Date Sweetened Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Name: Date Sweetened Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds brussels sprouts; 2 Tablespoons olive oil; ¼ cup balsamic vinegar; 2 pitted and chopped medjool dates + about 1/3 cup of water to soften; 3 tablespoons reserved soaking water; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon ground pepper

By Brittany Mullins

Published May 19, 2015, Updated Nov 12, 2021

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You’re going to love these balsamic glazed brussels sprouts! They’re covered with a date-sweetened glaze and roasted to perfection.

I had all my brussels sprout lovers in mind when I was coming up with this recipe, but you haters should also pay close attention because I feel like this recipe might convert you.

Bold statement, I know.

Date Sweetened Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts piled high in a small serving dish.

Long gone are the days of mushy and overcooked steamed sprouts. These babies are smothered in a sweet balsamic glaze and roasted at a high temperature. They come out of the oven a golden brown color, caramelized to perfection with a few crunchy bits.

I love that the glaze is naturally sweetened with a medjool dates. It worked out so wonderfully that now I want to dry making a date sweetened balsamic dressing for a salad. Might have to test that out today… stay tuned. 😉

Here’s What You Need

brussels sprouts – be sure to rinse well and then trim off the tough ends and cut into halves. You can remove any beat up leaves during preparation as well.
olive oil – I prefer the taste of olive oil in this recipe but you can also use another subtlely flavored oil such as avocado oil if you prefer.
balsamic vinegar – adds a delicious acidity to the glaze.
medjool dates – you can find medjool dates in the produce section of your grocery store, as they are a fresh fruit, not dried. Two brands that I like are Natural Delights and Joolies. You’ll soak the dates in about 1/3 cup of water to soften them. Save 3 Tablespoons of this water for later use!
garlic – adds a delicious flavor to the date glaze.
sea salt and ground pepper – seasonings to enhance the flavors of the glaze.

How to Make Date Sweetened Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Prep brussels sprouts: Start by preheating your oven to 425ºF. Make sure your brussels sprouts are prepared – rinse them well, trim off the tough ends, and cut the sprouts in half, remove any brown or beat up leaves during this process. If your dates did not come pitted, take the time to remove the pits and chop the dates now.

Soak dates: Place your chopped dates into a small bowl and add just enough water to cover them. Let them soak for about 10-20 minutes to soften. Remove the date pieces with a slotted spoon and reserve the soaking water for later use.

Prepare glaze: In the base of a blender, add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, date pieces, 3 Tablespoons of reserved water from soaking dates, sea salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender for this step.

Bake: Place your trimmed and chopped brussels sprouts in a bowl and pour the date glaze overtop. Toss to cover. Then spread the sprouts in single layer onto a parchment lined baking sheet or directly onto a baking stone. Use two baking sheets if necessary. Roast the brussels sprouts for 20-25 minutes, tossing once half way through. You’ll know the sprouts are done when they’re golden brown, crisp and tender.

Serve: Remove from the oven and serve hot!

Serving Suggestions

I’m totally guilty of just eating these straight off the baking pan as a snack, but they are the perfect side dish! Here are some ideas to serve along with these date sweetened balsamic glazed brussels sprouts:

Baked Chicken Tenders or Apple Cider Vinegar Chicken are a great protein choice. Looking for vegan or vegetarian options? Try my Baked Peanut Tofu or Easy Marinated Tempeh.
Serve along with a side salad like my Garlicky Kale Salad for some extra greens.
Make a loaf of Ellen’s Sourdough Bread or whip up a batch of Vegan Cornbread.
You could also make my Kale and Sweet Potato Brown Rice Bowls add these brussels sprouts to the bowl and swap the peanut dressing for additional glaze.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover brussels sprouts can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. To reheat, you have options. You can warm them in the oven, just put them on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF until warmed through or you can put brussels sprouts in a sauce pan and heat over medium until warm. You can reheat using a microwave but be aware they will lose their crispiness.

More Recipes Using Dates

Popular Side Dishes

Be sure to check out all of my medjool date recipes and sides recipes here on EBF!

Date sweetened balsamic glazed brussels sprouts in a decorative serving bowl.

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