These Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts are cheesy, peppery, crispy and the perfect vegetarian keto side dish.
When you go keto, it can be easy to heavily rely on cheese, eggs, and straight up fats like ghee and oil and start neglecting veggies. I mean, those carbs start to add up, right?! Even in healthy vegetable form. But personally, I just feel better physically when I’m getting fresh vegetables with every meal, so I do everything I can to make room for them.
This Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts recipe is one of my favorite simple vegetarian keto sides. The Brussels sprouts are cheesy, crispy, and peppery–is there a better trio of food descriptors?! Cacio e Pepe is traditionally made with pasta—and with Romano cheese. But since I haven’t been able to find a vegetarian Romano, I use Parmesan instead. (If you’re in the United States, vegetarian Parmesan exists! I use Organic Valley, Whole Foods 365, or Sartori.)
I love the taste of fresh cracked black pepper, so I always use a full 2 teaspoons when I make this recipe. But if you’d like a more mild dish, start with 1 teaspoon and add more after giving the Brussels sprouts a taste once they’re finished cooking.
Crispy Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts
These Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts are cheesy, peppery, crispy and the perfect vegetarian keto side dish.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved (quartered if they're especially large)
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425ºF. Grease a large sheet pan with a tablespoon of olive oil.
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In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with the remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once the sprouts are completely coated, stir in the Parmesan cheese.
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Transfer the mixture to the prepared sheet pan. If there's any remaining cheese at the bottom of the bowl, scoop it onto the Brussels sprouts.
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Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the Brussels sprouts are browned and crisp. Serve immediately.