How To Make Frozen Brussels Sprouts Taste as Good as Fresh Ones

Brussels sprouts, once the butt of many vegetable-hater jokes, are now warmly accepted as default veggie sides. Have we hit peak Brussels sprouts yet? I love them and hope we never do. 

One drawback is how unexpectedly long they take to prep. I like to trim the tough, dried-out bottoms of stem ends and remove any wilted or yellowed outer leaves. Very fresh Brussels sprouts don’t always need as much hands-on time, but sometimes I buy a pound or two assuming I’ll make them that night, only to have life derail those plans for days, during which they become tired and require far more trimming.

My resourceful boyfriend, whose lifestyle doesn’t jive with perishables, came up with a way to roast frozen Brussels sprouts so they get browned and even a little crispy. With this method, you go from turning on the oven to sprouts on the table in under half an hour. The resulting sprouts are tender inside and hard to overcook, plus—best of all—cut down significantly on prep. And it only works with frozen ones.

The Secret To Making the Best Frozen Brussels Sprouts

The way most people like Brussels sprouts these days is roasted. The hitch is that still-frozen vegetables won’t get brown in the oven. You don’t have to sacrifice taste for convenience, luckily, if you microwave them first.

This pre-cooking speeds things along, almost halving the time they need in the oven. My boyfriend, who has an empty fridge and an abundantly stocked freezer, uses this technique for lots of frozen foods, but it works wonders here.

The other trick is to give the microwaved sprouts a few minutes out of the bag to let off their steam. It passively dries them off, boosting their browning ability. 

These Brussels sprouts aren’t as toothy as roasted sprouts that started with fresh vegetables, but in this case I think it’s an asset. Sometimes my roasted sprouts get seared on the outside before the inner cores get a chance to lose their raw cabbage taste. Starting with frozen sprouts results in softer centers, but it’s just as appealing in its own way. Honestly, the swiftness of the whole enterprise makes them taste even better.  

How To Roast Frozen Brussels Sprouts

First, preheat the oven to 450°F (my boyfriend does 425°F, but I like to get the oven good and hot with a jump-start). Position the rack in the top third of the oven.

To serve two to four, microwave a 10 to 12-ounce microwaveable bag of Brussels sprouts directly in the bag as directed on the package. Use the shorter cooking time if a range is offered (e.g. if the directions say “microwave for four to six minutes”, go for four minutes).

Once the microwave beeps, carefully cut the bag open, being mindful of steam, and empty the sprouts into a large bowl. Let them sit for about two minutes to allow the steam to evaporate off. Then toss them with about a tablespoon of olive oil and season them well with salt and black pepper. 

Scatter the Brussels sprouts directly on the surface of a metal baking sheet or cast iron skillet and bake until they are browned to your liking, about 20 minutes, flipping them over or shaking the pan halfway through. To our minds, the more deeply browned they get, the better they taste.

Two More Way To Roast the Brussels Sprouts

Use the Air Fryer: I usually make mine in the air fryer. The only difference is I cook them at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket after about six minutes.  

Smash the Sprouts: Remember smashed potatoes, the golden, oil-slicked roasted new potatoes that you smashed down on the baking sheet so they got flat and gained a ton of surface area for extra crispiness? You can easily do that with these Brussels sprouts, whereas it won’t work at all if you’re roasting fresh ones.

Before popping the Brussels sprouts into the oven, take an offset metal spatula or the bottom of a drinking glass and press down on the top of each sprout to flatten them a bit. Flip halfway through roasting.

Ways To Dress Up Your Sprouts

When my boyfriend makes these, he usually tosses them with a hearty dose of za’atar before they go into the oven. Sometimes he adds about a tablespoon of mustard (any variety works). Other flavor additions include grated parmesan, Cajun seasoning, or lemon pepper seasoning. You could also toss the finished sprouts with a little lemon zest and lemon juice.

On particularly casual nights, we serve these with tater tots and sliced sausages, eating everything with our hands. Try dipping the Brussels sprouts in aioli, spicy mayonnaise, or spicy brown mustard thinned out with a little water. 

Honestly, I often eat about six of the sprouts directly from the pan before they make it to the table. This makes it wise to fix a double batch, in which case you can microwave two bags at once, but increase the time in the microwave by two minutes.