This Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon recipe features crispy Brussels sprouts, salty bacon, crunchy toasted pistachios drizzled with sweet and tangy balsamic glaze. This easy recipe is the perfect side dish for a weeknight dinner and a great addition to holiday dinners.
Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Caramelized oven-roasted Brussels sprouts and crispy bacon are a match made in heaven! I know that Brussels sprouts have a bad rap but, this incredibly addicting and easy side dish will convert even picky eaters.
Baked Brussel Sprouts are incredibly easy to make, healthy and delicious. Roasting vegetables at high temperature results in veggies with the most amazing caramelized flavor.
The oven’s dry heat caramelizes the natural sugars in the Brussels Sprouts which brings out depth of flavor and a bit of crisp and tasty charred bits.
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe?
- Quick with Few Ingredients: This irresistibly delicious recipe is made with only 6 ingredients in one sheet pan and it’s ready in 30 minutes.
- Perfect for Many Occasions: This is an easy recipe to make and a great side dish to add to your dinner table. Fall meals, dinner parties, Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, this may just become one of your favorite side dishes.
- Easy: Easy prep and hands off cooking makes this delicious side dish ideal for a weeknight meal or holiday
- Flavor: The saltiness of the crispy bacon or pancetta mixed with caramelized and crisp tender Brussel sprouts, the sweetness of the Balsamic glaze and the crunch of toasted pistachios makes this the absolute best oven baked Brussel sprouts.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts Ingredients and Substitutions
- Brussels sprouts: Fresh Brussels sprouts, cut in half.
- Bacon: Diced bacon. You can use any type of bacon such as regular or thick cut. Pancetta or turkey bacon can be used as well.
- Garlic: I use fresh cloves of garlic finely chopped.
- Oil: I prefer olive oil for roasting veggies.
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Balsamic glaze: If you don’t have balsamic glaze at home, simply make a balsamic reduction by reducing balsamic vinegar until it becomes syrupy.
- Pistachios: Toasted. You can also use walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans or almonds cut into smaller pieces
How To Roast Brussels Sprouts In the Oven?
For detailed cooking instructions and exact cooking times, check the printable recipe card below.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and pat dry the Brussel sprouts with paper towels. Trim and remove any tough outer leaves and cut the sprouts in half through the core.
- Toss: Place Brussel sprouts and any loose leaves on a large baking sheet pan. Add the pancetta and the garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Toss well to combine and spread out in a single layer.
- Bake: Roast in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender and nicely browned, tossing once halfway through the cooking.
- Drizzle and Serve: Remove from the oven and drizzle with the Balsamic glaze. Toss and serve topped with the toasted pistachios.
Are Brussels Sprouts Tiny Cabbages?
Although brussel sprouts look like miniature cabbage, they are not. However, they are both cruciferous vegetables just like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy and collard greens.
Are Brussels Sprouts Good For You?
Brussel sprouts are rich in antioxidants, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and fiber. They are low-carb and low in calories.
Should Brussel Sprouts Be Blanched Before Roasting?
This recipe for Brussel sprouts doesn’t require you to blanch them before roasting. Blanching helps the vegetable to cook quicker but it’s not a requirement.
Can You Roast Frozen Brussels Sprouts?
Let me put it this way, you can roast frozen Brussel sprouts but you shouldn’t – unless you really can’t find any fresh and you have your heart set on this recipe or any baked Brussel sprouts recipe. The texture won’t be the same and the color won’t be as pretty. If you must, roast them from frozen.
How Do You Take The Bitterness Out Of Brussels Sprouts?
One of the best ways to reduce the bitterness of this vegetable is to cut it in half, one of my culinary instructors used to say that whole Brussels sprouts were like little gas bombs!
Oven roasting also helps reduce any bitterness in this veggie.
Do You Wash Brussels Sprouts Before Cooking Them?
Yes! Although Brussel sprouts are not an incredibly dirty vegetable, you want to rinse them. Cut off the tough bottom ends, pull off any loose outer leaves and then cut them in half.
Why Are My Roasted Brussel Sprouts Not Crispy?
For Brussel sprouts to be crispy they need to be roasted at a high temperature and they need to be coated with enough oil to be able to caramelize. This roasted Brussel sprouts recipe cooks the sprouts at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
For best results, your oven temperature should not be any lower than 400 degrees.
Using enough oil is very important as well. this recipe uses olive oil and bacon. Both ingredients keep the sprouts super crispy.
Can You Make Roasted Brussel Sprouts Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can, however, keep in mind that the smell of cooked Brussel sprouts is a bit potent after a day, even if stored in the refrigerator. As with any roasted vegetable, they will also lose some of their crispiness if cooked ahead of time.
If you want to make roasted Brussel sprouts ahead of time, I recommend par-cooking them. Roast them for 15 minutes a day ahead. Cover them and store them in the fridge. Closer to dinner time, finish the cooking according to recipe directions. Additional time may be needed if your ingredients are chilled.
Recipe Tips for Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
- You can make your own Balsamic glaze by reducing (boiling down) Balsamic vinegar until syrupy. Some people like to add sugar to the vinegar but it’s not necessary.
- Brussels sprouts on the stalk last longer than loose ones.
- Brussels sprouts should have tight leaves and a bright green color.
More Thanksgiving Recipes That You’ll Love:
Email me this recipe for later!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Brussel sprouts
- 4 ounces bacon or Pancetta, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- ¼ cup pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rinse and pat dry the Brussel sprouts with paper towels. Trim and remove any dried outer leaves and cut the sprouts in half through the core.
- Place the Brussel sprouts and any loose leaves on a sheet pan (I line my sheet pan with parchment paper). Add the pancetta and the garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Toss well to combine and spread out in a single layer.
- Roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender and nicely browned, tossing once halfway through the cooking.
- Remove from the oven and drizzle with the Balsamic glaze. Toss and serve topped with the toasted pistachios.
Nutrition
Holiday Side Dish Recipes:
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- Roasted Carrots with Goat Cheese and Pecans by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples by Devour Dinner
- Sausage Stuffing by House of Nash Eats
- Wild Rice and Broccoli Casserole by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Wild Rice and Sprouts Pilaf by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
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