Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes are a tender-crisp, gorgeously caramelized, spiced vegetable dish finished with dried cranberries. Ready in 30 minutes, it's the ultimate fall and winter side dish to complement any meal.
Serve sweet potato Brussel sprouts alongside turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, and all the holiday fixings.
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Roasted sweet potato and Brussel sprouts has got to be one of my favorite side dishes for the cooler months. It's colorful, creative, and nutritious, with just the right amount of crispy edges to give it that roasted flavor.
Plus, a unique mix of ground spices deepens the charred notes and makes it that much more appealing to eat your vegetables.
With minimal prep and most of the work done in the air fryer or oven, it's a hands-off vegetable side dish to serve for Thanksgiving, Christmas and so much more.
It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, and with one simple adjustment, can be made nut-free as well. Let's get started!
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
The ingredient list for this roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potato recipe is simple and straightforward. You will need:
- Brussel Sprouts: Pick up a 1-lb mesh bag of fresh Brussels sprouts, or, one of those Brussel sprout stalks.
- Sweet Potatoes: Two medium sweet potatoes or one large will work.
- Oil & Vinegar: A little bit of olive or avocado oil yields a crisp texture. A dash of balsamic vinegar balances all the spices. You can also use apple cider vinegar instead.
- Seasoning: An easy yet flavorful mix of salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne compliments the hearty veg while adding a kick of spice.
- Sugar: A little bit of sugar helps the veggies caramelize. Add light or dark brown sugar, or swap with palm sugar for an unrefined sugar source. If you don't care for the light sweetness, feel free to skip it.
- Dried Cranberries: For pops of sweetness. Add after cooking to retain their texture.
- Pecans: Toss in a handful of toasted pecans or walnuts for that final crunch.
- Fresh Herbs: A final garnish of fresh parsley adds that touch of finesse. Fresh thyme leaves would be a great addition.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts
This Brussel sprouts and sweet potato recipe is a cinch to throw together. Here's how to do it in just a few easy steps:
Step 1. Prep Vegetables
Trim off the ends of the Brussel sprouts and cut them in half. Peel sweet potatoes, cut them in half, then cut them into cubes, about ¾-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. (Pics 1-3).
Add salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne powder to a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle oil over the vegetables then evenly sprinkle the spice mi (Pic 4). Toss well to coat the veggies.
Step 2. Cook in ONE of Two Cooking Methods
Method 1: Air Fryer Roasted Sweet Potato and Brussel Sprouts
Preheat the air fryer to 450°F. Spread seasoned sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts in a single layer in the air fryer basket (Pic 5).
Air fry until tender and browned, about 17-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through (Pic 6).
Method 2: Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes in Oven
Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread seasoned sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts in a single layer on an aluminum foil or parchment-lined baking sheet (Pic 7).
Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven. Roast until tender and browned, about 17-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through (Pic 8).
Transfer them to a serving bowl and toss them with dried cranberries and toasted pecans. Sprinkle finely chopped parsley just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Brussels sprout sweet potatoes make a wonderful side dish to heartier fare. Some of my favorite pairings include:
Thanksgiving: Serve it alongside all the classic Thanksgiving dishes, like turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans, cranberry sauce, and more.
Christmas: Give the winter holiday a touch of goodness, and serve with butternut squash soup, beet salad, and mulled wine.
Weeknight Dinner: Quick and easy enough to whip together during the week, I love to serve these with weeknight meals like grilled chicken and salmon.
Try a Variation
While I love this recipe for roasted brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes as is, feel free to add your own festive cheer with any of the following additions:
Dried Fruit: Swap out the dried cranberries for tart and juicy dried cherries or prunes.
Nuts: Toss in some toasted slivered almonds or macadamia nuts instead of pecans for an extra crunch factor.
How to Store
Leftover Brussel sprouts and yams will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Make-Ahead Instructions: Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes can be made 1-2 days in advance. Transfer to an oven-safe serving dish, tightly wrap in plastic wrap, and store in the fridge.
