I’m spicing things up for Thanksgiving this year by serving up my tasty vegan and gluten free sweet and spicy brussel sprouts side dish.
It’s no secret that I am ADDICTED to Brussel sprouts. Which is why I always get super excited this time of year when this humble veg is back in season so I can find new ways to stuff it into my mouth!
So you bet that this favourite veg or mine always makes an appearance at the Thanksgiving spread. One dish everyone around the table was raving about was my Sweet Chili Roasted Brussels Sprouts side dish. They couldn’t get enough of those Brussels. People were even bypassing the stuffing to get to these gooey sticky sprouts. You know you’ve done good, when guests are asking for MORE of the veg. Music to a dietitian’s ears.
So for all you Americans out there getting ready for Thanksgiving and for the rest of us thinking about Christmas or Hannukah, you’re gonna want to turn whip out this stellar dish at your upcoming holiday feast.
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
Sweet Chili Sauce – Is it just me or does a generous amount of sweet chili sauce make just about anything taste that much better? This stuff is KEY for bringing out the sweet and spicy flavour for these Brussel sprouts.
Sriracha – This will give the sprouts the extra little kick that it needs. If you’re not big on spice, feel free to hold back on the sriracha as the sweet chili sauce already has a bit of a kick to it.
Chex Cereal – To make this recipe gluten free, I use chex cereal instead of panko to make a crumbly topping for extra texture.
Cashews – I also toast up some cashews along with the chex “panko” to add some extra protein and healthy fats.
Limes – This will give the sweet & spicy Brussel sprouts a bit of tanginess that always feels just so right with an asian inspired dish like this. Feel free to add a few more squeezes of juice just before serving.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, lime juice, tamari, and garlic.
Step 2: On a large baking sheet, toss Brussels sprouts in sauce until fully coated. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven at 425F until slightly charred and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
Step 3: Pulse the cereal in a food processor until crushed to look like panko bread crumbs. Remove and set aside.
Step 4: Add in the cashews and pulse until they reach crumbs.
Step 5: Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat along with the crushed cereal and cashews. Toast until just golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 6: Top the crispy sweet and spicy Brussels sprouts with the “panko” nut topping and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
To make this sweet and spicy Brussel sprouts gluten free, I use tamari instead of soy sauce and make a gluten-free panko by toasting crumbled Chex cereal and cashews. If you don’t need to make this dish gluten-free, you can use soy sauce instead or use regular panko bread crumbs.
This recipe gets its sweet and spicy flavour from a combination of sweet chili sauce and sriracha. Feel free to play around with the ratios of these ingredients if you’d like this dish to taste a bit more spicy, and vice versa. You can also add in a bit of honey for some extra sweetness if you prefer.
Recipe FAQs
I’d suggest holding back on the sriracha and adding a few teaspoons of honey or maple syrup to up the sweetness.
If you don’t need to make this gluten free, you can use regular panko breadcrumbs. Feel free to also experiment with any other unsweetened cereal you have on hand like all bran or corn flakes.
These sweet and spicy brussel sprouts pair well with just about anything! But if you need a few ideas (besides the usual Turkey feast), you can pair it with this apple stuffed chicken, or this air fryer tofu if you want to keep things vegan friendly.
It depends on your kiddos tolerance to spice. I would suggest holding back on the sriracha, and adding a smaller quantity of the sweet chili sauce. If they don’t tolerate spice well at all, you can omit the sweet chili sauce completely and use honey instead.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes You Might Like
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Streusel Topping
Butternut Squash Risotto (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic, Grapes & Figs
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Now I want to know – what are you making for Thanksgiving this year? What is your go-to Thanksgiving side dish?
Sweet and Spicy Brussel Sprouts (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- Juice 1 lime
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 1 tsp reduced sodium tamari
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lb brussels halved
- Salt and pepper
Topping:
- 1/2 cup Chex cereal
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Fleur de sel
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, lime juice, tamari, and garlic.
- On a large baking sheet, toss Brussels sprouts in sauce until fully coated. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast until slightly charred and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pulse the cereal in a food processor until crushed to look like panko bread crumbs. Remove and set aside. Add in the cashews and pulse until they reach crumbs.
- Add the olive oil to a pan over medium heat along with the crushed cereal and cashews. Toast until just golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Top the crispy brussels sprouts with the “panko” nut topping and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Have you tried these sweet and spicy Brussel sprouts? Let me know down in the comments below!
Updated on December 1st, 2020
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Holly says
Hi sweetheart am wondering d ring how many carbs per serving since I have family members who are watching and diabetic. Thanks! Looks yummy!
Abbey Sharp says
Hi Holly, around 25grams of carbs per serving. This recipe serves around six people. Hope that helps
Debby Wicks says
Delish!! I made this for Thanksgiving 2018 and this recipe was fantastic!! The marinade was easy with loads of tasty ingredients. I roasted the Brussels sprouts until they were bordering on ‘blackened’ lol and that made this dish even tastier. Here it is, the day after, and they re-heat wonderfully, even better than freshly out of the oven! Great make-ahead side dish. Next time I plan to swap the sweet chili sauce for a new sauce – Mango Habanero that’s spicy hot & sweet!
Abbey Sharp says
Yesss, blackened and crispy is the best. Glad you enjoyed it!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it re-heat well?
Abbey Sharp says
Yup, should be fine!
rebecca says
I have brussels in the kitchen just waiting to be made into this! thanks for sharing!
Abbey Sharp says
yesss! Enjoy love
GiGi Eats says
Now I want to hit the grocery store and get some brussels and make them tonight – SO SO SO SO good!!
Abbey Sharp says
yasss girl!
Emily @Sinful Nutrition says
Need more Brussels Sprouts in my life!! These sound incredibly delicious!!
Abbey Sharp says
yeah ya do!
GiGi Eats says
Mmmmm!! Roast brussels sprouts are some of my favorites! My sister keeps telling me to try making them in the air-fryer, and as you know… I am totally obsessed with it so well um, it’s happening!
Abbey Sharp says
good plan!!
Mikki says
Oh I’ve made them something like this before. Sooo good.
I used the sweet chili sauce, but never thought of doing the siracha sauce too. Hubby would love that!
Abbey Sharp says
Yeah! Adds an awesome heat!
christina says
I’ve never thought to roast with sweet chili sauce, but this is brilliant!!
Abbey Sharp says
sooo good!
Karen G. says
Oh yum! I LOVE brussels sprouts! and these sound delicious, Thanks for sharing!
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks Karen!
Lauren O'Connor says
Love how you spiced up these Brussels sprouts. What a perfect addition to a Thanksgiving “feast”.
Abbey Sharp says
Definitely! Thanks Lauren