One of the things I love most about my Indianapolis neighborhood is not the houses or the old trees or the parks: it’s walkability. I grew up in the suburbs in Minnesota, and we had to drive everywhere. Most places were a 10 to 20-minute car ride away. But when I moved to Indianapolis after graduating college, I gradually found that the city was structured in a way where you could walk to things. I walked to the grocery store and to the coffee shop, to the produce stand in an old gas station, and to the little shack transformed into an ice cream shop. The more I walked, the more I loved it. I felt connected to my place. Keep reading for how this relates to crispy roasted Brussels sprouts, and the recipe!
Food, community, & Brussels sprouts
Recently, I had the honor of speaking with an incredible entrepreneur, Majora Carter. She’s been working in urban revitalization and real estate development for years, and gave one of the first ever TED talks back in 2006. She lives in the South Bronx, and has been working to beautify her community for years. One of the things that struck me from her work was that she surveys people about what the ideal community they want to live in looks like. Time and time again, cafes, restaurants, and good grocery stores are at the top of the list. The fact that I live so close to places offering quality food and gathering spaces literally endears me to my community. It makes me feel like I’m part of something greater, even when I’m just walking to the grocery store or grabbing a cup of coffee. My little corner of Indianapolis is buzzing with activity: people meeting each other to chat over a drink, or picking up some ingredients for tonight’s dinner. It brings and energy and vitality to our place that is palpable. Part of Majora’s work has been to bring gathering places with quality food to low status communities. She helped start a coffee shop in the South Bronx called the Boogie Down Grind Cafe that’s a spot of beauty in a rough zip code. Along with high-quality coffee, it provides servings of vegetables, too. This crispy Brussels sprouts recipe was inspired by one of those walkable restaurants in my neighborhood, a pub called Twenty Tap. Along with a huge craft beer list, the food is top-notch with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. And it’s a 5-minute walk from our house (or 2 minutes if I cut through my neighbor’s yard). A few weeks ago, we went with my family and among other things, ordered an appetizer with crispy Brussels sprouts, harissa, and goat cheese. There were a few other components (and it was too spicy for most of my family!) but I loved the concept and took it home to our kitchen to play with.
How to make crispy Brussels sprouts
Alex and I find that the best way to make Brussels sprouts is roasting them in a very hot oven so that they become blackened and crisp. We toss them with olive oil and salt and then roast Brussels sprouts at 450 degrees to get them super crispy! (Here’s our base Best Brussels Sprouts Recipe!) For these crispy Brussels sprouts we used our time tested method, then topped them with store-bought harissa and topped them with dollops of cool goat cheese. The end result was so tasty that we knew we had to share the recipe here. If you’re not into spicy food, find a mild harissa for this one; it adds fantastic flavor without the heat. Not long ago, I would have frowned at the thought of Brussels sprouts on my plate. These days, the little green guys are seeing a big comeback. I hope that they’ll continue to delight eaters everywhere, especially with creative recipes that add big flavor. We ate these crispy Brussels sprouts as a snack for a movie, though they’d be a fantastic side dish or appetizer. Either way, they were born of the community around us: yet another reason for continuing to engage in community around us.
Looking for more Brussels sprouts recipes?
Brussels sprouts have made a major comeback, especially crispy Brussels sprouts. Here are our favorite Brussels sprouts recipes:
Crispy Brussels Sprouts Fried Brussels SproutsSpicy Brussels SproutsShaved Brussels Sprout Salad with PomegranateRoasted Brussels Sprouts with PecansShaved Brussels Sprouts and Rice with Tahini Miso DressingShaved Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato SaladHeart-Shaped Caramelized Onion and Brussels Sprouts Pizza
Looking for more appetizer recipes?
And, a few of our favorite appetizer recipes:
Healthy Loaded Sweet Potato RoundsPaprika Goat Cheese SpreadHappy Hour Platter with Caramelized Onion Dip
This recipe is…
This crispy Brussels sprouts recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free. For plant-based or vegan, omit the goat cheese. 5 from 4 reviews
