If the idea of making Brussels sprouts is intimidating to you, then my friends, welcome to the best way to make the most DELICIOUS Brussels sprouts, every single time! My Gluten-Free Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Tahini Dressing are a crispy, crunchy, delicious way to enjoy this uniquely amazing vegetable. Plus, we’re pairing it with a homemade lemon tahini dressing that is so good that you’ll want to drink it!
Friends, how many of you were subjected to boiled, smelly Brussels sprouts, growing up? I know I was! Growing up, my mom would always serve boiled, salted Brussels sprouts, which wasn’t exactly my favorite – and if you’ve ever had boiled Brussels sprouts before, then you KNOW. Boiled or steamed Brussels sprouts, without any other cooking processes done to them, tend to omit a rather funky smell. And even though they’ll taste good, the smell alone makes them practically inedible.
But because so many people grow up having Brussels sprouts prepared this way, they grow up to be turned off from Brussels sprouts for their entire lives, which is SO SAD to me. Brussels sprouts are bursting with flavor, and when they’re prepared properly, they are absolutely delicious!
In this recipe, we are boiling them, BUT we are also baking them, so I promise, no funky smells here! If you have never met a sprout that you liked, then you need to try this recipe. It’ll have you looking at sprouts an entirely different way.
And let’s not forget about this DRESSING! The lemon tahini dressing truly makes these Brussels sprouts shine. It’s actually a recipe from my brand new cookbook, LOVE TO EAT, which is available everywhere books are sold! And while I won’t spoil all the recipes in the book for you, because there are over 75+ brand new recipes that I’ve developed in there just for you, I had to put this recipe on my blog. Why? Because it’s THAT GOOD!
What You Need to Make The Brussels Sprouts of Your Dreams
- Brussels Sprouts: Of course, you need Brussel’s sprouts to make this recipe! Brussels sprouts are full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making them super healthy and ultra-delicious!
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is my favorite oil to use in salad dressings because it tastes amazing and it’s such a great heart-healthy oil.
- Lemon Juice: The lemon gives the dressing a tangy flavor – yee haw!
- Tahini: You already know that I am the self-proclaimed tahini queen, so of course I had to come up with the ultimate tahini dressing! You can use a store-bought tahini or make your own.
- Honey or Maple Syrup: A little bit of sweetness helps to perfectly balance out the flavors of this dressing, and I recommend using either honey or maple syrup! Why? Because they add the perfect amount of sweetness without the refined sugars.
- Red Wine Vinegar: A splash of red wine vinegar helps to cut through the thickness of the tahini to form the perfect dressing!
- Garlic: I will always, always recommend using fresh garlic in my dressing recipes. Why? Because fresh garlic adds the most delicious, vibrant flavor!
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper: A little sea salt and pepper add the perfect touch to this dressing recipe!
- Water: This is optional, but a little bit of water can help to thin out the dressing!
The Secret to Making the Perfect Brussels Sprouts, Every Time
Every time I share a Brussels sprouts recipe, I get a number of comments from people saying how much they hate them. And if that’s you, I’m here to tell you that you’ve probably been eating them the wrong way!
The secret to making the most delicious sprouts, every time, is to make them extra crispy. Why is that, you may ask? Because nobody likes a soggy Brussels sprouts! Here are a few tips to ensure that they get extra crispy, every time:
- Roast Them at a High Heat: Making sure that you roast your Brussels sprouts at an extra-high heat is KEY to ensuring that they don’t turn out soggy! For this recipe, we’ll be roasting our sprouts at 450 F, which is the magic temperature when it comes to crispy sprouts, in my opinion.
- Roast Your Sprouts Cut-Side Down: The centers of the sprouts need the most love, so roast them cut-side down to ensure that they get crispy all the way through.
- Roast Them Solo: Sprouts need a lot of love and attention, which means that they are best when cooked solo. Why is that? Because cooking other veggies at the same time as the sprouts can impact the heat and/or moisture levels, which can lead to them not being as crispy.
How to make These Crispy, Crunchy Brussels sprouts
Start by preparing the Brussels sprouts: wash your sprouts and cut off the stems. It’s okay if some of the leaves come off- just set them aside!
Next, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the Brussels sprouts for 15 minutes. Once the sprouts are done boiling, pop them in an ice bath for 5-10 minutes, until they have cooled. Then, drain the water from them.
Next, preheat your oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, spread the Brussels sprouts out evenly on the baking sheet. Using the back of a glass or a plate, smash your Brussels sprouts about 1/2 inch thick. Then, brush your smashed Brussels sprouts with olive oil and sprinkle them with a generous amount of sea salt and black pepper.
Place your sprouts in the oven then bake for 35 minutes, making sure to flip them at the halfway mark.
While the Brussels sprouts are baking, prepare the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend/process everything until it’s smooth and creamy. Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Finally, once the Brussels sprouts are done, remove them from the oven and drizzle the dressing on top, or serve it in a small dipping bowl alongside them. Serve them immediately, and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! And, since I practically live on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your creations so that I can repost them! xx
** Photography by Bea Moreno
Ingredients
For the Brussels Sprouts:
- 2 Pounds Brussels Sprouts
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
For the Lemon Tahini Dressing
- ⅓ Cup Olive Oil
- ¼ Cup Lemon Juice
- 3 Tablespoons Tahini
- 2 Tablespoons Honey or Maple Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Clove Garlic, mashed
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ Cup Water, this is optional, and only needed if the dressing is too thick!
Instructions
- Start by preparing the Brussels sprouts: wash your sprouts and cut off the stems. It's okay if some of the leaves come off- just set them aside!
- Next, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add the Brussels sprouts and boil them for 15 minutes.
- Once the sprouts are done boiling, pop them in an ice bath for 5-10 minutes, until they have cooled. Then, drain the water from them.
- Next, preheat your oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, spread the Brussels sprouts out evenly on the baking sheet.
- Using the back of a glass or a plate, smash your Brussels sprouts about 1/2 inch thick.
- Brush your smashed Brussels sprouts with olive oil, then sprinkle with a generous amount of sea salt and black pepper.
- Place them in the oven then bake for 35 minutes, making sure to flip them at the halfway mark.
- While the Brussels sprouts are baking, prepare the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend/process everything until it's smooth and creamy.
- Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Finally, once the Brussels sprouts are done, remove them from the oven and drizzle the dressing on top, or serve it in a small dipping bowl alongside them.
- Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
Made these the other night as an appetizer for just my husband and I and they were yummy! The dressing was perfect, I did add the water to thin it out. I’ll be making these little guys again.
Yay! Pamela, I am so thrilled to hear that you loved this recipe! Thank you so much for making it, and for leaving such a kind review!
Made these for X-mas eve!!
They were a hit.
Everyone wanted more sauce to dip them in.
You never disappoint Nicole 🙂
YAY! I am so thrilled that your family loved this recipe, Nancy! I love making extra sauce to dip these Brussels sprouts in 🙂 Thank you so much for making this recipe, and for leaving such a kind review!
Loved this tahini dip and so did others I made it for! I’ve even been drizzling it on my other veggies
Woohoo! I’m so glad you loved this dip, Chelsea!
This tasted sooo good, and I love a dip. My fiancé didn’t like the dip, too much tang for him but I loved it. Only thing is my oven caught on fire while baking because I never turn it so hot. Not the recipes fault, but now I know I should be using the ‘self clean’ mode more.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear about your oven, Cindy! Nevertheless, I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe!