Brussels sprouts will be 'crisper and caramelised' if you ditch water for ultimate method

Brussels sprouts are like Marmite: you either love them or hate them. But all foodies can agree that, like many other vegetables, ditching boiling them in water makes them taste way better. However, simply roasting them can also lead to a bland side dish.

A food expert recommends adding simple ingredients to elevate Brussels sprouts and enhance their flavour. Philippa Davis, a chef from BBC Food, shared her recipe and stated: "Crispy, caramelised and coated in garlic butter, this is the ultimate way to cook your Brussels sprouts."

How to make roasted Brussels sprouts

This recipe serves up to four people and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and up to 30 minutes to cook. Alternatively, veggie lovers can discover how to make delicious cauliflower by cooking it like steak.

Here's how to make roasted Brussels sprouts, courtesy of BBC Food:

Ingredients

• 400g of Brussels sprouts
• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• 50g of butter
• Three garlic cloves
• ½ nutmeg, freshly grated
• 40g parmesan
• 10g finely chopped parsley
• One tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

Method

Begin by preheating your oven to 220°C (200°C for fan or Gas Mark 7) to ensure it reaches the perfect roasting temperature. While the oven is warming, take a large mixing bowl and season your Brussels sprouts generously with salt and pepper.

Then, drizzle them with olive oil, tossing thoroughly to ensure each sprout is evenly coated. Next, line a baking tray with baking paper and arrange the sprouts on top, placing them cut side down.

Slide the tray onto the middle shelf of the oven and allow the sprouts to roast for ten to 15 minutes, keeping an eye on them until they have softened on the bottom and developed a beautiful golden-brown colour on the top.

Once roasted, carefully transfer the hot sprouts back into the mixing bowl and add the butter, finely minced or crushed garlic, a light dusting of nutmeg, and a generous sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, stirring gently to ensure the flavours melt together.

Return the sprouts to the baking tray and roast them for an additional ten minutes, allowing them to crisp up and turn a deeper golden colour.

Finally, remove the tray from the oven and enhance the dish with a scattering of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice, mixing everything well to combine the bright, fresh flavours. Serve while the sprouts are still warm, crisp, and bursting with roasted, buttery goodness.