Oven-Baked Brussels Sprouts with Prosciutto
These oven-baked Brussels sprouts with prosciutto are an excellent choice for dinner. They are crispy and delicious and can be enjoyed as a side dish or a tasty meatless meal.
Table of contents
Regarding healthy eating, one can never go wrong with vegetables. They are easy to digest and offer many benefits, just like Brussels sprouts.
My kids love Brussels sprouts, and quite honestly, I am surprised that they do. I hear from so many friends complaining that their kids won’t eat veggies, let alone Brussels sprouts. When they ask how I make my kids eat veggies, I always give a simple answer. Serve veggies during mealtimes. If they complain that they don’t like it, don’t offer anything else. Tell them the food on the plate will wait until they are hungry. My friends then usually complain that the kids might starve if they don’t offer anything else. Sorry, but that is the wrong approach. They will never eat what you initially prepared if you consistently provide something else. Also, they will learn that there is an escape route and mock you until they get their way.
Someone once said that hungry kids would eat whatever was on the plate. I find this very correct. Don’t give snacks as an alternative during mealtime; you will have some hungry little eaters. And one day, they might enjoy these healthy oven-baked Brussels sprouts with prosciutto.
There are other great recipes with veggies that you should try to incorporate in your diet:
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Sauce
History of Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprout (lat. Brassica oleracea) belongs to a cruciferous vegetable family. This family includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, arugula, collards, horseradish, and radishes. The name cruciferous comes from the four-petal flowers that resemble a cross.
I always wondered why they are called Brussels. I found some information explaining that they originated in Brussels, Belgium, and records trace back to the 13th century. They were brought to Louisiana from France in 1800. Interestingly, we don’t refer to them as Brussel in Serbia; we call them prokelj.
Nutritional Benefits
According to the USDA, 0.5 cups (78 g) of cooked and drained Brussels Sprouts contain:
- 2 g protein
- 5.5 g carbohydrate
- 2 g of fiber
- 48 g of vitamin C (about 60% of recommended daily intake)
- 109 mcg of vitamin K (about 90% of recommended daily intake)
- Choline (10% RDI), folate (12% RDI), vitamin A
Vitamin K has an essential role in blood coagulation, which is necessary to ensure that we don’t bleed excessively when we have a cut. Vitamin K is also necessary for bone health.
Good old vitamin C is an essential nutrient vital to the body’s healing process. It is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells against free radicals involved in heart disease, cancer, aging, and other diseases. Another critical role of vitamin C is to help our body absorb iron.
Brussels Sprouts contain alpha-lipoic acid, another powerful antioxidant. Our bodies produce alpha-lipoic acid naturally, but adding more through food will not hurt. Research shows that alpha-lipoic acid can help ease the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
Brussels Sprouts are rich in alpha-linolenic acid, a plant-based essential omega-3 fatty acid (135 mg or about 10% of RDI in ½ cup cooked Brussels Sprouts).
How to Properly Cook Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts contain sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates. When cooked, they give that well-known bitter taste and lovely (or not so lovely?) smell. The scent might be pungent, but glucosinolates have an antibiotic-like effect and can keep intestines free from bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.
Over-cooking Brussels sprouts will enhance this sulfur flavor and minimize the positive effect of glucosinolates on the body. The best way to prepare it is to steam it for about 5 minutes and roast it in the oven. This will provide crispy and not mushy consistency. Check out the recipe below. I paired it with fried shishito peppers and some homemade bread. Enjoy!
Oven-Baked Brussels Sprouts with Prosciutto
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels Sprouts fresh
- 2 slices prosciutto
- 3 tbsp Olive oil can use more if desired
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash Brussels sprouts in running water and trim the stems.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot.
- Place trimmed Brussels sprouts in a steaming basket and put the basket in the pot with boiling water.
- Boil for about 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C (390 F).
- Drain the sprouts and place them in a bowl.
- Cut prosciutto into small cubes.
- Coat the sprouts with olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and add prosciutto. Give it a good mix to ensure that all the sprouts are covered with oil and seasoning.
- Coat baking dish with 1 tbs of olive oil.
- Add Brussels sprouts to the baking dish, and bake until crispy. This step depends on the oven, but it might take between 25-35 minutes.
- Take the baking dish out of the oven, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and return it to the oven for additional 5 minutes.
- Enjoy oven-baked Brussels sprouts while warm.
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