These Calabrian chili Brussels sprouts with honey and pecans are roasted until charred and tossed in a sweet and spicy vinaigrette. Chewy dates and nutty parmesan finish this easy side dish. Every bite is sweet, tangy, and crunchy!
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What makes this dish special
Lately, I've been obsessed with one salad. It slightly varies from week to week depending on what I have in the refrigerator, but the key ingredients always stay the same: the roasted sprouts, the vinaigrette, the dates, and the parmesan. Those four are the reason I keep making it.
So I started to wonder, why keep my favorite part of the salad hidden in a salad? I pulled those four out, kept the sprouts in halves so they get those deeply caramelized cut sides, added spiced pecans for crunch, and turned it into a side dish that can stand on its own. As a private chef, I've made this for several different clients, and people always rave about it.
These Calabrian chili Brussels sprouts work with almost any meal, from a simple weeknight roast chicken to a full holiday spread with turkey and all the trimmings. Not bad for a vegetable that most of us were begging to skip as kids, right?
Recipe
Calabrian Chili Brussels Sprouts with Honey and Pecans
Ingredients
Brussels sprouts
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts halved and trimmed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- salt and pepper
Spiced pecans
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup toasted pecans
Calabrian chile vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chopped calabrian chiles
Remaining ingredients
- ¼ cup chopped pitted dates
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prepare Brussels sprouts. Toss halved sprouts with olive oil, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. Lay the cut side down on a baking sheet in one even layer. Roast sprouts for 20-25 minutes or until lightly charred and softened, rotating the sheet halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make spiced pecans. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine brown sugar, water, salt, cinnamon, paprika, and cayenne in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add pecans, stirring to combine. Continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and lay pecans on prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Roughly chop spiced pecans.
- Make vinaigrette. Add olive oil, vinegar, honey, and Calabrian chile to a jar. Close the lid and shake the vinaigrette until well combined. Set aside.
- Remove Brussels sprouts from the oven and drizzle with vinaigrette, tossing to coat. Transfer sprouts to a serving platter and top with spiced pecans, chopped dates, and grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare Brussels sprouts
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. While it heats up, trim the ends off the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise.
Pull off any loose or yellowed outer leaves as you go.
Toss the halved sprouts with olive oil, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper until every piece is lightly coated. Then, lay the sprouts cut side down on a baking sheet in one even layer. That flat side against the hot pan is where all the caramelization happens.
Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. They're ready when the cut sides are deeply browned, the edges are lightly charred, and a knife slides into the center easily.
Don't worry about a few dark, crispy outer leaves. Those crispy bits are actually my favorite part because they carry a lot of flavor!
Step 2: Make pecans
While the sprouts roast, make the spiced pecans. If you've made my cheesy roasted Brussels sprouts with maple bacon, these will look familiar.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper before you start. Once the pecans are coated, you'll want somewhere ready to put them.
Combine the brown sugar, water, salt, and cayenne in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer and let it bubble for about 1 minute so the sugar fully dissolves. Then add the toasted pecans and stir until they're coated in the syrup.
Keep cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often and keeping an eye on the pan. The sugar can go from caramelized to burnt very quickly.
Spread the pecans out on the parchment in a single layer and let them cool completely. They'll feel a little sticky at first, but they firm up and turn crunchy as they cool. Once they're cool, give them a rough chop.
Step 3: Putting it all together
Now for the vinaigrette. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and chopped Calabrian chilies to a jar. Close the lid tightly and shake until everything comes together. The honey likes to sink to the bottom, so keep shaking until it's fully mixed in. If you like more heat, add a little more chopped chili.
Recipe tip
Calabrian chilies are from Italy and taste fruity, a little smoky, and moderately spicy. You can find them whole, crushed, or as a paste packed in oil. I used chopped chilies, but any of these work here. If you buy whole chilies, chop them before you measure.
When the sprouts come out of the oven, drizzle the vinaigrette over them while they're still hot and toss to coat. Warm sprouts soak up the dressing better than cold ones, so don't let them sit too long.
Transfer the sprouts to a serving platter. Then, scatter the spiced pecans, chopped dates, and grated parmesan over the top. Serve right away, while the sprouts are warm and the pecans are still crunchy.
I already knew these Calabrian chili Brussels sprouts with honey and pecans were going to be a winner, but I was still impressed with how good this was. The Calabrian chili vinaigrette is the heart of this dish. It's sweet from the honey, tangy from the red wine vinegar, and warm with a slow, fruity heat from the chilies. Meanwhile, the sprouts are tender inside with crispy, caramelized edges, and the dates, parmesan, and pecans add the perfect finishing touch. Now that is a show-stopping side dish!
For more holiday dishes, check out this complete list of make-ahead holiday appetizers!
Make-ahead and storage tips
- Make-ahead: You can make the vinaigrette and spiced pecans up to 3 days in advance. Store the pecans at room temperature in an airtight container. You can also buy pretrimmed Brussels sprouts to save time.
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pecans soften once they sit in the dressing. If you expect leftovers, keep some pecans on the side and add them when serving.
More Brussels sprouts recipes
Looking for more dishes featuring Brussels sprouts? Try these:
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All images shot and styled by Christine Ma. Available for food photography, styling, and recipe development.
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