Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Feta

These roasted brussels sprouts with feta should really be called baked feta brussels sprouts. The feta cheese bakes right into each brussels sprouts and creates the most delicious cheesy flavor. Then I drizzled some balsamic glaze over them and enjoyed them straight out of the pan. The balsamic glaze finishes it off with a touch of sweetness that balances the whole dish. You have to give this one a try.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Feta Cheese

I guess I am in my Brussels Sprouts Era because this Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Feta is the second brussels sprouts recipe I am posting in a row. Last week I posted this Parmesan Crusted Brussels Sprouts recipe and you all loved it so I knew I needed to expand on that.

It is such an easy side dish to make and can be enjoyed with anything from roasted chicken, pork chops, steak, and even pasta. In my recipe I used pre crumbled feta cheese but you can also use feta cheese that comes whole and crumble it yourself.

I like to finish a lot of brussels sprouts dishes with balsamic glaze because it adds just a touch of sweetness that balances the whole dish. Feta cheese is salty and the glaze goes so well with that.

How to make Brussels Sprouts less Bitter

Brussels sprouts are not the most common vegetable, due to their strong taste and their ability to make any household smell like brussels sprouts for days. There are a few ways to make the flavor less bitter and they all require balancing the flavor with other flavors. I try to balance flavors in most things I make, but if you are trying to convert a non-brussels sprouts eater to a brussel sprouts lover, you will have to try some version of this.

Brussels sprouts have bitterness, but when they are roasted with some oil, they also have this wonderful nutty flavor. You should always add a little salt when roasting them at all. A lot of people find just roasting them with some oil does the trick, but some people need a little more convincing.

One common blend of ingredients for brussels sprouts is to cook them with some bacon, bacon fat, and a little maple syrup. These sweet and salty topping really kick it up a notch. Be careful not to use too much oil or fat or else the brussels sprouts will go from crunchy to soggy. I like to add a touch of syrup at the end because syrup can burn easily and I like the way it tastes as a final topping.

This feta and balsamic glaze is a great vegetarian version of the above. Feta cheese adds the perfect salty component and balsamic glaze is just the right amount of sweet.

Some other flavors that work with brussels sprouts is lemon and parmesan. The lemon gives it a punch of sour and it helps to balance the bitterness.

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze

I feel as though a lot of people have had a real awakening when it comes to brussels sprouts. Many of us grew up not eating these mini cabbages either because either our parents didn’t know how to cook them or our parents didn’t like them. I forgot when I tried my first brussels sprout, but I think I was in college. And I hated it. It was boiled and it was so bitter. Fast forward to 2012, and I am pretty sure I tried a roasted brussels sprout at a restaurant. It was cooked in bacon fat and topped with bacon bits. I absolutely loved it.

I started to make brussels sprouts at home. I would prepare it the same way that I tried it in the restaurant. I would make some bacon, and then use the bacon grease to cook the sprouts. Then, I would top them with either maple syrup or a touch of balsamic glaze.

Once I developed a taste for them this way, it was able to make them without the bacon too. I realized that if you add oil, salt, pepper, and garlic and then roast them on a pan until crispy, they had the most delicious caramelized and nutty taste. I love the sweet addition to brussels sprouts because I think it compliments the flavor so perfectly.

How to make Brussels Sprouts with Feta and Balsamic Glaze

INGREDIENTS  

• 16 oz Brussels Sprouts
• 6 oz Feta Cheese crumbled
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze
• 1 tbsp Salted Butter
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil extra virgin
• 1/2 tsp Seasoning Salt The one I used has garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, onion, and oregano

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Trim your brussels sprouts by cutting off the bottom stem area. Then, cut each brussels sprout in half. Set aside.
• Preheat your oven to 400F
• Choose your baking dish. I used a ceramic cast iron baking dish because I knew this would not stick to it. If you are using a sheet pan, I would use parchment paper for easy clean up.
• Melt your butter and combine it with the olive oil. Using a basting brush (or a spoon), add about half of your butter mixture to your baking dish. I used a ceramic cast iron baking dish, but you can also use a sheet pan with parchment paper. Make sure it is equally distributed.
• Add an even coating of cheese over the butter mixture.
• Push down each brussels sprout half in on top of the cheese. You want to use a little force if there is a big chunk of feta. Get it all in there. You can line up the brussels sprouts at random, or you can create equal rows of brussels sprouts.
• Using a basting brush, add the rest of the butter mixture on top of the brussels sprouts. And then equally distribute your seasoning salt on top.
• Bake for 25 minutes and then remove from the oven and let rest (untouched) for 5-10 minutes.
• Drizzle the glaze on as soon as you remove them from the oven.