How to Roast Frozen Brussel Sprouts

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 13, 2021 References Approved

Brussels sprouts are a convenient and healthy vegetable. Many people have a negative association with them, since Brussels sprouts can be bland when only boiled or steamed. Roast the sprouts in the oven to give them a more appealing flavor and texture. Cut the sprouts in half if you’re in a hurry to roast them. If you’d like a little more flavor on your sprouts, toss them with balsamic vinegar before cooking.

Ingredients

1 bag frozen Brussels sprouts
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) or ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) olive oil
1–3 teaspoons (4.9–14.8 mL) salt

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Oiling and Seasoning Brussels Sprouts

1
Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 400 °F (204 °C), and let it heat up while you prepare the sprouts for roasting. ^{[1]
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2
Drizzle olive oil over your baking sheet. Even before you pull your Brussels sprouts out of the freezer, you can begin heating up an oiled baking sheet. Pour a thin drizzle of olive oil over the surface of a large baking sheet, and put it in the oven to warm up as the oven heats.^{[2]
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- A pre-heated baking sheet—with pre-heated olive oil—will help your sprouts cook more rapidly once you stick them in the oven.
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3
Pour your frozen Brussels sprouts into a mixing bowl. Pull your sprouts out of the freezer and open the bag. Also pull out large mixing bowl. Pour the Brussels sprouts into the bowl.^{[3]
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- You may need to use a pair of household scissors to cut open the bag of sprouts if it won’t tear open.
4
Pour olive oil over the sprouts. In order for frozen vegetables to roast properly, they need to be well-oiled. Pour a generous ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) or ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) over the Brussels sprouts.^{[4]
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5
Add salt to the oiled sprouts. Once the sprouts have olive oil on them, sprinkle 1–3 teaspoons (4.9–14.8 mL) of salt over them. The amount of salt can vary based on how strong you want the taste of salt to be on the finished sprouts.^{[5]
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- Any type of salt is fine; you can suit your preference. Common types of salt used include kosher salt or coarse sea salt.
6
Toss the sprouts with the oil and salt. Use your hands to toss and roll the Brussels sprouts in the olive oil and salt mixture.^{[6]
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Research source} Make sure that the salt doesn’t stick together in clumps, but is evenly spread over the sprouts.
- Each of the frozen sprouts should be evenly coated with olive oil and salt.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Roasting the Sprouts

1
Space the Brussels sprouts out on your baking sheet. Pour the oiled and salted Brussels sprouts out onto your oiled baking sheet. Use your fingers to separate any sprouts that are touching one another. The sprouts should be evenly spaced, and no sprouts should be touching or stacked on one another.^{[7]
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- Since you’ll have had the baking sheet in the oven, remember to use a hot pad when you retrieve it from the oven. Don’t burn your hands!
2
Roast the sprouts for 40-45 minutes. Carefully slide the baking sheet back into the oven. Let the sprouts bake for 40-45 minutes. Use the oven light to check on the sprouts periodically. When finished, they should be golden brown with dark, crispy edges.^{[8]
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- If the edges of the sprouts start to turn black, they’re beginning to burn.
3
Pull the sprouts out and serve immediately. Once the sprouts are fully cooked, you can pour them into a serving dish or bowl and serve them as part of a dinner—or eat them as a healthy snack. Once the meal is over, you can store leftover roasted sprouts by sealing them in an airtight plastic container. They’ll keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.^{[9]
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- If you’re serving the sprouts to children, they may want to eat them with a side of ranch dressing.
- Be careful not to burn your mouth on the first couple of bites.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making Alterations or Varying the Recipe

1
Replace the olive oil with coconut oil. If you dislike olive oil—or simply don’t have any on hand—substitute the same amount of another vegetable oil, such as coconut oil. This won’t change the flavor of the roasted Brussels sprouts, and will prevent them from sticking to the pan just as well as olive oil.^{[10]
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- Coconut oil may slightly alter the flavor of the sprouts. It may give them a very mild coconut taste, and will also make the sprouts taste sweeter.^{[11]
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- Other types of vegetable oil you could use include safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, or sesame oil.^{[12]
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2
Cut the sprouts in half and bake half as long for quicker sprouts. If you’re in a rush when preparing baked Brussels sprouts, you can save time by cutting the sprouts in half before mixing them with the olive oil and salt. Then, instead of roasting the sprouts for 40-45 minutes, roast them for 20-23 minutes.^{[13]
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- Keep the oven at 400 °F (204 °C); you don’t need to alter the baking temperature.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the frozen Brussels sprouts. They’ll be a little tougher to cut than thawed sprouts, but can be cut in half relatively easily.
3
Add balsamic vinegar to the olive oil. If you’d like your roasted Brussel sprouts to have more flavor, add tangy, sweet balsamic vinegar before drizzling the mixture over the frozen sprouts. Mix 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of balsamic vinegar with ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of olive oil before pouring the mixture over the top of the sprouts. Once they’re mixed, pour the vinegar and oil over the sprouts and add salt.^{[14]
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- You can purchase balsamic vinegar at any grocery store or supermarket.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I use a different oil, like avocado oil?

Community Answer

Yes. You could use any common cooking oil or fat.
Question

Can they be cooked on a grill?

Community Answer

Yes; in fact, my dad cooks them on the grill all the time.
Question

How do I roast thawed brussel sprouts in the oven?

Jasmin Williams

Community Answer

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Halve them, or if they're on the bigger side, then quarter them. In a bowl coat them with a couple tablespoons of oil, and whatever spices you enjoy; although you can always use butter too. Put them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 minutes in the oven and stir half-way through.