Introducing… the delightful winter side dish or vegetarian main course that you never realized you required! You’ll appreciate how effortlessly it comes together using just one pot on the stove and one pan in the oven.
This vibrant green and red dish showcases roasted Brussels sprouts cooked to crisp-tender excellence with fresh cranberries, which turn wonderfully sweet as they roast in the same pan with the sprouts. Incorporate chopped pecans towards the end of baking to toast them.
Once your ingredients are ready, mix them in a bowl over a prepared wild rice blend. Complete the dish with crumbled goat cheese, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. The tastes evoke memories of my beloved Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Pecans, but this can easily stand alone as a meal. It’s a definite success.
I modified this recipe from a now-removed recipe named Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries with Barley (here’s a PDF). The previous recipe called for the broiler, and I’m reluctant to suggest using broilers as they get extremely hot and can vary significantly from oven to oven.
For instance, my earlier instructions for the broiler didn’t yield nearly as well in our new oven, so I updated the recipe to use my preferred roasting temperature of 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
I also substituted the barley base for a more flavorful and easily accessible wild rice blend. Finally, after tasting combinations with gorgonzola, which is a mild blue cheese, goat cheese and feta, I concluded that goat cheese is my top choice, followed by feta.
The finished dish is unforgettable and nearly magical. If you’re in search of a healthy, tasty meal to serve during the holidays, this is an excellent option.
Additional Brussels Sprout Recipes to Try
Here are some more of my favorite Brussels sprout recipes to explore:
I’d love to hear how your recipe turns out in the comments. I enjoy receiving your feedback.
Roasted Cranberries and Brussels Sprouts over Wild Rice
Crispy, roasted Brussels sprouts meet burst fresh cranberries, toasted pecans, and creamy goat cheese over a tender wild rice mixture. This delightful winter dish would also serve beautifully as a side dish or vegetarian main course for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Recipe yields 4 moderate servings.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the wild rice following the package instructions. Once finished, keep the pot covered to maintain warmth.
- On the lined baking sheet, mix the Brussels sprouts, cranberries, oil, and salt. Gently toss until everything is evenly coated with oil. Spread the mixture evenly across the baking sheet, ensuring all the sprouts have their flat sides down. Roast until the Brussels are tender and richly caramelized on the bottoms, about 18 to 25 minutes depending on their size.
- When they are almost finished (approximately 3 to 5 minutes remaining), incorporate the pecans to the pan and put them back in the oven (this is an easy method to toast the pecans).
- In a bowl, mix the warm cooked rice, sprouts, cranberries, cheese, and pecans, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Season with salt (