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Christmas

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pears & Pistachios

by:
November  5, 2013
4
44 Ratings
Photo by Alpha Smoot
  • Cook time 45 minutes
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

Brussels sprouts are a popular side dish this time of year, and I love to pair sweet ingredients with their lightly bitter tang. This side is easy, very satisfying, and a great way to combine two autumn favorites in one dish. —Bevi

Test Kitchen Notes

Featured in: Our Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

WHO: We are big fans of Bevi’s Chicken Kiev and her Next Day Grilled Corn, Pineapple, and Peach Salsa.
WHAT: A 5-ingredient side that you make on one baking sheet.
HOW: Halve a whole lot of brussels sprouts and one pear and roast them together in a hot oven until caramelized, flipping halfway through. In the last 5 minutes, add chopped pistachios to get them toasty. Finish the dish by showering your ingredients with lemon juice, roughly chopping the pear halves, and seasoning to taste.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Brussels sprouts and pears make strange bedfellows, but we consider this unusual friendship to be a holiday miracle. Soft, sweet pears offset the crispy and slightly bitter sprouts, and the addition of pistachios adds some welcome crunch. Double or triple this recipe to avoid being the person sadly scraping the remaining bits off the pan. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 grinds black pepper
  • 1 Bosc pear, halved lengthwise and cored
  • 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped coarsely
  • Juice of 1/2 large lemon
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the prepared brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and pour on the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix with clean hands. Place the pear halves, cut sides-down, on the baking sheet, making sure there is enough oil to coat their cut surfaces.
  2. Roast the brussels sprouts and pear for about 20 minutes. Then turn the brussels sprouts with a metal spatula so that both sides will get caramelized. Check the pear—it many not be caramelized at this point.
  3. After another 10 minutes, turn the brussels sprouts again. Flip the pear. Reduce the oven heat to 375°F.
  4. Add the pistachios—you just want to heat them up and toast them slightly.
  5. After 5 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Squeeze lemon juice directly over all the ingredients. Use your spatula to chop up the pear halves. Toss everything thoroughly, check the seasoning, and serve on a platter or in a bowl.
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Recipe by: Bevi

Cooking is an important part of my past. I grew up and worked on our family resort. These days, I cook good food to please my friends and family.

