Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Asparagus
Roasted brussel sprouts and asparagus is the easiest side dish and is packed with flavor! Let the oven do all the work for you. Ready in 30 minutes, this healthy brussel sprouts and asparagus recipe is also plant based, vegan, Whole30, paleo, low carb and keto friendly!
Why you will love this recipe
- Roasting veggies brings out the best flavor – asparagus and brussel sprouts both can have a bad reputation and bad flavor if not cooked properly! Roasting brussel sprouts helps to mellow out the cabbage flavor and makes them so enjoyable and delicious! Roasting asparagus helps to take it to the next level of flavor too, plus it’s so simple!
- Easy recipe – this roasted asparagus and brussel sprouts recipe is so easy to make. Simply cut the brussels, coat them in oil and roast for 25 minutes. Add the dressing and asparagus and stir well. Cook again for 5-10 minutes depending on how thick your asparagus is and you are done! No fancy steps or ingredients required!
- The mustard dressing takes these roasted veggies to the next level! I am personally a huge fan of roasted brussels sprouts and Dijon mustard, in fact it’s one of my favorite snacks/appetizers! This roasted brussel sprout and asparagus recipe has a Dijon dressing that the brussel sprouts are coated in the last 5-10 minutes of baking that makes this side dish extra special!
- Can easily double or triple for company – you can easily make this for a crowd, just be sure to use an extra large baking sheet or 2 baking sheets to let the brussel sprouts roast not steam in the oven.
Ingredients
- Brussel sprouts – brussel sprouts can range in size but the trick is to try to make them the same thickness by cutting them in half or in quarters. By cutting the brussels in half or quarters, it allows them to roast by giving the moisture in the brussel sprout somewhere to escape to instead of having them steam whole.
- Olive oil (or avocado oil) – olive oil is used to coat the brussel sprouts before cooking to ensure they can get a golden brown crust on them. You can omit the oil here but I prefer brussel sprouts coated in a bit of oil best.
- Asparagus – the thickness of the asparagus will determine how long they have to cook. I prefer thinner asparagus (not shoe string thin but not super thick) for this recipe as the thicker asparagus can take much longer to cook and get tender which can lead to the brussel sprouts starting to turn really brown.
Dijon dressing
- Dijon mustard – Dijon mustard is tangy and savory and pairs perfectly with roasted brussel sprouts.
- Olive oil – olive oil helps to dressing to coat the brussel sprouts and asparagus and also makes the dressing have more body.
- Apple cider vinegar – acid can help to elevate the flavors and also help to cut down on the Dijon mustard flavor. There is not much acid in this as we want to keep the brussel sprouts from steaming.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, ground sage (optional) – these spices help to elevate the flavors of the dish. I prefer to use garlic powder over fresh garlic to help ensure that the garlic isn’t raw and overpowering or burned and acidic when roasting.
How to make roasted brussel sprouts and asparagus
Check out the step by step instructions on how to make this roasted brussels sprouts and asparagus recipe in this story!
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Trim any brown stalks from the bottom of the brussel sprouts. Cut the brussel sprout in half or in quarters depending on how thick it is. If it’s a smaller sprout that is under 1 inch thick, cut in half. If it’s bigger and over 1 inch thick, cut in quarters. If you aren’t sure, cut in quarters for good measure.
As you are cutting the brussel sprouts, put aside any leaves that fall off the sprout. You can add them later but they should not be roasted with the brussel sprouts as they will burn in the hot oven when cooked that long.
Add the brussel sprouts to a baking sheet (I like to line mine with parchment paper). Drizzle the brussels with olive oil and toss them around with your hand or tongs. Remove and leaves that fall off in this process and put them with the other leaves for adding later.
Roast the brussels at 450F for 25 minutes.
While brussels roast, trim woody ends off the asparagus and cut into 1 inch pieces. To trim the woody ends, bend 3-4 asparagus stalks at the bottom and wherever the stalk naturally breaks will show you where the woody end and the tender asparagus meet. Once I do this with 3-4 I use the average of those to trim the rest. Once the woody ends are trimmed, cut the stalk into 1 inch pieces.
Make the Dijon sauce by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and stirring well.
After 25 minutes, carefully remove the brussel sprouts from the oven.
Use a spatula or spoon and push the brussels together. Pour the Dijon mustard sauce over the brussels and stir well to ensure they are all well coated.
Once coated, add the brussel sprouts leaves you saved as well as the asparagus tips to the baking sheet. Stir well making sure these are well coated in sauce too.
Return the baking sheet to the oven for 5-10 minutes depending on how thick your asparagus is. For shoestring thin asparagus, cook 5 minutes. For very thick (as thick as your pointer finger or thicker) cook 10-12 minutes. For asparagus the thickness of your pinky finger, roast 6-8 minutes.
Once the brussel sprouts and asparagus are done roasting, carefully remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Top tips
- Be sure to remove any thick stalks from the asparagus as these are stringy and inedible. To know where the tender part of the asparagus meets the woody stalk, simply bend the asparagus towards the bottom and wherever it naturally breaks is where the woody stalk and tender stalk meet.
- Try to remove any loose leaves from the brussel sprouts before roasting. The leaves will naturally fall off after you cut away the root and these leaves tend to burn when roasting at a high heat for a long time. Instead of just throwing these leaves away, save them for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking when you add the asparagus.
- If you plan on doubling or tripling this recipe, be sure to use an extra large baking sheet or use 2 baking sheets when roasting the brussel sprouts. The brussel sprouts will steam if they are bunched together or piled on top of each other as they roast. The best option is to use 2 baking sheets and rotate them half way through cooking if needed.
