Sweet, savory, and beautifully caramelized, these Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes are everything I love about fall in one bowl! They’re tossed in a warm honey cinnamon glaze and finished with crunchy pecans, pomegranate seeds, and feta.
This colorful side takes just 10 minutes and the rest is oven time. It also keeps well for days, making it perfect for meal prep or a wonderful make-ahead holiday side dish.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 40 minutes
- Method: Oven roasted
- Main Ingredients: Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, honey, cinnamon
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, savory, warmly spiced, caramelized
- Ideal for: Thanksgiving sides, fall side dishes, make ahead, meal prep
Jump to:
- Quick Look at the Recipe
- Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes Make the Best Side Dish
- The Secret to Golden Brown Brussels Sprouts
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Make This Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes Recipe
- Tips for Success
- Make Ahead Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- More Brussels Sprouts Recipes
- Thanksgiving Menu Inspiration
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
The Secret to Golden Brown Brussels Sprouts
In all the batches of Brussels sprouts I’ve roasted over the years, my biggest struggle was getting the flat sides golden by the time they turned tender. This year I tried a new method that works really well, and it’s super simple: preheat your sheet pan!
When the Brussels sprouts hit a hot pan, the flat sides start cooking and browning right away, like they would in a skillet. Instead of steaming, they develop a deep golden color similar to my Sautéed Brussels Sprouts. The sweet potatoes get a head start on browning too, so I heat both pans. Give it a try!
Ingredient Notes
- For the honey cinnamon glaze: Honey, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon. The splash of vinegar balances the sweetness, while cinnamon gives this Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes recipe that warm, sweetly spiced flavor.
- Brussels sprouts: Look for firm, bright green sprouts that are similar in size so they roast evenly. Trim the ends, peel off any loose outer leaves, and cut them in half.
- Sweet potatoes: Peel and cut into 1-inch cubes. Keeping the pieces uniform helps them all turn tender at the same time.
- Garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. The smoked paprika goes on the sweet potatoes only and adds a lovely savory, smoky contrast to their natural sweetness.
- Chopped pecans, pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta. Our toppings! Together they add crunch, fresh pops of tartness, and a salty, creamy finish. Plus, they make these sheet pan Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes look so festive!
As always, ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
Customizations and Add-ins
- Nuts: Try walnuts or candied pecans, or pepitas for a nut-free option.
- Cheese: Swap the feta for goat cheese or shaved Parmesan.
- Fruit: Use dried cranberries, raisins, or dried apricots.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup makes a deeper, more fall-inspired glaze.
- Make it heartier: Top with crumbled crispy bacon or add grains like farro.
- Other roasted veggies: Butternut squash, onions, parsnips.
How to Make This Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes Recipe
- Preheat and roast sweet potatoes. Preheat the oven and both sheet pans at 430°F. Carefully pull out one hot pan and add the cubed sweet potatoes. Toss with olive oil, half the garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Roast the Brussels sprouts. Add the sprouts to the second hot sheet pan, and toss generously with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Arrange them flat side down. Roast for 15 minutes. Tip: Let them roast undisturbed. Take a quick peek underneath, and if they look golden, they are ready to flip.
- Make the honey cinnamon glaze. Meanwhile, whisk together the honey, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon.
- Glaze the sweet potatoes. Drizzle half of the glaze over the sweet potatoes, then toss to coat. Return to the oven for another 5-8 minutes or until caramelized.
- Glaze the sprouts. Toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with the rest of the glaze, and finish roasting for another 5-8 minutes, until tender and golden. Tip: Keep an eye on them, since the honey can go from caramelized to burnt quickly.
- Add toppings: Let cool for a few minutes. In a bowl, serve with the chopped pecans, pomegranate seeds, and crumbled feta. Serve your roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potato salad lightly warm or chilled.
Tips for Success
- Don’t use parchment paper or foil. It creates a barrier between the hot metal and the veggies, so you may lose that golden sear. Oil the veggies well instead to prevent sticking.
- Thoroughly pat dry the veggies to prevent steaming. We want them to roast.
- Don’t overcrowd the pans. Give everything a little space in a single layer. This is why we use two sheet pans, one for each veggie.
- Quarter any extra-large sprouts, so they all cook at the same pace.
- Go easy on the cinnamon. I only use ⅛ of a teaspoon or a little less. Start there, taste the glaze, and add a pinch more if you’d like.
- Add the toppings right before serving.
Make Ahead Tips
Prep ahead: Trim and halve the Brussels sprouts and cube the sweet potatoes up to 2 days in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge. You can also whisk the glaze ahead and gently rewarm it before using.
