Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Asparagus is a match made in heaven. After just 30 minutes in the oven, they're tossed with fresh garlic, lemon juice, balsamic glaze and parmesan which creates the perfect cheesy finish. The result is a sweet, savory, cheesy and crunchy side dish that's completely irresistible!
Table of Contents
Since we've all been told limit grocery trips as much as possible, vegetables have been a hot commodity in my family.
As a pregnant person with asthma, it's super scary to go anywhere that isn't necessary. And because of that, I haven't been to the market in over a week.
But with all that anxiety and what-ifs comes opportunities in resourcefulness.
This dish, for example, was born out of necessity.
I knew I wanted to eat something green and filling without spending too much time making it.
And since I didn't have my regular vegetables, I made do with what I had - a bag of brussel sprouts and a bag of asparagus.
While I was brainstorming, I thought of my favorite restaurants in New Smyrna Beach... to a place called Cafe Verde. They specialize in globally-inspired eclectic food from across the world.
One of their vegetable side dishes that we always order is asparagus and brussel sprouts which are tossed with cheese and cashews.
I used that as my inspiration and just added a few more flavors that I love.
And just like that, this recipe for roasted asparagus and brussel sprouts was born.
They're tossed in fresh finely minced garlic, tangy lemon juice, sweet balsamic glaze and nutty parmesan.
We loved them so much that they'll now become a staple in our household!
And if you're like me and out of groceries but wonder what you can substitute, simply shoot me a DM on instagram and I'll answer quite promptly!
Ingredients - what you need
- Brussel Sprouts
- Asparagus
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Balsamic Glaze
- Parmesan
- Salt and Pepper
How to Roast Brussel Sprouts and Asparagus
What I love most about this simple side dish is how easy it is to make!
To begin, preheat your oven to 400F degrees.
Next, trim the ends off the brussel sprouts and split them in half.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper or tinfoil and add the brussel sprouts. Drizzle them with olive oil and salt and toss.
Carefully flip all of the brussel sprouts so that the cut side is facing down. Put the tray in the oven for 20 minutes.
While it's baking, prep the asparagus. Wash and dry them and remove the bottom ⅓ stem-like part. Now cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Since the bottom part of the asparagus is typically pretty tough to chew, I recommend discarding it.
After the 20 minutes is up, pull the tray out and add the chopped asparagus on top. Add another drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and put the tray back in the oven. Roast for 10 more minutes.
While it's roasting, mince the garlic as small as possible and cut your lemon in half.
After the 1o minutes is up, remove the tray more once and IMMEDIATELY add the garlic and toss. The residual heat will cook the garlic just slightly so it will be perfectly delicious and not overpowering.
Once that is done, add a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of the parmesan. Toss everything together for 20 seconds then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately and enjoy or serve at room temperature like an antipasta.
Using Thin Asparagus Vs. Thick Asparagus
In this recipe, I recommend using thin asparagus as they cook quicker and more evenly.
If you're making this recipe and only have the fat variety, no sweat - you can definitely make it work!
After you remove the bottom "stemmy" portion of the asparagus, cut it into half inch pieces instead of whole 1 inch pieces.
The smaller bits and pieces mean they will cook at the same time as the brussel sprouts so nothing is overcooked, mushy or burnt.
What to pair it with
This side dish is perfect to pair with cheesy carby goodness! I recommend trying this white cheddar mashed potato recipe, this smoked mac and cheese or this classic white cheddar mac and cheese.
If you're looking for something lighter to serve it with, how about this light butternut squash and feta pasta or this curried chicken salad recipe?
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Recipe
Recipe
Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze, Lemon + Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 lb brussel sprouts trimmed and halved
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 lb thin asparagus bottom removed and chopped into 1” pieces
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- ⅓ cup parmesan
- kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
- Toss brussel sprouts with olive oil and 2 pinches of salt and roast on a baking sheet, cut side down, in the oven for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, pull the baking sheet out then add asparagus, another tablespoon of olive oil, and another pinch of salt and place in the oven to roast for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the tray once again and immediately add minced garlic and toss so the residual heat cooks the garlic just slightly.
- Squeeze lemon juice over the vegetables and drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with parmesan. Toss everything for 10-20 seconds then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
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If you scroll to the bottom to the recipe card, it says to add the glaze in step 5!