I’m on a mission to make vegetables as delicious as possible.

As a dietitian, I obviously understand the importance of vegetables. They’re full of so many nutrients.

They contain heart healthy fiber, vitamins, minerals, and often antioxidants too. All of these nutrients help our bodies function well and, even more importantly, help us to feel our best.

But you probably know most of this too. Let’s move on 🙂

For me personally, it’s important to show you just how amazing vegetables can taste.

Knowing they’re nutritious is one thing, but it’s hard to get yourself to eat them when they just don’t taste great.

And that’s where I come in.

I’ve said it a million times: food should taste good. It’s meant to be enjoyed. And that includes vegetables.

If you don’t love raw broccoli, don’t eat it. If you don’t like simple roasted veggies, don’t eat those.

It doesn’t negate the nutrients or make you any less healthy by adding things to your food. In fact, I recommend it.

Anything that adds flavor and helps you enjoy vegetables more arguably makes them healthier.

Here’s where these crispy Brussels sprouts come in.

I’m guessing you’ve had roasted Brussels sprouts before. They’re delicious! But even those can get a little boring sometimes.

Smashing Brussels sprouts give you the most crispy, delicious sprout that’s packed with flavor. These specifically are made with parmesan cheese that adds amazing umami flavor.

Once smashed and crispy, dip these in a creamy dip, like spicy mayo or hummus. The combination is amazing!

Wondering what else to pair them with for dinner? Try them with my butternut squash mac & cheese, turkey meatballs, or this creamy orzo & chicken thighs.

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Grease baking sheet

Generously grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Prep brussels sprouts

Trim the Brussels sprouts by cutting off the bottom stem and removing any loose outer leaves.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and boil for about 8 minutes, until soft enough for a fork to pierce through by pushing hard. They shouldn’t be soft enough that the fork goes through super easily (if this was pasta, we’d want it almost al dente!).

Toss

Add the Brussels sprouts to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Using a towel, dry them well.

Add the Brussels sprouts to a bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, and 3/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.

Smash

Place the Brussels sprouts on the baking sheet and spread them evenly apart. Using the bottom of a mason jar, smash the Brussels sprouts well. It’s helpful to place them stem up and smash the stem.

Sprinkle with cheese

Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.

Bake

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Optional: halfway through cooking, you can use a fork to gently smash the sprouts more and add a little more parmesan cheese.

Serve

Top with extra parmesan cheese and serve.

Dip

Once smashed and crispy, dip these in a creamy dip, like spicy mayo or hummus.

Notes

Brussels sprouts: Make sure to cut off the bottom stems and remove any browned outer leaves. If your sprouts are really large, you can cut them in half vertically.
Olive oil: Olive oil is my cooking oil of choice, especially in this recipe. You can also use avocado oil if you have that.
Parmesan cheese: Freshly shredded or grated parmesan cheese is recommended as it has the best flavor. Don’t feel like grating or shredding yourself though? No problem – just use pre-shredded or pre-grated parm – whatever you prefer.
Cooking tips: When boiling the sprouts, you want them to be soft enough to mash, but not so soft that they become mushy. A fork should be able to pierce through them using a little oomph (read: not super easily). When smashing, I find it easiest to place the stem side up and smash from there.
Add ons: Want to add a little kick? Add some cayenne pepper or chili oil to make these deliciously spicy.
Oven time: Because all ovens are a little different, watch to make sure your sprouts don’t burn. We want them a little crisp and even slightly black, but not burnt.
Storage: Store smashed Brussels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat and keep them crispy, broil them in the oven for a few minutes, making sure they don’t burn.