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Made with only five ingredients, these Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts are your newest veggie obsession! The extra crispy bites come together with just a few simple steps: boil, smash, and bake until crispy! With over 45 million views, this viral recipe has been devoured by thousands of home cooks.
Pairs well with a side of Lemon Pepper Tofu and Creamy Chickpea Soup, or toss them into this Crunchy Kale Salad.
save this recipe!Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that most people grow up not liking…and then they have one dish at a restaurant and their whole world changes.
This is because Brussels sprouts are all about how you cook them.
These crispy smashed Brussels sprouts require boiling first, which normally I would say “no way” to, but then we smash and bake them. This, combined with nutritional yeast, creates a cheesy and crispy taste that’s totally vegan!
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Key Ingredients
This is just an overview–jump to the recipe card for full measurements!
- The Sprouts: Fresh Brussels sprouts that have been cleaned and trimmed and good quality olive oil to crisp them in.
- The Seasoning: A combination of nutritional yeast (which adds an umami/cheesy flavor) salt, and pepper.
“Nooch” 101
Nutritional yeast (sometimes called “nooch”) is a deactivated yeast with a cheesy, nutty flavor, making it a popular seasoning in vegan and vegetarian cooking. It’s sold as flakes, usually in a bag near the flour.
What’s that sauce?
The green sauce I served the smashed Brussels sprouts with is pesto mayo! Just mix 1 part pesto and 1 part mayo. Happy eating!
Extra Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts (Viral Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs small Brussels sprouts, cleaned and trimmed*, 900 g
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 15 g
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Oil, spray or drizzle
Instructions
- Boil: Bring a large pot of water (½ full) to a boil. Add 2 lbs small Brussels sprouts and cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes.When finished, run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well then pat as dry as possible.Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Smash: Transfer sprouts to a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet and spread them out. Use a cup to gently but firmly smash each Brussels sprout to flatten.
- Dry: Using a few paper towels, pat dry the Brussels sprouts.
- Flavor: Spray or brush each flattened sprout with oil. In a small bowl combine ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Sprinkle mixture over the Brussels sprouts.
- Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. If not crispy and browned at 30 minutes, switch your oven setting to "broil" and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, watching very closely the whole time, until they're golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Can I use Parmigiana or Pecorino cheese in place of the Nutritional Yeast??
Yes! Both work well 🙂
Yes I did make this. Terrible recipe. The brussels were not close to crispy & tossed the whole mess in the trash.
That, my friend, is a “YOU” problem. Everyone else got crispy brussels sprouts.
Tried it tonight. Everything went well and everyone liked the dish, but there was a small problem: The sprouts just never got crispy, even after a couple minutes under the broiler. I followed the recipeeWhat’s the secret to achieving the “crispy” texture??
Followed to the letter, absolute fail. Super disappointing.
I look forward to making this recipe! Since I don’t cook with salt or pepper, what can I add to the nutritional yeast?
You could just omit those or add a different seasoning that you like. Italian seasoning would be great here!
I used Parmesan cheeses instead of nutritional yeast. If you do this I recommend cutting back on the salt and add a dash of garlic powder instead. I also air fried them, 400* for about 5 minutes, flip for another few. They were a little crispy. The basil aioli is a must!
Can these be made ahead of time? If so , how far ahead
They cna be boiled and smashed ahead of time! Store them on the baking sheet, covered. Then bake right before serving 🙂
Hello. Will you please tell me how much is “One Serving?”
Thank you
A serving of this recipe is just 1/4 of the entire batch. Happy eating!
This crispy smashed brussel sprout dish was super delicious and easy to make! Especially with the pesto mayo sauce. A great way to get more veggies in. Thank you, Sarah!
I’m so thrilled to hear it, Heidi! Happy eating!
Here is the biggest complaint I have with this recipe. I followed along as I read it. As soon as I popped it in the oven, I saw your notes, which were posted after the recipe directions. So mine had the ends still left on, and so were pretty chewy. I never have needed to trim them when roasting, so it didn’t occur to me. I may not bother to make them again because I really smelled the cheesy hint from the yeast, but it did not tramslate into the flavor of these. They look great and would have had a good texture (had I removed a little of the ends). Just pretty bland with the ingredients as stated. Maybe a good delivery vehicle for the pesto (or in my case, Ranch Dressing). But on their own, meh.
My suggestion is you put that note up at the top instead of after all the preperation directions. Maybe you think it should be a given, to trim them, and I will if I try this again with some modification of ingredients.