Brussel sprout recipes with bacon and balsamic vinegar

Brussels sprouts roasted with bacon and pecans make a perfect holiday side.

Why It Works

• Roasting is an easy, hands-free method for crisping the bacon and rendering its flavorful fat.
• Roasting at high heat helps caramelize (and tenderize) the Brussels sprouts.
• A splash of maple and balsamic give the dish a salty-sweet edge.

These Brussels sprouts are roasted until golden and caramelized, then doused in a maple-balsamic vinaigrette and topped with crisp bacon and toasted pecans. They're so delicious, it's hard not to eat the entire lot standing at the stove before you serve them.

• 1/2 cup pecans

• 6 slices bacon

• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved (stems and ragged outer leaves removed)

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.

   Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotic Andrijanic

2. Place pecans on prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as they can burn fast. Transfer nuts to cutting board and chop coarsely. Set aside.

   Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotic Andrijanic

3. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Lay the bacon strips out flat on the same foil-lined baking sheet, leaving space in between so they don't overlap. Roast for until bacon is crisp, 12 to 20 minutes, rotating half way (cooking time will depend on thickness of bacon). Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; pour rendered bacon fat into a small dish and discard aluminum foil. When bacon is cool, finely chop.

   Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotic Andrijanic

4. Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Line baking sheet with fresh aluminum foil. Toss Brussels sprouts with rendered bacon fat, olive oil, salt, and pepper, directly on baking sheet. Roast, stirring midway through to promote even browning, until Brussels sprouts are tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and maple syrup and toss to coat evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning then transfer to serving dish. Right before serving, top with chopped pecans and bacon. Serve hot or room temperature.

   Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotic Andrijanic

Special equipment

half sheet pan

This Recipe Appears In

• The Food Lab: My Favorite Brussels Sprouts Recipes

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(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These flavorful brussels sprouts sauté quickly with bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. They are addictively delicious!

Brussels sprouts are maybe my favorite vegetable (some days I might say broccoli, I can never decide) but I know lots of people disagree. For some reason brussels sprouts are either very loved or very hated — nobody is on the fence about them.

My theory is that those who don’t like them have probably mostly been served them steamed or raw. (I grew up with them steamed. Anyone else? Is that just how most people made their veggies in the 80’s and 90’s or was it just my family?)

While I can eat them in any form, I’m telling you that the secret to making them wow is all about preparation. If you’re a brussels sprouts hater (or cook for someone who is) I suggest giving these and my Roasted Brussels Sprouts a try!

For years my favorite way to prepare them has been to pop them in the oven. Oh man, they are crispy, salty, and just plain yummy! But recently I’ve been experimenting with sautéing them with lots of different flavor combinations. Today’s Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts recipe is the first version I want to share with you!

The bacon gives this side a saltiness you’re going to really appreciate. Plus the balsamic vinegar introduces some tanginess and sweetness. And there’s garlic. Good golly, what’s not to love about garlic?!

So switch things up for dinner tonight with this surprisingly fun dish!

How to trim and halve brussels sprouts

1. Use a knife to carefully slice off and discard the bottom stem of the brussels sprout.
2. Remove any outside leaves that look wilted, brown, or dry.
3. Cut the brussels sprout in half vertically.
4. Keep any leaves that fall off while you’re cutting the sprouts in half! Just toss them in the pan with the halves. Those extra leaves get perfectly crispy!

More recipes like this:

Garlic Green Beans

Spicy Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Ranch Veggies

Sautéed Honey Carrots

Roasted Red Cabbage

Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

These flavorful brussels sprouts sauté quickly with bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. They are seriously addictively delicious!

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

• 3 tbsp olive or avocado oil
• 6 slices bacon, diced, I prefer Wellshire or Applegate turkey bacon.
• 2 lbs brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp garlic, minced

• If using turkey bacon, add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet on the stovetop. Heat to medium heat. Once hot, add the diced bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy, stirring frequently. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside.

• If using pork bacon, heat a large skillet to medium heat on the stovetop. Add diced bacon and cook until bacon is crispy, stirring frequently. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside. (We don't need the extra fat from the oil to get the pork bacon crispy. We do need that extra oil when using turkey.)

• Add 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet along with whatever bacon grease remains. Add halved brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper. Stir. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes. Brussels sprouts should be a fairly bright green color with lots of browning.

• Reduce heat to low. Add crispy bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar to skillet. Stir. Cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until brussels sprouts are tender. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.

Nutrition information assumes you use turkey bacon and the full 3 tablespoons of oil. (If you use pork bacon you won’t need as much oil since that bacon will give you more fat to sauté in.)

Calories: 187kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 747mg, Potassium: 649mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1140IU, Vitamin C: 129mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 2mg