Lemon Maple Brussels Sprouts

These lemon maple Brussels sprouts will make a Brussels sprout lover out of just about anybody. Bright, sweet and tangy, they come together in one pan in less than 20 minutes.

Are Brussels sprouts still popular on restaurant menus in your neck of the woods?

Here in Detroit, (mostly fried) Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze had a boom of OMG ON EVERY RESTAURANT MENU EVER about ten years ago, and then the trend waned for awhile, but now it seems to be back.

There’s Brussels sprouts pizzas. There’s shaved Brussels sprouts salads. There’s fried Brussels as an appetizer, there’s lemon Brussels sprouts as a side dish. Honestly, there’s Brussels everywhere you look.

Maybe it wasn’t a trend at all, and Brussels sprouts on restaurant menus are here to stay forever. Oddly, roasted radicchio also seems to be gaining popularity around here (which I love with a grilled flat iron steak). Blistered shishito peppers and dipping sauce seem to be on a ton of menus, too.

I’ll still occasionally order some sprouts when I’m out at a restaurant, but for the most part I’ve transitioned back to making them at home (usually as a side dish to buttermilk grilled chicken or pesto salmon).

This lemon maple Brussels sprouts recipe is my go-to way to prepare this vegetable.

Why I love these maple Brussels sprouts:

While fried Brussels sprouts (and anything fried, to be honest) are absolutely delicious, they are 1.) absolutely not healthy and 2.) absolutely a total mess to make at home, with oil splattering everywhere.

I certainly don’t have a countertop deep fryer, and I’ll take a hard pass on cleaning my stove after deep frying something on top of it.

And honestly, what’s the point of a vegetable side dish if it’s going to be covered in oil and copious amounts of salt?

So my husband and I much prefer to either make air fryer Brussels sprouts or, more often than not, simply roast our Brussels sprouts.

While we often enjoy them with just salt and pepper, or just roasted Brussels sprouts with lemon or citrus dressing, our daughter likes them with a bit more flavor.

So, this simple glaze made with fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard and pure maple syrup is perfect for quick and easy maple roasted Brussels sprouts.

We love these lemon maple Brussels sprouts because they’re a little bit sweet and a little bit tangy, while the flavor of the sprouts themselves still comes through. The Dijon gives the dressing a nice kick, just like it does for the dressing for my Easter salad and egg salad with pickles, too.

This light side dish pairs really well with something rich like slow cooker beef stroganoff or rigatoni bolognese.

Make this recipe in a cast iron skillet or on a sheet pan.

I really enjoy roasting Brussels sprouts to the point were they are almost but not quite burnt (which kind of mimics that fried Brussels sprouts taste).

That’s a judgement call, and for the maple Brussels sprouts photos in this post, I’ve roasted them just until golden brown.

You should make these maple glazed Brussels sprouts however you enjoy them best.

But if you want to over-roast these maple syrup Brussels sprouts a little bit like I do, a cast iron skillet will help you achieve those crispy browned bits.

If you’re new to cast iron cooking, be sure to brush up on how to clean and care for cast iron cookware.

A classic rimmed baking pan is also perfect for making maple roasted Brussels sprouts (and almond crusted chicken).

How to make this recipe your own:

• maple Brussels sprouts with bacon – make a quick batch of oven bacon, and then crumble it over the sprouts at the end. I especially like this served with orange glazed chicken.
• spicy maple syrup Brussels sprouts – add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a squirt of sriracha or Tabasco sauce to the glaze mixture.
• maple glazed Brussels sprouts with pecans – finish the dish with a sprinkle of chopped pecans (walnuts work too!)
• grainy mustard maple syrup glazed Brussels sprouts – use whole grain Dijon mustard instead of traditional Dijon for an extra pop of mustard seeds in this dish. I love these with Instant Pot short ribs and honey mustard pork chops.

Main dishes to serve with maple glazed Brussels sprouts:

Just like my honey roasted carrots, balsamic roasted carrots and balsamic green beans, I’d eat these maple syrup Brussels sprouts alongside just about ANY main dish. Some of my favorites are chicken sloppy joes, Greek chicken meatballs, and lemon herb baked sockeye salmon.

I’d also serve these sprouts at Thanksgiving dinner, alongside my roasted turkey with maple bourbon glaze or Cajun turkey, and Thanksgiving salad and Thanksgiving rice. And don’t forget the chorizo stuffing

For a vegetarian dinner, I like to do savory oatmeal for dinner or Greek yogurt pasta (I’ll throw the maple roasted Brussels sprouts right on top of the pasta and mix it all up). I also like these Brussels sprouts alongside a vegan lentil curry.

And if you’re looking to end your meal with something sweet, zest the lemon before juicing it and make lemon creme brulee.

Note: This recipe was originally published in 2015. The post was updated in 2021 to simplify the recipe, and the photos were reshot. The original photos appear below.