Other additions
- Quartered mushrooms (toss with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar) and add them with the asparagus
- Cooked bacon bits (add at the end)
- Dried cranberries, dried cherries, golden raisins (add at the end)
- Chopped pecans or slivered almonds (add these with the asparagus so they won’t burn)
- Pomegranate arils
What to serve with roasted asparagus and brussel sprouts
- Instant pot rosemary garlic potatoes
- Air fryer sweet potato cubes
- Air fryer carrots
- Dairy free mashed potatoes
- Juicy oven roasted chicken or 10 minute italian chicken
- Instant pot chicken and potatoes
- Instant pot chicken and rice
Common questions
How to know when asparagus is cooked
The asparagus will be bright green and easy to insert your fork into.
Undercooked asparagus will be quite tough and hard to insert your fork into. If you taste it, it will taste raw.
Overocoked asparagus will be limp, soggy and dark green.
How long does asparagus take in a 450F oven?
The cooking time of asparagus will mostly depend on how thick the stalks are. Thinner stalks may only need 3-5 minutes to cook where thicker stalks may need closer to 10-15 minutes. Asparagus the thickness of your pinky will oven take about 6-8 minutes at 450F.
Why are the brussel sprouts mushy
Brussel sprouts can get mushy when they steam instead of roast. Often this happens because they are not cut in half and the internal moisture will steam from the inside or because the brussels sprouts have a liquid sauce on them that doesn’t allow them to brown. The best way to ensure your brussel sprouts aren’t mushy are to use a hot oven, make sure they are coated with oil but no other liquid and they have room to roast and aren’t piled on top of each other.
How to ensure you get crispy brussels sprouts
- Cut into smaller pieces – this allows the brussel sprout to have contact with the baking sheet while also allow the steam to escape. A general rule is that smaller brussels (under 1 inch thick) only need to be halved but larger brussel sprouts will need to be quartered.
- Drizzle in oil and sprinkle with salt – the olive oil will help create a crispy crust and the salt will help draw out water.
- Spread out the brussel sprouts on a baking sheet. Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet or the brussel sprouts will end up steaming instead of roasting
- Wait to add the sauce until the brussels are crispy or they will start to steam not roast.
Storing leftovers
Fridge: I almost never have leftovers of this dish but if you do, you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the oven at 400F for 10 minutes.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing leftovers as they will get mushy when defrosted.
Substitutions
- Olive oil – you can also use avocado oil, melted coconut oil or melted ghee in place of olive oil in this recipe.
- Dijon mustard – If you don’t have Dijon mustard on hand, another great option would be to make this lemon tahini sauce instead. Wait to add the lemon tahini dressing until after the asparagus is done cooking.
- Spices – you can omit any of the spices except for the salt.
If you love this recipe, you should try
- Asparagus Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad with Balsamic Dressing
- Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
- Sriracha Brussel Sprouts
- Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Carrots
Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Asparagus
$5.98 Recipe/$1.50 ServingIngredients
- 1 pound brussel sprouts - $2.69
- 1 tbsp olive oil - $0.22
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed - $2.50
Dijon Mustard Dressing
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard - $0.12
- 1 tbsp olive oil - $0.22
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar - $0.06
- 1 tsp sea salt - $0.05
- 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
- 1/4 tsp dried ground sage (optional) - $0.02
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Prepare the brussel sprouts. Remove any brown stalks from the end. Cut the brussel sprouts in half or in quarters (see notes below). If any leaves fall off, save them for later.
- Add parchment paper to baking sheet. Add brussel sprouts to baking sheet and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top. Toss with your hands or tongs until all the brussel sprouts are coated. Remove any leaves that fall off in this process and save them for later.
- Place brussel sprouts in 450F oven for 25 minutes.
- While brussel sprouts are cooking trim and cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Trim the woody end from the asparagus by trimming the bunch where the asparagus naturally breaks at the bottom and discard those tough woody ends. Cut the tender pieces of asparagus into 1 inch pieces.
- Make the dijon dressing by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.
- After brussel sprouts have roasted 25 minutes, remove them from the oven carefully.
- Pour the dijon dressing over the brussel sprouts and stir well. Add the asparagus and brussel sprout leaves to the sheet pan. Stir well.
- Bake at 450F for 5-10 minutes depending on how thick the asparagus is. For pinky size cook 6-8 minutes. For shoestring thin asparagus cook 5 minutes. For asparagus thicker than your pointer finger you may need 10-15 minutes.
- Once asparagus is fully cooked, remove from the oven and serve hot.
Notes
- Cut into smaller pieces – this allows the brussel sprout to have contact with the baking sheet while also allow the steam to escape. A general rule is that smaller brussels (under 1 inch thick) only need to be halved but larger brussel sprouts will need to be quartered.
- Drizzle in oil and sprinkle with salt – the olive oil will help create a crispy crust and the salt will help draw out water.
- Spread out the brussel sprouts on a baking sheet. Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet or the brussel sprouts will end up steaming instead of roasting
- Wait to add the sauce until the brussels are crispy or they will start to steam not roast.
- The asparagus will be bright green and easy to insert your fork into.
- Undercooked asparagus will be quite tough and hard to insert your fork into. If you taste it, it will taste raw.
- Overocoked asparagus will be limp, soggy and dark green.
- The cooking time of asparagus will mostly depend on how thick the stalks are. Thinner stalks may only need 3-5 minutes to cook where thicker stalks may need closer to 10-15 minutes. Asparagus the thickness of your pinky will oven take about 6-8 minutes at 450F.
- Fridge: I almost never have leftovers of this dish but if you do, you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the oven at 400F for 10 minutes.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing leftovers as they will get mushy when defrosted.
