Vegetarian Recipes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

https://www.loveandlemons.com/brussel-sprouts/

This crispy roasted Brussels sprouts recipe is my favorite healthy side dish! A delicious lemon Parmesan dressing makes it bright, zingy & addictive.How do you feel about Brussels sprouts? Do you love them, or hate them? Over the last few years, I feel like they’ve been getting more and more popular, and I couldn’t be happier about it! Brussels sprouts are some of my favorite fall veggies – they’re fresh and healthy, but still hearty, and they pair well with all sorts of seasonings. But, in my opinion, the key to loving Brussels sprouts is preparing them the right way. No one’s clamoring for more boiled or steamed sprouts – they’re often bitter, and they have an unappealing mushy texture.

So if you’re still on the fence about them, try this roasted Brussels sprouts recipe. They come out of the oven with golden brown centers and crackly, crisp outer leaves. I love them straight off the sheet pan, but when they’re dressed with this easy Lemon, Thyme, and Parmesan seasoning, even the biggest Brussels sprouts skeptics can’t resist them.

How to Cook Brussels Sprouts

Making perfect, crispy baked Brussels sprouts is easy! Here’s what you need to do:

First, trim and chop the Brussels sprouts. Chop off and discard any dry or woody stems at the bottom of the sprouts. Then, slice larger sprouts in half, leaving smaller ones whole. Aim for all your veggies to be a similar size so that they cook evenly.

Next, season the sprouts. Toss them with olive oil and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and arrange them in an even layer with their cut sides facing down. This way, you’ll get nice browning on the cut sides of the sprouts, and their exposed leaves will become deliciously crisp as they bake. It’s ok to have a few loose leaves mixed in with the whole sprouts – they come out lightly charred and irresistibly crunchy.

Finally, it’s time to bake! Transfer the sheet pan to a 425-degree oven and bake for 30 minutes or so, until the veggies are tender and golden brown around the edges. Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Serving Suggestions

First and foremost, roasted Brussels sprouts are a delicious side dish. Serve them plain, simply seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper, or dress them up! Drizzle them with a bit of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and toss them with feta or Parmesan cheese, herbs, red pepper flakes, and nuts or pepitas. Find my favorite lemon Parmesan seasoning in the recipe below, or head to this post for more variations!

You can also turn these roasted Brussels sprouts into a meal on their own. Here are a few easy ideas to get you started:

More Brussels Sprouts Recipes

I hope you love making these oven roasted Brussels sprouts, but don’t stop there! You can also enjoy them raw or sautéed. Here are a few of my other favorite ways to prepare them:

Do you have any favorite Brussels sprouts recipes? Let me know in the comments!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Side dish

1 pound Brussels sprouts
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus 2 teaspoons zest
1 tablespoon grated (or ¼ cup shaved) Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
parsley leaves, for garnish
pinch of red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the Brussels sprouts in half, toss with drizzles of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper, and spread on the baking sheet. Roast 30 to 40 minutes or until tender and golden brown around the edges.
If desired, toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with the lemon juice, zest, Parmesan, and thyme leaves. Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes.

3.4.3177

Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada sauce is one of my very favorite things, ever. I love when it soaks into tortillas while baking and makes everything all tangy, spicy, and good. Mmmmm. 🤤 But when the selection at my local grocery store was less than impressive, I decided it was high time to try making some myself. This Easy Red Enchilada Sauce is a total game-changer, and now I can never go back to store-bought. It has ten times more flavor than anything I’ve ever had from a can and literally takes minutes to make. It’s a total winner.

red enchilada sauce dripping from a wooden spoon into a glass jar.

“INCREDIBLE! Super easy, made with common pantry staples, and way tastier than store bought.”

Sarah

Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

This EASY enchilada sauce is not an authentic recipe made with dried chile peppers that you’ll find in Texas or Mexico, but it’s a quick and easy version that anyone can whip up in their kitchen using basic pantry staples. But I promise, once you taste it, you won’t regret the shortcuts. It’s still bursting with flavor, and you’ll want to pour it over everything. However, if you want a made-from-scratch sauce with dried chiles in the mix, check out this Authentic Enchilada Sauce recipe from Isabel Eats.

close up of enchilada sauce dripping off a wooden spoon into a jar.

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Easy Red Enchilada Sauce

It only takes 10 minutes to make this super easy red enchilada sauce that is bursting with flavor.

Course Sauce

Cuisine Mexican, Southwest

Total Cost $1.32 recipe

Cook Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings ¼ cup each

Calories 53kcal

Author Beth Moncel

Ingredients

2 Tbsp cooking oil $0.08
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.02
2 Tbsp chili powder $0.60
2 cups water $0.00
3 oz. tomato paste $0.47
1/2 tsp ground cumin $0.05
1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
3/4 tsp salt or pepper to taste, $0.03

Instructions

Add the cooking oil, flour, and chili powder to a sauce pot. Turn the heat on to medium and whisk the ingredients together. Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to bubble. Whisk and cook the mixture for one minute once it begins bubbling.
After one minute, whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer it will begin to thicken slightly.
Starting with a 1/2 teaspoon, add salt to taste. I used about 3/4 teaspoon total. The sauce is now ready to use!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Video

Notes

*The water can be replaced with either vegetable broth or chicken broth for more depth, just be sure to reduce the salt added at the end to compensate.

A Note on the Spice Level

The “chili powder” listed in this recipe is a store-bought mix of spices used to season chili. It is not straight chile powder, or pure ground chile peppers, which can be extremely spicy. The brand of chili powder I use is completely mild, but other brands can sometimes carry some heat. If you are using a spicy chili powder, simply reduce or eliminate the cayenne powder from this recipe to compensate. The heat level of this recipe, using McCormick’s chili powder, is medium spicy, like a medium salsa.

Nutrition

How to Make Enchilada Sauce Step-By-Step Photos

Toast the flour: Start by adding 2 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp chili powder, and 2 Tbsp oil to a pot. I use McCormick’s chili powder, which is not spicy, just flavorful, so don’t be frightened by the large quantity in the recipe. All of the heat comes from the cayenne pepper.

Whisk these ingredients together and allow them to come up to a bubble over medium heat, whisking the whole time. Whisk and cook for one minute. This will toast the flour and chili powder, adding to the flavor depth and making sure that the flour doesn’t taste like paste.

Add the wet ingredients: After one minute, add 3oz. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and whisk in 2 cups water (or broth).

Simmered enchilada sauce in the sauce pot.

Simmer: Let the sauce come up to a simmer and it will begin to thicken. Taste the sauce and add salt to your liking. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon and add more if needed. The salt will really help bring out the flavors. If you’re using broth in place of water, you might not need to add any at all.

And now you’re good to go! Drizzle this thick and flavorful enchilada sauce over all of your favorite foods and enjoy!

side view of a jar of enchilada sauce with a spoon.

How to Use Enchilada Sauce

Of course, the main thing you can make with this sauce is enchiladas! (Chicken enchiladas are a favorite). But I’m here to tell you that’s not the only thing you can make. Here are some other great ways I like to use my red enchilada sauce:

as a simmer sauce for meat (in a slow cooker or skillet)
as a rich sauce to smother burritos
combined with eggs and fried tortillas for Migas
combined with sour cream to make a creamy and spicy dip
as a replacement for taco sauce
a soup base (chicken enchilada soup or 30 minute posole)
to sauce up casseroles like Mexican lasagna, enchilada casserole, or taco stuffed shells

How to Store

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or portion out and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge (or, if you forget to set it out, run the freezer bag/container under hot water until it thaws!) Use it as directed in your chosen recipe.