Sheet Pan Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Ricotta – Recipe!

Brussels sprouts are a hardy wintertime vegetable that can be roasted, sauteed, steamed or shaved raw in a salad, and makes a delicious vegetarian meal.  You often see brussels sprouts on a holiday table, but it’s a vegetable to enjoy all season long.  Adding squeeze of citrus to brussels sprouts can perk-up their slightly bitter taste, and after roasting, this vegetable becomes creamy with slightly caramelized flavors.

For a fast and easy dinner, using a sheet pan as your cooking tool makes perfect sense.  Slicing fresh brussels sprouts in half and tossing them in oil, and then adding a squeeze of lemon juice is the start of a perfect meal, but it’s a dollop of fresh whole-milk ricotta mixed with lemon zest, and some lemon juice that becomes the addition this dish craves.  The ricotta warms after resting beautifully on top of the cooked vegetable and after being spooned onto plates, it begins to glaze the cooked sprouts.

If you’re not a vegetarian, or prefer to have a little protein with your meal, you can serve this recipe as a side dish instead of salad.  I think it’s a grand idea to serve these sprouts on a side plate to enjoy like you would a plate of hardy winter greens, but this recipe is pretty filling, and can be enjoyed by itself.

Ingredients

4 cups fresh brussels sprouts, sliced in half

1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

1 lemon, divided + 4 slices for serving

salt & pepper

olive oil

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Add brussels sprouts and 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil to a sheet pan and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lay sprouts cut-side down.
2. Zest lemon, set aside.  Cut lemon in half and squeeze half over top of brussels sprouts.  Place sheet pan in oven and roast brussels sprouts for 20-25 minutes, or until deep golden brown on edges and fork tender.
3. In a small bowl, add ricotta, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Squeeze remaining half lemon juice over top, stir.
4. Remove brussels sprouts from oven and immediately dollop with ricotta and additional lemon slices if desired.  Enjoy!