Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Pomegranate

We host a lot of holiday meals and gatherings at our home. There are so many things we love about dining with some of our favorite humans in our humble home, but the part I love most is feeding colorful and creative foods to family and friends. This year, I wanted to try adding a little more pizzazz to my classic Brussels sprouts recipe. While a familiar recipe can feel like a welcome tradition, I love finding small ways to make it feel new. This recipe adds more color, contrasting textures, and seasonal flavor without making the preparation much more involved.

Part of the inspiration for this recipe came from a local restaurant that serves a Brussels sprout appetizer with pomegranates. While I've never tried the dish myself, I imagined the juicy, sweet-tart flavor would offer a delightful contrast to the savory sprouts, and a pop of color is always a welcome element to my holiday dishes. I also decided to add homemade maple-candied pecans with marjoram and thyme for added flavor and texture. I'm generally a modest person, but I have to say this recipe turned out quite good, and I think this season's guests will be pleased by the new recipe. I hope yours are, too!

Roasted Pomegranate Brussels Sprouts with Herbed Pecans

Serves 6-8 people. 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. organic Brussels sprouts
• About 1/8 cup organic olive oil
• Sea salt and organic ground black peppercorns to taste
• 6 cloves organic garlic with paper (tunic) on
• 1/4 cup organic halved or minced pecans
• 1/4 tsp. organic marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. organic thyme
  
• 3 Tbsp. organic maple syrup
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 cup organic pomegranate arils
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475°F
2. Clean and cut Brussels sprouts in half.
3. Add to bowl and pour olive oil over sprouts. Toss to evenly coat. (Depending on the size of your sprouts, you may need more or less oil.)
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss again.
   
5. Rub a little oil on the bottom of a cookie sheet, and place each one flat side down.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and stir.
   
7. Place back in oven for another 10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, add pecans, marjoram, and thyme to a saucepan and heat on low-medium until it starts to get a little warm and the aromas start to diffuse into the air.  (About 2-3 minutes, but varies depending on the pan and stove.)
   
9. Remove pan from heat and add maple syrup to nut and herb mixture. Stir to coat 
10. After your second 10-minute interval for the sprouts is up, assess if they are cooked to your liking. If you like it more crispy, place back in oven and check every couple of minutes and continue to turn them.
    
11. Once done, remove from oven, add your candied pecans and pomegranates, and mix to combine.
    
12. Top with Parmesan cheese while still hot.
    

Pro Tip: This recipe can easily be scaled up or down depending on the number of people you are feeding. 

Looking for more flavor inspiration?

Try These 20 Tasty & Creative Potluck Recipes!

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