Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes is the side dish that’ll plate perfectly next to all of your favorite fall entrees! The brussels always turn out nice and tender and compliment the sweet potatoes perfectly. All tossed together with sweet maple syrup, this is a veggie packed autumnal staple you don’t want to miss out on!
Craving even more brussels sprouts? We can’t blame you! They’re a nutrient dense veggie that can be made delicious in so many various ways so they really pair well with a long list of entrees. Get your fix with easy recipes like Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Maple Bourbon Brussels Sprouts, and Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts!
Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Maple syrup is our not so secret ingredient to making this veggie side dish downright delicious! It compliments the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes beautifully and really makes the brussels sprouts so flavorful.
There’s also a good amount of garlic in the mix to contribute to the overall intoxicating aroma of these oven roasted vegetables! You’ll love that this simple side dish is both perfect for fall and full of nutritional value.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Brussels sprouts: We use about 2 pounds of fresh brussels sprouts in this recipe.
- Sweet potatoes: You’ll need 1 1/2 pounds or 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes. Make sure you grab sweet potatoes and not yams!
- Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup is the way to go. We’re just using enough to enhance the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, not make this dish sickenly sweet. Pancake syrup isn’t going to work here.
- Avocado oil: We love the light flavor of avocado oil and it’s high smoke point. Feel free to swap it out with another neutral tasting oil.
- Garlic: Only 3 to 4 thinly sliced or minced small cloves are needed. Feel free to omit this ingredient if you aren’t a fan of garlic.
- Salt and pepper: We use kosher salt and ground black pepper. Just a touch to help enhance the other flavors in the dish.
- Pecans: These add a nice texture and some crunch to the roasted vegetables. Swap pecans out with walnuts or almonds if desired.
How to Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, oil, maple syrup, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. If the brussels sprouts start to get too brown, cover the tray with aluminum foil until the potatoes are tender. To get the veggies really soft and caramelized, you’ll want to add more cook time.
- Remove the tray from the oven and add the pecans. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes to toast the pecans. Watch closely so the pecans don’t burn!
- Toss to combine, and serve warm.
Tips and Variations:
- If your brussels sprouts are really big, you might want to quarter them instead of halving them. That way they cook all the way through and yield tender results.
- Speaking of cooking through, try to make sure that the sweet potatoes and brussels are all uniform in size! If they’re all various sizes, they won’t cook evenly.
- Choose a good quality maple syrup for this recipe. Think pure maple syrup, not the thick stuff you usually put on pancakes! That usually contains corn syrup and extra additives which can easily burn in a hot oven. Pure maple syrup goes through an intense boiling process during production, so it can hold up better to high temperatures without burning.
- Small garlic cloves are the way to go for this recipe. Feel free to adjust the amount to your tastes.
- We didn’t peel the sweet potatoes, but it only takes a couple of minutes to do so. If you’d rather not eat the skins, simply remove them prior to dicing the potatoes.
Storage and Reheating
Storage: Keep in mind that this veggie side dish is best enjoyed immediately! With that being said, it can be kept in the fridge if you have any leftovers. In an airtight container in the fridge, your leftovers will stay fresh for about 2-3 days.
Reheating: Reheat your leftovers in a toaster oven or regular oven until warmed through. Avoid the microwave, it’ll zap the life right out of these roasted veggies!
How do you prepare the brussels sprouts?
Make sure to wash and thoroughly dry the brussels sprouts. If they’re wet or holding onto moisture, they’ll steam into of roast.
Once the brussels sprouts dry, trim in ends and discard any loose leaves. Cut large brussels sprouts in half or quarters. Small brussels sprouts may be cut in half or left whole depending on the size.
Should you peel the sweet potatoes?
We’ve prepared the potatoes both ways, peeled and unpeeled. It really depends on who’s eating the dish.
The skins on the sweet potatoes is a great source of fiber. On the other hand, it can be tough and unappealing to people not used to eating potato skins if you leave them on. The dish is great either way, so it’s ultimately up to you and your guests.
What’s the difference between sweet potatoes and yams?
Make sure you purchase sweet potatoes and not yams. Sometimes they are kept near each other in the supermarket no differentiation is made. Grabbing yams instead of sweet potatoes will yield a totally different out in this dish, so here are some things to keep in mind:
- Sweet potatoes have a thin, orange thin with orange, white, or purple flesh. Yams have a dark, brown skin that’s rough in texture, and their flesh is light in color.
- Sweet potatoes are usually rounded and have pointed ends. Yams are cylindrical in shape with roots.
- Sweet potatoes are sweet in flavor and moist in texture, but yams and dry and starchy.
Should you boil the vegetables before roasting?
Nope! Even if you boil the vegetables for just a minute or two, I’ve found that the moisture boiling adds actually inhibits them from roasting properly. These veggies do a great job of roasting on their own without needing to boil them ahead of time.
More Veggie Packed Side Dish Recipes:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brussels sprouts halved lengthwise
- 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes diced (about 2 medium potatoes)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 3-4 small garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
- ½ cup pecans halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, maple syrup, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.2 pounds brussels sprouts1.5 pounds sweet potatoes3 tablespoons pure maple syrup2 tablespoons avocado oil3-4 small garlic cloves1 teaspoon kosher salt⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. If the brussels sprouts start to get too brown, cover the tray with aluminum foil until the potatoes are tender.
- Remove the tray from the oven and add the pecans. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes to toast the pecans.½ cup pecans
- Toss to combine, and serve warm. See post for tips and storage options.