Description
You’ll love these Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts, peeps! This here is an easy, flavor-filled side dish that screams comfort and deliciousness. Brussels sprouts are roasted in a perfect blend of spices and flavors like rich maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and dijon mustard…then tossed with hearty chunks of succulent pork belly!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh brussels sprouts- rinsed, dried, & halved
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, good-quality
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, smooth or whole grain
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Creole Cajun Seasoning– homemade or store-bought, (or seasoned salt)
- 1/2 lb fresh pork belly, cut into chunks
For serving & garnishing– optional:
- pomegranate arils and/or freshly shaved parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a large baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or foil. Then place the halved brussels sprouts on top of the sheet, set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and Creole Cajun seasoning. Stir the mixture well to thoroughly combine. Then pour *half* of the mixture (set remaining mixture aside) over the brussels sprouts and use your hands (fitted with disposable gloves, if desired) to carefully toss the sprouts with the syrupy mixture. Do this gently (to avoid tearing apart the brussels sprouts) a few times until the sprouts are nicely coated on all sides in the maple mixture- then make sure they’re laid out in an even layer on the sheet.
- Place in the oven to roast the brussels sprouts for 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pork belly. Place the pork belly chunks directly into a large skillet over medium heat. No need to add oil as the pork belly will render its own fat during the cooking process. Once hot, cook pork belly, stirring every so often for even cooking, about 7-10 minutes or until the pieces are no longer pink. Use a slotted utensil to transfer the pork belly to a clean plate, set aside. Note: you can discard or save the rendered pork fat for future use!
- After the brussels sprouts first roast, carefully pull out the baking sheet. Add the cooked pork belly chunks directly onto the same baking sheet. Then drizzle the remaining maple mixture over everything and gently toss it all together until well combined.
- Place the baking sheet back into the oven to roast for 10 minutes- until the brussels sprouts and pork belly are golden and slightly crispy with the maple mixture clinging to everything.
- Place the maple roasted brussels sprouts with pork belly onto a serving vessel. Garnish the dish with pomegranate arils and freshly shaved parmesan, if desired. Serve warm, enjoy!
Notes
- Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.