Before you all think I’m incredibly late on the whole Thanksgiving side dish craze, let me remind you that brussels are a year round food in my kitchen and I’m hoping a recipe like this will make it a year round food in your home as well! Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts truly take a stereotypically “boring” food like brussels sprouts and make it exciting with making the texture unique- you know, crisping it up a bit, and adding my favorite new whole food ingredient chestnuts. Also a side note, I promise this recipe tastes amazing despite what the picture may look like! It’s hard to make semi-burnt and crisped brussels look as sexy as other veggies.
Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables, it’s safe to say they’re in my top 5 favorite vegetables, bold statement I realize. I’ve used them in so many recipes and routinely make them part of my Batch Cooking and Meal Planning day on Saturday or Sundays. They’re so easy to roast and reheat the day after or simply add onto a nice big ole’ Nourish Bowl chilled or cold, either way I’m a fan and I hope that this recipe will deepen your love for brussels or introduce you to them just the same.
Chestnuts 101. When I first had a chestnut or even heard of them for that matter, I automatically assumed it was a nut high in fat, similarly the way I thought about buckwheat containing wheat or gluten- on the contrary both of those names are deliciously deceptive! Chestnuts are a nut, yet they’re far more of a starch or carbohydrate containing whole food with minimal fat, a bit of protein, and fiber. They fit the stereotypical nut profile because of their mineral rich content.
Chestnut nutrient breakdown | in 10 chestnuts (about 85g) it contains roughly 44g carbohydrates, 5g fiber (that’s almost a third of your daily “need”), 2g fat, and 2g protein. Besides the macronutrients found in chestnuts, they also contain micronutrients such as vitamin C, B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, folate, copper, potassium, manganese, and a bit of iron and calcium. All in all, nutrient rich for that small amount yet do contain a decent amount of calories (i.e. it’s really easy to over eat and indulge in these because they taste so good!). If you’ve never tasted a chestnuts, they’re starchy, slightly sweet and nutty, chewy, and addictively delicious! You can add them to almost anything for a boost in nutrients or to add a little density/bulk to simple dishes.
I enjoy eating this recipe as a snack or side dish. The crispiness of this recipe makes it one of those snacks that you can’t seem to put down, almost like potato chips or crisps yet heaps healthier! What makes this recipe so special, besides the use of chestnuts, is the technique for making this brussels sprouts crispy. The golden ticket with making these crisp it the time and patience it takes to individually peel off each brussels sprout leaf as pictured below. I promise the time it takes you to do this is well worth it in the end.
- 2 pounds brussels sprouts
- 1 pound chestnuts, roasted and peeled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons nama shoyu (or another gluten free soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prep the brussels sprouts by slicing off the end of each sprout and gently peeling the leaves with your fingers individually. It’s okay if some of the leaves tear.
- If you’re left with the center of the sprout unpeeled, simply bake these with the leaves to avoid wasting.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sprout leaves with all remaining ingredients including roasted chestnuts. Mix to combine and adjust seasonings to taste.
- On a well greased baking sheet or lined with foil, evenly spread the coated sprout leaves, be sure not to overcrowd and use 2 large baking sheets if you need.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, check and stir, and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes or until leaves are crisp.
- Serve warm or hot is best.
If you love this recipe you’re really going to love or already know about my Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Red Grapes recipe, it’s a famous one and widely shared across the globe- which makes me so giddy knowing people are getting just as excited about simple brussels as I do. I hope you all enjoy these and be sure to keep me in the loop so I can see your remakes of this #nutritionstripped.
xx McKel
p.s. I LOVED seeing everyones remakes of my Sweet Potato Pecan Pie and all the other Thanksgiving inspired dishes, it truly warmed my heart seeing you all share my recipes with your own families and loved ones!