Remove the plastic wrap, cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Brussel sprouts: Some of the leaves will fall off of the Brussel sprouts during prep. Add them right along with the vegetables.
- Sweet potatoes: Dice the sweet potatoes into roughly the same size for even cooking.
- Sugar: A little bit of sugar helps the veggies caramelize beautifully, however, it is optional. Add light or dark brown sugar, or swap with palm sugar for an unrefined sugar source.
- Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar adds a subtle sweet-tart flavor to the vegetables. It can easily be substituted with apple cider vinegar.
- Temperature: It's important to get the cooking vessel (air fryer or oven) super hot before roasting. Make sure it is preheated to 450 degrees F and toss halfway through for even browning.
- Nut-Free: Simply skip the pecans to make this recipe nut-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brussel sprouts pair wonderfully with heartier vegetables like sweet potatoes or winter squash, and flavors like paprika, cayenne, mustard and apple cider.
No, there is no need to parboil sweet potatoes before roasting. The sweet potatoes cook all the way through in the air fryer or oven, and get those sought-after crispy edges.
Brussel sprouts don't need to be parboiled before roasting. Simply toss with the seasoning and roast in one even layer.
The oven was not hot enough. Set the oven temperature to high, 450 degrees F and watch those Brussels sprouts get nice and crispy. Roasting at a low temperature will not allow them to brown properly.
More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes
These are all part of the Side Dish Recipes collection:
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
- 2 medium sweet potatoes about 1 cup, peeled and cubed in ¾-inch pieces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or palm sugar (add 2 teaspoons for sweeter taste)
Add after Roasting
- ¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries
- ¼ cup toasted pecans or walnuts
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Prepare Veggies & Season
- Trim off the ends of the Brussel sprouts and cut in half. Peel sweet potatoes, cut in half, then cut into cubes, about ¾-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne powder to a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle oil and balsamic vinegar over the vegetables and toss well. Then, evenly sprinkle the spice mix over and toss well to coat the veggies.
Cook one of the two following ways:
Cooking Method 1: Air Fryer
- Preheat air fryer to 450°F. Spread seasoned sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry until tender and browned, about 17-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Since air fryer models can vary, check at the 17-minute mark to prevent burning.
Cooking Method 2: Oven
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread seasoned sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts in a single layer on an aluminum foil or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven. Roast until tender and browned, about 17-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Since oven temperature varies, check at the 17-minute mark to prevent burning.
Finish & Serve
- Transfer the roasted brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes to a serving bowl and toss with dried cranberries and toasted pecans. Sprinkle finely chopped parsley just before serving.
Notes
- Brussel sprouts: Some of the leaves will fall off of the Brussel sprouts during prep. Add them right along with the vegetables.
- Sweet potatoes: Dice the sweet potatoes into roughly the same size for even cooking.
- Sugar: A little bit of sugar helps the veggies caramelize beautifully, however, it is optional. Add light or dark brown sugar, or swap with palm sugar for an unrefined sugar source.
- Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar adds a subtle sweet-tart flavor to the vegetables. It can easily be substituted with apple cider vinegar.
- Temperature: It's important to get the cooking vessel (air fryer or oven) super hot before roasting. Make sure it is preheated to 450 degrees F and toss halfway through for even browning.
- Nut-free: Simply skip the pecans to make this recipe nut-free.
J says
Would love if your recipes could include a weight for the ingredients. I never know what constitutes a small/medium/large of an item in someone else's eyes/geographic region. Our yams usually come in a child's head size and it's hard to judge.
Aneesha says
Hi J, I totally understand. I use a cup measure for most recipes for the same reason.
Kelly says
Question - when do you add the balsamic vinegar? I see it in the ingredients list but not in the instructions.
Thanks, looks delicious!
Aneesha says
Hi Kelly, thanks for pointing that out. Balsamic vinegar goes along with oil. I'll edit the instructions in the recipe card to reflect that. Enjoy!