Bacon brussels sprouts roasted in the oven until they are caramelized and tender. This is a great recipe to make for holiday dinners, but it’s also easy enough for weeknights. Even people who think they don’t love brussels sprouts, love this dish.
Last year, Mr. K and I had a really good Brussels sprouts dish at Uptown Tavern. The sprouts were charred to the point of losing any bit of bitterness and cooked with various seasonings and spices. Mr. K loved the dish so I got really excited and began buying Brussels sprouts. But he wouldn’t touch the dishes I made, claiming them “too healthy” tasting and the sprouts too bitter.
So, I’ve been on a mission to make a Brussels sprouts dish that Mr. K will eat and so I decided to roast the brussels sprouts until they are no longer bitter. And I added bacon…lots of bacon and bacon fat. I’ve had a lot of brussels sprouts and bacon dishes and they’ve always tasted pretty good.
I loved the smell of the bacon Brussels sprouts as they were roasting. It made my mouth water.
Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts
- Bacon
- Chili flakes
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon juice
Recipe Steps
Fry the bacon in a skillet on the stove until it’s crispy. Take the cooked bacon out of the pan and leaving the fat in the pan.
Slice the sprouts into 1” pieces and then place them in the pan and coat them in the fat. Transfer them to a baking sheet and spread them into an even layer.
Roast them at 375°F for 30 minutes. Flip the sprouts over halfway through the cooking time. The brussels sprouts are done when they are soft with slight char.
Transfer them back to the frying pan and add the bacon, chili flakes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook them for about five minutes or until the spices and seasonings are coating the sprouts and the bacon is warmed up.
I was very happy with how these turned out but I was even happier that Mr. K. liked them. It seems we are on the right track with these bacon brussels sprouts. I think they would make a perfect Thanksgiving side dish. I’m excited to try other variations, too.
More Holiday Side Dishes
Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Brussels sprouts
- 8 oz bacon strips
- 1-2 tbsp chili flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- juice of 1/2 lemon optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Chop raw bacon into 1 inch pieces. Place into large frying pan or skillet and cook on stove top until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon but reserve bacon fat. Toss raw Brussels sprouts into frying pan to coat with bacon fat. Scoop out the sprouts and place them onto a large baking sheet lined with foil.
- Roast for about 30 minutes, flipping sprouts to the other side halfway through the time. Sprouts should have a slight char. Pour sprouts back into frying pan and add bacon, chili flakes, lemon juice (if using) and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until spices and seasoning are incorporated and bacon is heated.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Our family fave Brussels sprouts recipe is Balsamic-glazed toss : 1 lb sprouts with a couple tbsp EVOO, then a couple tbsp trader joe’s balsamic glaze, ditto balsamic vinegar, & 1 tbsp maple syrup. Roast on a Silpat on a 1/4 sheet pan at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour. Yummy indeed! But I think I’m gonna add bacon next time: bacon & maple syrup were made for each other….
thanks for sharing! sounds yummy
try boiling the sprouts for a few minutes to ellimenate the bitterness
thanks for the tip!
Aren’t brussels sprouts wonderful? I made a cheesy version a little while ago: https://www.marystestkitchen.com/making-brussels-sprouts-noob/
Yum looks great!