The Best Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Romesco Dipping Sauce

Crispy smashed brussels sprouts served alongside a creamy, homemade dip makes for the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer or plant-based side dish for your holiday get togethers, Thanksgiving celebrations, or anytime that you need to feed a crowd! Introducing The Best Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Romesco Dipping Sauce, aka the only way that you need to cook brussles sprouts from hereon out! The brussles sprouts come out perfectly crispy, and the Romesco dipping sauce is so good, you’ll want to drink it. Believe me when I say that this recipe will have you loving brussels sprouts in a whole new way!

Friends, have you ever had brussels sprouts that changed your life, before?

As much as I now love brussels sprouts, I’ll admit: as a kid, I hated them. I thought they were soggy, smelly, and lacked in flavor. Every time they were served at dinner, I had to fight my way through finishing them. I couldn’t understand why people loved them so much.

But as I got older and began cooking for myself, I realized that I didn’t actually hate brussels sprouts – I just hated the way that they were prepared. Boring, boiled brussels sprouts are absolutely NOT the way to go. Instead, where brussels sprouts become amazing is when they are baked crispy, seasoned to perfection, and served with a creamy dipping sauce. This recipe has all of that and more, and dare I say, when you finally enjoy brussels sprouts this way, it’s LIFE CHANGING!

I love serving these sprouts up as a healthy, vegetarian-friendly appetizer for holiday parties, Thanksgiving, or any time that I am hosting friends and family over. Not only is it the perfect finger food, but it’s light enough to satisfy your taste buds without filling you up before dinner. Plus, the fiber in the brussels sprouts can help your dinner digest easier. What could be better than that?

This year, I’ll be serving these sprouts alongside my Spiced Roasted Carrots with Lemony Whipped Feta for the perfect plant-forward dishes at the Thanksgiving dinner table. If you’re looking for a simple, crowd-pleasing recipe to add to your Thanksgiving menu, then look no further because this recipe is it!

What You Need to Make This Vegetarian-Friendly Holiday Appetizer

• Brussels Sprouts: Of course, you need brussels 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 because it tastes amazing and it’s such a great heart-healthy oil.
• Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: A pinch of kosher salt and black pepper adds the perfect flavor to both the sprouts and the Romesco sauce.
• Roasted Red Peppers: The base for any good Romesco sauce begins with roasted red peppers! You can roast the red peppers yourself, or buy them jarred – I prefer to do the latter to save time and energy.
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Fire roasted tomatoes have a deep, smokier flavor that really adds depth to the Romesco sauce.
• Blanched Almonds: When an almond is blanched, the skin is removed, making it softer. You can buy almonds that are already blanched, or blanch them yourself by soaking them in boiling water for 60 seconds and then peeling off the skin.
• Parsley: Flat leaf parsley adds a delicious flavor to this sauce – don’t skip it!
• Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible, as it just adds the best flavor!
• Lemon: You’ll need the juice of approximately one half of a lemon for this recipe. This is approximately 2 tablespoons of juice!
• Red Wine Vinegar:A splash of red wine vinegar helps to form the perfect dressing!
• Seasonings: To season the Romesco sauce, we’ll be using a blend of kosher salt, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes. Yum!

How to Make These Flavor-Packed Crispy Brussels Sprouts

To make these brussels sprouts, start by washing the sprouts and cutting 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 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 and dry. Next, preheat your oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the brussels sprouts out evenly on the baking sheet. Using the back of a glass or a plate, smash the brussels sprouts about 1/2 inch thick.

Brush each one with olive oil, then sprinkle with a generous amount of sea salt and black pepper. Place the tray in the oven then bake for 35 minutes, making sure to flip them at the halfway mark.

While the sprouts are in the oven, prepare the romesco sauce. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend/process everything until it’s mostly smooth and creamy, but leaving some texture. Taste the sauce 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!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim