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I love a good brussels sprout recipe. And the best way to eat them in my book is with crispy bacon and a thick and sweet balsamic reduction. These roasted brussels with bacon and balsamic are a perfect side dish for holiday dinners or appetizer you can toss together and it will be ready in under 30 minutes. This flavorful side dish goes well with so many different meals and because it comes together quickly, it can be whipped up for any weeknight dinner as well.
There are a few tweaks to this recipe that I really love in comparison to other recipes. Before I roast the brussels sprouts I like to cut mine into an almost shaved consistency. Some people will do halved brussels instead or even in quarters. By doing it the shaved way you will be guaranteed to have crispy brussels sprouts instead of a steamed, cooked version. This is my preference but you can do it differently if you prefer. I also prefer this because the bacon and the brussels end up being similar in size once they are cooked.
For the bacon, you can opt for many different options. You can do a plain uncured bacon which is a classic option. You can do a savory bacon with some peppercorns, smoky bacon, or opt for a maple style bacon. I like my bacon to be a thick-cut bacon as it will hold up better in the roasting process but you can do whatever kind you prefer. This is a favorite bacon recipe in my house and I love that you can switch up the flavors in this way.
Simple Ingredients
1/2 lb of bacon
16 oz brussels sprouts
Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup balsamic glaze
Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
To begin, preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit. It needs to be hot and stay at a high temperature. Then grab asheet pan and set it aside. The best, fresh brussels sprouts are the ones still attached to the vine. If you can find those, great! If not, pre bagged brussels will work as well. I like to slice my brussel sprouts long ways first. Then I cut them the other direction 3-4 times so they are a shaved consistency. You can slice them however you prefer. Place them on a sheet pan in a single layer and drizzle them with just a few tsp of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Don’t add too much oil since the bacon fat will add more as it roasts. Mix together well.
For the last step, we will add the bacon before roasting. My favorite way to slice the bacon is to grab a few pieces at a time and use kitchen scissors. I will cut width wise across the bacon into about 1/2 inch pieces. Continue to do this until all the bacon is sliced onto the brussels. Mix in the bacon so it’s incorporated into the whole dish. Hold the sweet balsamic glaze until right when it comes out of the oven.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. Toss around half way through. You want the oven roasted brussels sprouts to be golden brown and the bacon to be crispy. Once it’s ready, remove from oven and add a drizzle of the balsamic glaze all over the top. It will be roughly about 1/4 cup of glaze. Give them a good toss and they are ready to serve!
Tips
This is one of my favorite dinner party recipes! Its the best way to eat roasted vegetables and I always want to get it out during the holiday season. If you are serving this for a gathering or dinner party, you can prep the tray a day or two in advance. Slice the bacon, everything. Just don’t bake it. Store covered in your fridge for a few days until you are ready to bake. Then pop in the oven right before you are ready to eat it. It will be fresh and ready to serve with any of your favorite main courses.
This is a perfect recipe to spice up your Christmas dinner menu and would turn any brussels sprout haters into huge fans! Its a delicious way to get some new vegetable side dishes onto your weeknight meal rotation. This is the best recipe and the only way I will eat my cruciferous vegetables with a smile on my face. I hope you and your loved ones enjoy them as much as mine!
For another holiday favorite side dish, check out thiscauliflower dip recipe here.
Roasted Brussels with Bacon and Balsamic
This is any easy and delicious appetizer recipe you can bring to any holiday gathering or party!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best side dish, easy holiday appetizer, easy recipe, easy roasted vegetables, easy side dish, holiday side dish, roasted brussels, vegetable side dish
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Simple Ingredients
- 1/2 lb of bacon
- 16 oz brussels sprouts
- Olive Oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup balsamic glaze
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
To begin, preheat the oven to 400 degrees farenheit. It needs to be hot and stay at a high temperature. Then grab a sheet pan and set it aside. The best, fresh brussels sprouts are the ones still attached to the vine. If you can find those, great! If not, pre bagged brussels will work as well. I like to slice my brussel sprouts long ways first. Then I cut them the other direction 3-4 times so they are a shaved consistency. You can slice them however you prefer. Place them on a sheet pan in a single layer and drizzle them with just a few tsp of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Don't add too much oil since the bacon fat will add more as it roasts. Mix together well.
For the last step, we will add the bacon before roasting. My favorite way to slice the bacon is to grab a few pieces at a time and use kitchen scissors. I will cut width wise across the bacon into about 1/2 inch pieces. Continue to do this until all the bacon is sliced onto the brussels. Mix in the bacon so it's incorporated into the whole dish. Hold the sweet balsamic glaze until right when it comes out of the oven.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. Toss around half way through. You want the oven roasted brussels sprouts to be golden brown and the bacon to be crispy. Once it's ready, remove from oven and add a drizzle of the balsamic glaze all over the top. It will be roughly about 1/4 cup of glaze. Give them a good toss and they are ready to serve!
