Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts
128 Comments
Nov 19, 2024
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These balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts are the side dish that never lasts long — especially during Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! Roasted Brussels sprouts are tossed with crispy bacon, sauteed onion, and my homemade balsamic glaze for a sweet and tangy finish.
These Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts Are Everyone’s Favorite
Roasted Brussels sprouts are a holiday dinner staple, but I love making them extra special with this balsamic bacon version. If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of adding pork for maximum savoriness — just like in my Thanksgiving peas or fried cabbage recipes. And the balsamic glaze? That’s just the perfect addition for a sweet and tangy contrast. But here’s why everyone will love this vegetable side dish for your Thanksgiving spread:
- They’re the perfect pop of green. With so many Thanksgiving sides in shades of orange and beige (like this sweet potato casserole, honey-glazed carrots, or mashed potatoes), these sprouts add a bright burst of green to your dinner table.
- The components can be made ahead of time. Time-saving tips are much needed during the holidays, so I’ll walk you through how to prepare the Brussels sprouts, balsamic glaze, and even the bacon-onion mixture ahead of time!
Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts Ingredients
- Brussels Sprouts: In the fall and winter you’ll likely find large fresh stalks of Brussels sprouts, which are my favorite to cook with. But if you can’t find those, you can grab a pre-packaged bag. Just ensure the sprouts are firm, bright green, and free of wilted leaves.
- Bacon: My personal preference is organic bacon with minimal additional flavorings (thick cut if possible). But feel free to use bacon with a pepper dry rub or maple smoke for a stronger aroma. You could also use pancetta or turkey bacon too.
- Onion: You can use a yellow or white onion in this recipe. But here’s a reminder to keep the bacon grease to sauté the onion with. It adds extra flavor to the whole dish!
- Balsamic Reduction: Lastly, you’ll need a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Although you can use a store-bought bottle, it’s easy to whip up a homemade version in just 15 minutes.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Prep the Brussels sprouts. Prepare your Brussels sprouts by cutting the ends off and slicing them into quarters. Don’t throw away the loose leaves. Save these for extra crispy pieces while baking.
Roast the Brussels sprouts. Toss the sprouts in olive oil, salt, and black pepper and spread them out into an even layer on a sheet pan. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan so they roast properly. If needed, use a second sheet pan. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes at 425°F, stirring halfway through.
Cook the bacon. Slice the bacon into ½-inch thick pieces. Add the bacon to a pan on medium heat and cook until it becomes crispy. Then use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the bacon grease, but keep one tablespoon left in the pan to cook the onion!
Make the balsamic reduction. Add balsamic vinegar to a small pot and simmer on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until it’s reduced by a third to a half. You should have about 3 tablespoons remaining in the pot. Then turn off the heat. To save time, you can do this step while the bacon is cooking.
Cook the onion. Add the diced onion to the pan and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crispy bacon, stir it, and turn off the heat.
Add the Brussels sprouts. Remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven and add the onions and bacon to the sheet pan. Pour the balsamic reduction on top and stir everything together before serving.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Pre-cut the Brussels sprouts: Trim and slice the Brussels sprouts up to 1 to 2 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
- Make the balsamic glaze: You can make this glaze ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a few days. When ready to use, pour the glaze into a small saucepan and warm it over low heat, stirring occasionally or microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, remove it from the heat as soon as it’s warmed through and drizzle it over the roasted Brussels sprouts.
- Cook the bacon and onion: Cook these a day in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to toss with roasted Brussels sprouts.
Ways To Serve Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Thanksgiving Dinner: Serve this alongside my classic turkey recipe, roasted turkey breast, or honey-baked ham.
- Christmas Dinner: Serve this alongside my garlic herb prime rib, beef tenderloin roast, honey garlic pork tenderloin, or this delicious ribeye steak.
- Weeknight Dinners: I love pairing this with crispy baked chicken thighs, Dijon baked salmon, or garlic butter shrimp for a delicious weeknight dinner. You could also make my balsamic chicken with Brussels sprouts for an easy sheet pan dinner with a similar flavor profile!
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Parmesan Herb Roasted Acorn Squash: My favorite way to serve squash this season.
- Creamed Corn: This is for all the corn lovers around the table.
- Candied Yams: Roasted yams with a sweet southern twist.
- Cranberry Sauce and Gluten-Free Gravy: The essential sauces!
- Or browse through my list of Thanksgiving recipes for more ideas to complete your spread!
If you make this balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.
Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Description
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces bacon
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Slice the sprouts. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the end off the Brussels sprouts, then slice them into quarters. Some leaves may come loose and that's okay.
- Roast the sprouts. Add the Brussels sprouts and any loose leaves to a sheet pan. Toss with oil, salt and pepper. Roast the Brussels sprouts for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Cook the bacon. While the Brussels sprouts are cooking, slice the bacon into ½-inch thick pieces. Add the bacon to a pan over medium heat. Cook until the bacon becomes crispy, stirring frequently. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off most of the bacon grease (you can render and save the bacon grease for future use!), but keep about one tablespoon left in the pan.
- Make balsamic reduction. At the same time you're cooking the bacon, add the balsamic vinegar to a small pot. Simmer this on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it's reduced by a third to a half. When it's done, you should have about 3 tablespoons remaining in the pot. Then turn off the heat.
- Cook the onion. Add the diced onion to the pan and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it becomes translucent. Add the crispy bacon back to the pan, give it a stir and turn off the heat.
