These Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon are… just… I’m having trouble using words. I’m a food blogger. HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS? I need to try and put this euphoria into sentences that make sense. Here goes.
First, they’re smoky and salty from the bacon. Second, they’re crispy from roasting in a hot skillet in a hot oven. And third, they’re coated in sticky, sweet, pure maple syrup (but not too much) to give it a slight sweetness that balances out the natural bitterness of the sprouts.
Soooooo yummmmyyyyyy and gooooooooood. (best sentence yet- I’m on a roll!) Turns out, brussels sprouts and bacon on pizza is stellar, too!
This is definitely my favorite way I’ve ever made (or eaten) Brussels sprouts, and they are absolutely perfect for Thanksgiving.
However, if you make them for Thanksgiving, I would definitely double the recipe, and you might want to transfer the sprouts to a rimmed baking sheet so they can spread out a bit more before roasting.
There are a couple of tricks to this recipe:
- Stir them, but not too much. Ten minutes in, give them a stir, after they’ve had a bit to brown. Then, after adding the maple syrup, stir them twice in order for the syrup to form a stick sweet coat on all the sprouts.
- After washing the Brussels sprouts, try to make sure they are as dry as possible when adding them to the skillet (use a clean towel to pat them or allow them to sit in a colander for a few minutes). This will ensure they brown and crisp up better, and also minimize the scary splattering that can happen when adding things to bacon grease.
Finally, I recommend using a large cast iron skillet for this. Because it’s used on both the stovetop and in the oven, you can fry the bacon and use the bacon grease, toss the sprouts in, and throw it directly in the oven. And because cast iron retains its heat so well and is naturally non-stick, the Brussels sprouts will get browned, crispy, and roasted to perfection.
Love Brussels sprouts? Try these Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Pickled Red Onions or this recipe for Creamy Brussels Sprouts and Leeks.
Recipe for Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon below!
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Brussels sprouts trimmed, tough leaves removed, and halved or quartered
- 2 slices bacon
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a cast iron or other oven-proof skillet, fry the two strips bacon until crispy over medium high heat.
- Remove the bacon and add the cut Brussels sprouts (1 lb.) to the hot skillet and bacon grease. Toss to coat (be careful of splatters!) and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the maple syrup (2 tablespoons) and stir to coat.
- Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 20 minutes at 425 degrees, tossing once or twice, until Brussels sprouts are tender and browned.
- Meanwhile, chop the bacon into small pieces.
- Sprinkle the chopped bacon on top of the Brussels sprouts and serve.
Notes
- Like things sweet? Add up to four tablespoons of maple syrup instead of two.
- For a Paleo/Whole30 version, make sure you use Paleo approved bacon with no added sugar, and omit the syrup for Whole30.
- Making a double batch? I recommend transferring the sprouts to a rimmed baking sheet so they can spread out a bit more and roast/brown evenly.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
AJJ
So delicious, so easy to make, so fast! My family loved this brussel sprout dish. It balanced well with all the rest of the dishes I made this Thanksgiving. We will plan to have this again. Thank you for sharing.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you and your family liked it!