Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Smashed Brussels sprouts use the same cooking method as smashed potatoes, smashed sweet potatoes and even smashed beets. With this method, vegetables are first par-cooked, then smashed and roasted until crispy.

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, this recipe for smashed Brussels sprouts is the perfect side dish! Here are tips on how to make it:

The first step is to parboil the Brussels sprouts in lightly salted water until just tender, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Parboiling helps soften the Brussels sprouts enough to smash them. It's important to not overcook them during this step because they will continue to roast in the oven.

To make an ice bath, simply fill a large bowl with ice water. After parboiling the Brussels sprouts, drain and plunge them into the ice bath. Plunging the Brussels sprouts in an ice bath will stop the cooking process and preserves their color.

After the Brussels spouts are plunged into the ice bath, pat them dry on a clean dish towel. You want to dry off as much water as possible so that the Brussels sprouts crisp up in the oven.

Flatten the Brussels sprouts with the bottom of a mason jar or sturdy glass. Smashing them increases the surface area of each sprout, and that larger surface area is needed to develop a crispy exterior during roasting.

The final step is to roast the Brussels sprouts for about 15 minutes. They're sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese, everything bagel seasoning and lemon zest. Everything bagel seasoning is a blend of black and white sesame seeds, dried minced garlic and onion, sea salt flakes and poppy seeds. This seasoning, along with the Parmesan cheese, gives the Brussels sprouts a boost of flavor and a crunchy texture.

Additional reporting by Jan Valdez