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101 Reviews

Write a Review
Hazel January 5, 2022
I’m not a fan of Brussels sprouts but this recipe was amazing. The only tweak that I will make next time is to ensure the pears are on the firmer side. Great side dish!
liliana February 27, 2021
I have a bunch of grapes in need of attention. Will use them instead of the pear.
Also sliced almonds instead of pistachios that I will add at half-time.
Crispy bacon bits tempt for the finale.
Already I am drooling.
June November 26, 2020
I made this recipe for Thanksgiving and it was really delicious. I used 2 pounds of Brussels sprouts and cut the pears in quarters. A great addition to my holiday menu.
Eva November 23, 2018
Really excellent. The lemon juice at the end brightens up the whole dish, but the roasted pear was the big hit tonight. Thanks for a great recipe!
Bevi November 23, 2018
Hi Eva, I am so glad you had a big hit! Happy Thanksgiving!
Taylor S. October 14, 2018
Very delicious and simple!
Bevi October 14, 2018
I am so glad you enjoyed it!
travellingthisworld December 26, 2017
Made this for Christmas dinner as a side dish for my Aunt's. Huge hit. There were 12 for dinner so adjusted measurements accordingly. Oh plus I added a pound of chopped cooked bacon. Huge hit. Definitely making again.
Surkdog November 24, 2017
This was delicious. I made it the day before, slightly undercooking it and then putting it in a hot oven on the top to get the crispness. In the process, the roasting pan with the Brussel sprouts and pears was sitting out in the kitchen and everyone took multiple nibbles ...to the point that it served as a de facto appetizer and a side.
Bevi November 28, 2017
I love that it did double duty! I hope you serve this again soon!
Myriam K. November 21, 2017
This recipe looks fab. Can it be made ahead? Can it be frozen?
Carolyn V. November 21, 2017
I would think it could be made a day ahead and re-heated in a casserole dish. Freezing would probably turn it to mush. It's really good. I've made it several times.
Abby B. November 20, 2017
I have a guest with a nut allergy, any suggestions for a pistachio substitution?
Bevi November 21, 2017
It will be very good without nuts. Maybe add some toasted and lightly salted croutons?
Bevi November 21, 2017
Or bacon or pancetta bits that have been sautéed until crisp.
Carolyn V. November 21, 2017
I've done it with pancetta and it's fab!
Abby B. November 22, 2017
The guest is also vegan (!) so will try croutons. Thanks!
Bevi November 23, 2017
Add the toasted croutons at the last minute and toss them so they get some lemon and seasonings.
Toni D. November 18, 2017
can you make this ahead of time?
Bevi November 19, 2017
You can, but you will lose some crispiness. Maybe you can pull out of the oven a little early when you make the dish , and then re-roast for 10 minutes just before serving.
Carolyn V. January 8, 2017
I made this again and added 2 strips of thick cut bacon, cooked in the oven ahead (400, 15 min or less on a baking sheet) then chopped and added just at the end to heat it back up. It was a big hit!
Cheryl January 2, 2017
Very good! Will cut up pears before roasting next time--plus increase the quantity.
Bevi January 2, 2017
Great! Glad you like the recipe!
Tara December 11, 2016
I make roasted brussels sprouts on a very regular basis, so I was excited to try this twist on one of my favorite dishes. I did however forget to buy pistachios (DOH!!), but loved the combo of sweet pears and the sprouts! I will be trying again this week with the pistachios, but wondering if there is any harm in cutting up the pear prior to roasting, and mixing it in with the sprouts? I just found it a little difficult to cut up after roasting because it was so hot, and a little on the soft side.
Bevi January 2, 2017
Go for it!
CeCe November 7, 2016
I always try to find a different vegetable for our Thanksgiving table, this will definitely be on it. Easy to prep in advance and not much oven time!
Bevi November 8, 2016
Great! Make sure pear is u derripe!
JeanTred November 21, 2018
The pears in my grocery store are pretty hard. Is that what you mean by underripe?
Meredith M. February 7, 2016
Delicious. Can't believe how awesome it tasted with only salt, pepper and lemon juice. Might try adding cauliflower next time.
Bevi November 8, 2016
Thanks!
Carolyn V. January 31, 2016
I made this last night for a dinner party. It was fantastic! I quadrupled it, which was a lot of brussels sprout trimming, but well worth it. I toasted the pistachios ahead of time so that I could just toss them in when transferring to the serving bowl. This is a great, simple recipe and a very nice twist on brussels sprouts.
Bevi November 8, 2016
Thanks so much!
travellingthisworld December 19, 2015
This was incredible. Awesome flavours. A definite keeper.
allison November 23, 2015
We just finished dinner, the flavors were incredible. However, the cooking time was way too long. Pears and brussels sprouts were mush. I'm defiantly going to make again and cook the b. sprouts 11-12 minutes and add the pear & pistachio the last 5. I served this dish with roasted scottish salmon and scalloped potatoes. I would also make sure the pears are more on the firm side, before roasting.
Bevi November 8, 2016
Thanks for the feedback. The pear should be underripe. Were your Brussels sprouts very small?
yiase November 22, 2015
can this be made in advance? if so, how far without jeopardizing taste and texture? Thank you!
Diane H. November 22, 2015
I think that you could cut up the brussels sprouts ahead of time, but really the cooking needs to be done right around serving.
CJ1 December 30, 2014
Highly recommend this recipe, I will be it making again. Great combination of flavours. thank you for posting this recipe Bevi
Bevi December 30, 2014
Thanks for commenting, CJ1. I am glad you liked the dish!