Smashed Brussel Sprouts

Name: Smashed Brussel Sprouts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds brussel sprouts (trimmed and halved); 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ cup grated parmesan cheese; Ranch dip (for serving); Lemon wedges (for serving)

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Smashed Brussel Sprouts are my vegetable take on smashed potatoes (which I’m clearly a fan of—see Garlic Smashed Potatoes and Smashed Sweet Potatoes). The Brussel sprouts are coated in spices, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, and cooked until they’re so, so crispy. As for the smashed Brussel sprouts dipping sauce, I’m a big fan of ranch dressing. The tangy sauce goes perfectly with the crispy, cheesy sprouts.

Smashed brussel sprouts on a plate with ranch sauce for dipping.

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Recipe At a Glance
Ingredients to Make Smashed Brussel Sprouts
Popular Substitutions & Additions
How to Make Smashed Brussel Sprouts
Tips for Making the Best Smashed Brussel Sprouts with Cheese
What to Serve With Smashed Brussel Sprouts Parmesan
Frequently Asked Questions
More Brussel Sprouts Recipes:
Smashed Brussel Sprouts Recipe

I think these Smashed Brussel Sprouts make the perfect Thanksgiving appetizer (or side!). They’re ridiculously good but not too filling. The recipe starts by steaming the Brussel sprouts in the microwave until they’re softened. Then you get to my favorite part: smashing them! I like to use a meat pounder to easily flatten the sprouts, but you could also use the bottom of a drinking glass. When they’re done, the brussel sprouts are super crunchy—my kind of finger food.

Recipe At a Glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Gluten-free
Key Flavor: Savory garlic and parmesan
Skill Level: Easy

Why This is So Good

Perfectly spiced and cheesy: I keep the spices simple but flavorful for these smashed Brussel sprouts. Sprinkling parmesan onto the sprouts adds flavor and crispy bits of cheese with each bite.
Fast: The pre-steaming helps the Brussel sprouts roast quickly! This recipe is ready in just 30 minutes.
Kid-friendly: My kids like anything crispy and a little cheesy. They’re not always fans of Brussels sprouts, but they do love these smashed ones!

Ingredients to Make Smashed Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients for recipe: brussel sprouts, grated parmesan, spices, and oil.

Brussel sprouts: You’ll need to cut off the scraggly ends and cut the Brussel sprouts in half before cooking them.
Olive oil: This will help the sprouts brown, but also adds flavor. If you prefer, you could use another oil like vegetable, avocado, or canola.
Garlic powder, paprika, and oregano: These are my seasonings of choice! Garlic powder adds garlicky flavor without the worry of minced cloves burning.
Parmesan cheese: Finely grate the parmesan so it’s easy to evenly sprinkle over the brussel sprouts!

Popular Substitutions & Additions

Try other spices. You could use ranch or Italian seasoning! If I have a few extra minutes, I’ll make my own seasoning blends, but store-bought is totally fine, too!
Use another serving sauce. Try tahini or cilantro yogurt sauce.
Swap (or leave) out the cheese. A hard cheese like parmesan will crisp the best, but you could also use pecorino Romano. Mozzarella or cheddar would also be delicious but just less crispy. For those who are dairy-free, leave out the cheese entirely.
Garnish with fresh herbs. Top the smashed brussel sprouts with chopped, fresh parsley, cilantro, thyme, or oregano.

How to Make Smashed Brussel Sprouts

Smashing the Brussel sprouts flattens them, so they roast faster, and it also creates more surface area for the ultimate crispy vegetable!

Halved brussel sprouts in a bowl. — **Step 1:** Add the Brussel sprouts to a large, microwave-safe bowl and add an inch of water to the bottom of the bowl.

After after steaming. — **Step 2:** Microwave until knife tender, remove the plastic, and pat dry.

Oil and spices in a bowl. — **Step 3:** Add the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to a small bowl.

After mixing oil and spices. — **Step 4:** Whisk to combine the spice mixture well.

Smashed par cooked brussel sprouts with a meat mallet. — **Step 5:** Transfer the brussel sprouts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use the bottom of a cup or a meat mallet to smash the sprouts until flattened. Pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.

After partially cooking until golden brown and crisp. — **Step 6:** Brush the oil mixture evenly over the sprouts and spread the brussel sprouts so they are not touching (this will help them brown best!).

After roasting with parmesan sprinkled on top. — **Step 7:** Bake, then sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.

After baking with golden crispy cheese. — **Step 8:** Bake until the cheese is golden and crispy.

Tips for Making the Best Smashed Brussel Sprouts with Cheese

Choose Brussel sprouts that are about the same size. This will make sure they cook at the same rate! You don’t want some burning while others are underdone!
Don’t skip the steaming. This will allow you to easily smash the Brussel sprouts and keep the roasting time short.
Make sure to pat the brussel sprouts dry. The key to crisping is removing as much moisture as possible. For this reason, I like to pat the brussel sprouts dry twice!
Flatten them evenly. This will ensure every single sprout gets crispy and, again, cooks at the same speed!
Use parchment paper. Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper will make sure the brussel sprouts don’t stick. It also makes cleanup easier.

Smashed brussel sprouts on a sheet pan with lemon wedges.

What to Serve With Smashed Brussel Sprouts Parmesan

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store and reheat smashed Brussel sprouts?

Kept in an airtight container in the fridge, the brussel sprouts will keep for up to 3 days. To reheat them, you can do so on a baking sheet in a 425°F oven until crispy. You could also use the air fryer!

Why are my Brussel sprouts not crispy?

Make sure to dry the Brussel sprouts thoroughly after steaming. Excess moisture can prevent them from crisping up. Also, spread them out on the baking sheet so they’re not touching—crowded sprouts steam instead of roast.

Can I keep the Brussel sprouts whole?

For this recipe, you’ll want to cut the Brussel sprouts in half. Whole sprouts will take much longer to cook and won’t get as crispy as halved ones.

My Brussel sprouts are falling apart when I smash them, what went wrong?

If the sprouts are too soft from over-steaming, they can fall apart when you smash them. Only steam until they are just fork-tender. Be gentle when smashing, and press down slowly to avoid them breaking apart.

Plate of parmesan smashed brussel sprouts on a plate for Thanksgiving dinner.

I didn’t think it was possible to get vegetables this crispy without frying them until I made these Smashed Brussel Sprouts. To me, dunking these sprouts into ranch dressing is as delicious as chips and dip. It’s the kind of vegetable recipe everyone can get behind (and that’ll go super quickly!).

More Brussel Sprouts Recipes:

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