The Christmas countdown is ticking away, and soon we’ll all be gathered around the table, eager to dig into the much-anticipated festive feast. Turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce are all key elements of a traditional Christmas dinner, and naturally, some delicious veg can truly level up your plate.
However, there’s one specific vegetable that stirs up debate every year. Brussels sprouts are a bit like Marmite — they’re either adored or hated, and for many years, my family and I were very much in the latter group. But that’s no longer the case, as I’ve discovered the ideal method to cook them, guaranteeing that everyone at the table will be reaching for seconds.
I made these parmesan smashed sprouts last year and have already been requested to make them again this Christmas. Of course I’ve been practising, and I think this year, they’re even better than before.
The idea is very similar to smashed potatoes, but with Brussels sprouts instead, using generous amounts of parmesan cheese, oil and seasonings to make them crispy and tasty.
They’re the perfect Christmas day side dish, and if they can convert my sprout-hating younger brother then they can convert anyone.
One recipe was shared by Don’t Go Bacon My Heart in a blog post, which I loosely followed but added a few tweaks along the way. Here’s how you can whip them up.
Method
The first time I made these, I had never actually prepared sprouts before, so I was clueless about the need for prepping them until I started boiling them and soon found myself with a pot full of leaves. So, out they came, and once the roots and loose leaves were removed, they were put back on to boil in some salted water.
You don’t want to overboil them or they’ll turn too mushy, so roughly 10 minutes should suffice. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 200C.
Drain the sprouts, then pop a towel over the colander and leave them to steam dry for around five minutes.
Next, grab one or two baking sheets, and line them with greaseproof paper. Pour on a drizzle of olive oil then add your salt, pepper, garlic and Italian herbs, and make sure the sprouts are all coated.
Now comes the satisfying part. Take a glass or a jar and smash each sprout right down. The thinner they are, the crispier they will be — just make sure they’re evenly spaced out so they cook better.
Top with a generous helping of parmesan or grada padano and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. When they’re done, top with more cheese and tuck in.
If you’re on sprouts duty this Christmas, I’d really recommend making these. They’re bound to be a massive hit with everyone around the table — even the most hardened sprout sceptics.