- Mix together. When your Brussels sprouts are done, remove them from the oven. Add the onions and bacon to the sheet pan, then pour the balsamic reduction on top. Stir everything together.
- Serve. Transfer the balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts to a serving platter and enjoy!
Lisa’s Tips
- Want more Brussels sprouts? You can easily add up to 2 pounds without changing any other ratios in the recipe. So feel free to add a little extra!
- I purposefully cook the bacon separately for that extra crispy texture. I find that when cooking bacon on the same baking sheet as the Brussels, you always end up with uncooked pieces of bacon. So it really is worth it to cook the bacon separately.
- For storing leftovers: Place the cooled Brussels sprouts in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Just note that the sprouts will soften over time.
- For reheating leftovers: For the best results, reheat them in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes to help them crisp up again. Alternatively, you can use an air fryer for a quick and crispy finish. If you’re in a hurry, microwaving works too, though they may be softer.
- If you’re not a fan of balsamic vinegar, you can just make regular roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and onions. And toss them in my Dijon vinaigrette!
Nutrition
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Originally published November 2014, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
This would have been perfect, except that the oven temp was much too high. 400 at the absolute max, but 375 would have been fine too.
Served these with our ham Christmas dinner yesterday. We have had them several time and are a family favorite. Yesterday, I used 2 lbs of brussel sprouts with same ingredients quantities, but there didn’t seem to be enough olive oil to cover everything evenly. I had leftovers with a Sunnyside up egg this morning.
So happy you loved this holiday side dish, Arlene! And yeah, you may need to increase the olive oil a smidge with a few more Brussels sprouts. But great way to use those leftovers with the sunnyside egg, yum!
OK, I’m all about “short cuts”. So I just cooked the bacon in whole strips and crumbled after it cooled a bit. Saved 2 T bacon grease and sautéed the onions WELL. I roasted the Brussels per the directions. After onions were almost caramelized, I tossed back in the bacon crumbles and balsamic vinegar, cooking it down a good bit.
Then, I tossed the roasted sprouts with the rest together in the frying pan. It was AMAZING!
This is my new “go to” Brussels Sprouts recipe!
Yay, so happy you loved it, Leslie!
Could I skip the onions?
I will send the recipe to my daughter, she will love it, I will be with her at Christmas! Thanks Lisa.
And Merry Christmas!!!!
Perfect! Hope you enjoy this Brussels sprouts, I’m making them myself this year as well. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
Hi, great recipe! Is there any chance I could make this super delicious dish next time using frozen Brussels sprouts? Thanks!
Hi Betty – Yes, you could use frozen sprouts. They just might not be as crispy. Enjoy!
I made this for Thanksgiving. It was quick and easy and SO delicious! There were NO leftovers. I will definitely be making this again!
Yeah, there’s rarely leftovers of this recipe (even when you want them, haha). I’m glad you enjoyed it!
25 wanted sprouts with pancetta and a balsamic reduction, so I found this recipe. It worked like a charm (using pancetta instead of bacon). The one surprise was the reduction in volume of the sprouts, cutting them up in prep I thought – “that’s enough, I don’t want leftovers”, serving them up was like “why isn’t there more”. This will now be my go-to recipe for sprouts. Might try them in an air fryer next time.
I’m happy to hear you and your guests loved this recipe. And yes, this is one of those recipes where you always wish for leftovers, yet rarely have them, haha! I do have a separate recipe for air fryer Brussels sprouts if you’d like to try that for your next batch.
The Balsamic Bacon Brussel Sprouts from Downshiftology are absolutely incredible! As a long-time fan of Brussels sprouts, I was blown away by how this recipe elevates them into a company-worthy dish. The crispy, caramelized sprouts paired with smoky bacon and the tangy-sweet balsamic glaze are a perfect flavor combination. It’s simple to make but feels special—definitely a go-to for hosting or holiday dinners!
Hi Tara – I’m so glad these balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts were a hit! It’s definitely a great dish to keep in your back pocket for holiday dinners.
As every recipe from Downshiftology, this was delicious and easy to make!
So happy you loved it, thank you!
Thanks for
This recipe! Easy to prepare, very yummy and looked great at our table.
Hi Helen – Happy to hear you loved this Brussels sprouts side dish!
Could you use a store bought balsamic glaze?
Yes, you can swap that in.
I love this recipe minus the bacon. Can I make it for Thanksgiving on Monday?
Yes, you can do that. It’s super easy to reheat. Happy Thanksgiving!
Fabulous recipe, flavors are great! Quick question as I think ahead to Thanksgiving and all of the moving parts of a busy cooking day…would it be possible to cook the bacon and onion mixture a day ahead, refrigerate and add to freshly roasted Brussels day of? Making the balsamic reduction a day ahead is a no brainer but wasn’t sure about the rest. Thank you in advance!
Hi Anna – yes, you could definitely do that! I’m all about time savings on Thanksgiving as well. ;) Enjoy!
I can’t eat spinach which is included in all your wonderful receipes. I can’t eat Spinach. As there another vegetable to use in place of Spinach in your receipes containing Spinach?
Thanks! Love your receipes and just purchased your cookbook!
Hi Lydia – for all of my recipes with spinach, you can swap in any other leafy green like kale, Swiss chard, etc. And thanks so much for buying my cookbook. I hope you love all of those recipes! :)