • Roasting the brussels sprouts with a little seasoning brings out their natural sweetness and nutty flavour.
    • Dressing them with sweet and savoury, syrupy cranberries turns them into a delicious holiday dish.

    Ingredients

    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Salt and pepper.
    Brussels sprouts with cranberries ingredients.

    How to prepare the brussels sprouts

    Trim the brussels sprouts by cutting off the woody ends and removing any loose leaves.  Cut the sprouts in half through the base. It's best to use medium or large brussels sprouts, but if some of your sprouts are very small you can use them whole.

    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.

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

    Cranberries in balsamic mixture in white bowl with spoon.

    2. Combine the oil with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic granules.

    Halved brussels sprouts and oil mixture in bowl.

    3. 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 (I like to use a pastry brush to do this).

    Halved brussels sprouts coated in oil in white bowl.

    4. Spread the sprouts on top of your baking sheet in a single layer cut side down.

    Halved sprouts cut side down on parchment.

    5. Roast in the centre of the oven for 15-18 minutes until fork tender and nicely browned on the cut side. Be careful not to overcook the sprouts or they might come out a little dry.

    Roasted brussels sprouts on top of parchment.

    6. Approximately 10 minutes into roasting prepare the cranberry glaze. Pour the entire mixture into a pan, bring to boil and cook over a fairly high heat stirring all the time for a few minutes until thickened and reduced in volume. It should still be pourable.

    Making balsamic cranberry mixture in pan with orange spoon.

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

    Side view of brussels sprouts and cranberries in white bowl.

    Serving suggestions

    These festive brussels sprouts and cranberries 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:

    • crispy bacon
    • dry toasted pecans
    • roasted chestnuts
    • a knob of butter/plant based spread
    • 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 cranberries mixture (with a knob of butter, 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.

    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 be used with ANY roasted vegetables.
    • Best served immediately.
    • Leftover brussel sprouts with cranberries 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.

    Can I make this dish in advance

    This is not a good idea. Roasted brussels sprouts 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.

    Related recipes

    • Creamy Brussel Sprout Slaw with Cranberries
    • Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables
    • Festive Holiday Coleslaw Salad
    • Honey Miso Glazed Carrots

    Check out also these other easy side dish recipe ideas!

    Keep in touch!

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

    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

    Top down view of roasted brussels sprouts with cranberries in white bowl with spoon.

    Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Cranberries

    Brussels sprouts with cranberries are a delicious, easy to make dish perfect for the festive season. It consists of roasted sprouts and balsamic infused cranberries in syrup. Ready in just over 20 minutes!  
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: vegetarian
    Prep Time: 8 minutes
    Cook Time: 18 minutes
    Total Time: 26 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 137kcal
    Author: Monika Dabrowski

    Equipment

    • Large baking sheet
    • Medium frying pan

    Ingredients

    • 1.1 pounds (500 g) brussels sprouts
    • 6 tablespoons (60 g) sweetened dried cranberries
    • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
    • 3 teaspoons honey
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon onion and garlic granules each
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt and pepper each

    Instructions

    • 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.
      Combine the cranberries with the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and honey and stir thoroughly. Set aside.
      Trim the brussels sprouts by cutting off the woody ends and removing any loose leaves.  Cut the sprouts in half through the base.
    • 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 (I like to use a pastry brush to do this).
    • Spread the sprouts on top of your baking sheet in a single layer cut side down.
      Roast in the centre of the oven for 15-18 minutes until fork tender and nicely browned on the cut side. Be careful not to overcook the sprouts or they might come out a little dry.
    • Approximately 10 minutes into roasting prepare the cranberry syrup. Pour the entire mixture into a pan and cook over a fairly high heat stirring all the time for a few minutes until thickened and reduced in volume. It should still be pourable.
    • Remove the brussels sprouts from the oven and add the cranberry mixture. Give a gentle stir and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • 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 be used with ANY roasted vegetables.
    • Best served immediately.
    • Leftover brussel sprouts with cranberries 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.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 628IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

    *Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

    **A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Monika8021 or tag #EverydayHealthyRecipes!
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    1. Angie | Fiesta Friday

      December 20, 2016 at 11:25 pm

      So, I know Brussels sprouts are cute and all ?but somehow they get a lot of resistance in my house. Having said that, I did experiment with them a few years ago, pretty successfully. Maybe I should do more experiments?? This looks quite tempting actually. I'd definitely eat this! Maybe even 2 servings ?

      Reply
      • Monika

        December 21, 2016 at 7:47 am

        Thanks Angie! They are definitely worth more experimenting! They get some resistance in my house too but that doesn't stop me from cooking them and if there are leftovers I just eat them myself:)

        Reply
    2. Julie is Hostess At Heart

      December 19, 2016 at 4:17 am

      I love Brussels Sprouts and this recipe sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Monika

        December 19, 2016 at 8:34 am

        Thanks! Glad you like it:)

        Reply
    3. hijackedbytwins

      December 18, 2016 at 4:31 pm

      I love adding cranberries and chestnuts to sprouts but have not tried orange. Must try! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x

      Reply
    4. Charlotte Oates

      December 17, 2016 at 10:27 pm

      I totally agree that baked sprouts are the best, so much more flavour and a better texture. I'm making a very similar sprout dish this Christmas with chestnuts and a little orange zest, it's such a great combination.

      Reply
      • Monika

        December 17, 2016 at 10:31 pm

        I am glad you think so too! I'll be making this dish again on Christmas day:)

        Reply
    5. Alix @A Hedgehog in the Kitchen

      December 17, 2016 at 5:49 pm

      I love brussel sprouts! I think the key to them being delicious (+ not gross) is that they really can't be overcooked! Your recipe sounds delicious - I love the idea of combining brussel sprouts, cranberries, orange & chestnuts! Pinning this for Christmas in our home. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Monika

        December 17, 2016 at 5:54 pm

        Thank you so much! I think they are a great vegetable and it's the fact that we often overcook them that makes them not so appealing (agree with you on that!)

        Reply
    6. carolinescookingblog

      December 17, 2016 at 1:22 am

      I know what you mean on trying to convince myself sprouts are not necessarily that bad, I did just that a couple years ago roasting them with chestnuts and bacon and even just roasting with salt and oil is something I like now. This sounds good and love the colors. Thanks for bringing to Fiesta Friday.

      Reply
      • Monika

        December 17, 2016 at 8:02 am

        Thanks! They really were a hit so I'll be making them at Christmas again! Thanks for stopping by:)

        Reply
    7. Kristin @ Kristin's Kitchen

      December 16, 2016 at 12:09 pm

      This looks fabulous. Soaking the cranberries in sherry is such a great idea!

      Reply
      • Monika

        December 16, 2016 at 12:35 pm

        Thank you! I've been using sherry a lot in my Christmas recipes this year. It works well with so many things:)

        Reply

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