These smashed brussel sprouts are my new addiction. Crispy, creamy, sweet, savory, with a hint of chili and lime – these are seriously good. If you like smashed potatoes or twice baked potatoes, you’ll love these!

Is there anything brussels sprouts can’t do? Those lil mini green cabbages are cute, super nutritious, easy to cook, and taste good too. It seems like SO long ago that people hated on brussel sprouts. Now we can’t get enough of them. I can’t get enough of them!

Is it brussel sprouts or brussels sprouts?

First off though, is it brussel sprouts or brussels sprouts? It’s actually Brussels sprouts, after Brussels, the capital of Belgium. For some reason, the “s” at the end seems to throw people off. Maybe it’s because it should be Brussels’ sprouts? Now I’m curious, what do they call brussels sprouts in Belgium? Are they just: sprouts? And how do they like to serve them?

What are smashed brussel sprouts?

Smashed brussel sprouts are sprouts that are cooked until tender (usually by boiling), dried, tossed in oil, then smashed, and baked until crispy on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside. They’re kind of like smashed potatoes, but a little bit healthier because they have more protein and fiber than potatoes. You can season them in thousands of ways, much like potatoes.

What do smashed brussel sprouts taste like?

These particular smashed sprouts are a mix of sweet, savory, and spicy. They’re nicely crisped and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside. A generous sprinkling of garlic powder, parm, and Tajin make them full of umami, garlicky, tangy, and just the right amount of spicy.

How to make smashed brussel sprouts

Cook the sprouts. Just like smashed potatoes, we’re going to start with cooking the sprouts in salted boiling water until they’re tender and cooked through. After they’re bright green and tender, give them a good drain and make sure they’re fairly dry.
Toss. Toss the dried sprouts with oil, parmesan, and garlic powder.
Smash. Use the bottom of a glass to smash the sprouts so that they’re flat.
Bake. Bake in a hot oven until crispy and caramelized, flipping halfway through.
Season. When they’re done, remove from the oven and season generously with Tajin for a spicy-lime-salt kick!

Smashed sprouts ingredients

Sprouts – just good old classic brussel sprouts! Try to get ones that are all around the same size so they cook and roast at the same time. To trim them, use a small pairing knife to slice off a bit of the stem at the bottom, removing any outer leaves if needed.
Oil – go with whatever oil you have on hand, I like a neutral high heat oil when roasting vegetables, something like canola oil or grapeseed oil.
Garlic powder and parm – I love fresh garlic, but sometimes garlic power is better and this is one of those cases. Garlic powder has the ability to stick better to the sprouts giving them a nice garlicky coat. Freshly grated parm adds saltiness, nuttiness, and a huge hit of umami.
Tajin – a chili lime seasoning that is absolutely addictive. You can find it at the grocery store or online. They’re a cult classic, sprinkled on everything from fruit (especially mangos!), to corn, to bloody marys. People love them so much that they even sell the CUTEST mini bottles so you can carry it around with you so you’ll never be without. This is not sponsored, I just love Tajin 🙂

Smashed brussel sprout seasonings

I love the spicy-tangy kick of Tajin but if you’re looking for other ways to season your sprouts, I’ve got you! Try these guys out:

garlic – double the garlic powder and leave off the Tajin seasoning.
ranch – mix together 1 tsp each buttermilk powder, dried parsley, dried dill, onion powder and toss with the oil and garlic powder before baking.
everything bagel – finish with a generous sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning.
nori – finish with a generous sprinkle of furikake (Japanese rice seasoning with nori)
lemon tahini – finish with lemon zest and a quick tahini sauce (1 clove garlic, minced, 1/4 cup greek yogurt, 1 tbsp tahini, 1 tsp lemon juice, salt and pepper)
fine herbs and butter – chop up 2 tablespoons of herbs of choice (scallions, parsley, dill, thyme, oregano) and mix with 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter and drizzle on smashed sprouts

What to serve with smashed sprouts

baked salmon with a sweet and savory spicy gochujang would be perfect
of course sprouts and steak
with steak sauce would be lovely too
crispy tofu nuggets for a finger foods kinda feel

Other brussel sprouts recipes

If you’re a brussel sprouts lover, here are 6 brussel sprouts recipes for you to enjoy:

honey garlic sprouts
crispy air fryer sprouts
tender garlic butter sprouts
lemon and dill sprouts
brussel sprout grilled cheese
caramelized fish sauce sprouts

Smashed Brussel Sprouts

Crispy, creamy, sweet, savory, with a hint of chili and lime – if you like smashed potatoes, you’ll love these smashed brussel sprouts!Serves 4#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg * { fill: #f5a623; }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-33 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-33); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-50 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-50); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-66 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-66); }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-33 stop { stop-color: #f5a623; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-50 stop { stop-color: #f5a623; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-66 stop { stop-color: #f5a623; }4.79 from 14 votesPrep Time 10 minutesminsCook Time 40 minutesminsTotal Time 50 minutesmins

Ingredients

1lbBrussels sproutstrimmed
2tbspoil
1/4cupfinely grated parmesan
1tspgarlic powder
tajinto season, as needed

Instructions

Heat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add sprouts to the boiling water and cook until bright green and tender, 8-10 minutes, depending on size. Drain very well and let cool slightly.
Toss the dry sprouts with oil, parmesan, and garlic powder.
Add the tossed sprouts to the prepared baking sheet and use a small glass to smash the sprouts.
Bake until the sprouts are crispy and deeply brown, 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
When the sprouts are done, remove from the oven and season generously with Tajin. Enjoy hot!

Estimated Nutrition

Nutrition FactsSmashed Brussel Sprouts
Amount Per Serving Calories 129Calories from Fat 75% Daily Value*Fat 8.3g13%Saturated Fat 1.8g11%Cholesterol 4mg1%Sodium 101mg4%Potassium 448mg13%Carbohydrates 11.1g4%Fiber 4.3g18%Sugar 2.6g3%Protein 5.7g11%* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.