Make ahead: Roast and glaze both veggies up to 2 days ahead, then refrigerate. Hold off on the pecans, pomegranate seeds, and feta until you’re ready to serve.
Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Spread it out on a sheet pan and reheat at 400°F for 6-8 minutes, until warmed through. The air fryer works great too! The microwave works in a pinch, but they’ll lose some of their crispy edges.
Recipe FAQs
Roast them at about 430°F. The high heat gives the Brussels sprouts deeply golden flat sides and lets the sweet potatoes caramelize without drying out.
Preheat your sheet pans in the oven, pat the veggies completely dry, and spread them out in a single layer with plenty of space. Skip the parchment paper and foil too, since direct contact with the hot metal is what creates that crispy, golden sear.
Yes, if you’re making a smaller batch. Start the sweet potatoes first, then add the Brussels sprouts after 5 minutes, since they need a little less time.
No. I’d recommend using fresh here. If using frozen, they may not have that golden, crispy crust.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this side dish warm, at room temperature, or chilled. I like it somewhere in between so the toppings stay fresh and crunchy. Pair it with these fall-inspired mains:
Thanksgiving Menu Inspiration
Turkey: For the big day, try my Dry Brined Turkey. For a smaller crowd, my Brined Turkey Breast or Slow Cooker Turkey Breast are great options.
Ham: The honey cinnamon glaze pairs perfectly with salty ham, like my Slow Cooker Spiral Ham or Brown Sugar Glazed Ham.
More Thanksgiving sides: Complete the meal with warm Honey Butter Rolls, Brown Sugar Carrots, Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, and my Fresh Green Bean Casserole.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- 2 Extra large sheet pans that don't warp
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds sweet potatoes - peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, about 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1½ pounds Brussels sprouts - trimmed and halved from top to bottom
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder - divided
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup chopped pecans - plus more for garnish
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds - plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Honey Cinnamon Glaze:
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ scant teaspoon ground cinnamon - or to taste, "scant" means slightly less than a full teaspoon.
Instructions
- Preheat oven and sheet pans to 430°F. Place two large sheet pans in the oven while it preheats. Tip: Preheating the sheet pans will create a really nice golden brown color on the veggies.
- Season and roast sweet potatoes: Add the cubed sweet potatoes into the first preheated sheet pan. Toss with a few generous drizzles of olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- Season and roast Brussels sprouts: Add the cubed sweet potatoes into the second preheated sheet pan. Toss with the remaining ½ tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper generously. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Make the glaze: Meanwhile, whisk together the honey, melted butter, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon. Note: Start with a small amount of cinnamon and adjust the glaze to taste. I used just a little less 1/8 teaspoon.
- Glaze and finish roasting: Once roasted, drizzle the glaze over both vegetables right on the sheet pans (use half of the glaze for the sweet potatoes and the other half on the Brussels sprouts). Toss to coat. Return to the oven and finish roasting for another 5-8 minutes, until tender and caramelized.
- Combine: Let the veggies cool down for a few minutes. Then, in a large serving bowl, combine both vegetables, and toss with chopped pecans and pomegranate seeds.
- Garnish and serve: Top with crumbled feta, more pomegranate seeds, and chopped pecans. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
- Why preheat the sheet pans: A hot pan gives the roasted process a head start, resulting more a better golden crust and caramelization.
- Use sheet pans that don’t warp in high heat. See “Equipment” above for recommendations.
- Do not use parchment paper or foil, as direct contact with the hot metal pan creates the best crust.
- Don’t overcrowd the pans, otherwise they will steam instead of roast.
- Roast sprouts flat-side down: Place Brussels sprouts flat-side down and resist the urge to flip them early. I actually don’t even flip them until the glazing step.
- Watch the glaze: Monitor closely during the final 5 to 8 minutes after adding the honey glaze, as it can burn quickly.
- Time the toppings: Add the feta, pecans, and pomegranate seeds right before serving.
- Prep ahead: Prep raw veggies and glaze, or fully roast the dish up to 2 days in advance. Add toppings just before serving.
- Make ahead and storage: Roast and let cool 1 day ahead. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat (or serve chilled) and add the toppings.
- Nuts: Swap pecans for walnuts, candied pecans, or use pepitas for a nut-free option.
- Cheese: Substitute feta with goat cheese or shaved Parmesan.
- Fruit: Replace pomegranate seeds with dried cranberries, raisins, or apricots.
- Use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Mix-ins: Add crispy bacon, butternut squash, parsnips.
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