Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
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Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts are the most delicious side dish ever! Sweet maple syrup is paired with salty, crispy bacon and the best pan-fried Brussels sprouts to create the perfect side! This dish is easy to whip up in a cast-iron skillet on the stove in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to holiday meals!
Serve the Brussels sprouts with Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin or Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast to double up on the bacon goodness!
Table of contents
Allow me to introduce you to my favorite veggie side dish ever! Seriously, how can you go wrong with adding sweet syrup and crispy bacon to perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts? You can’t my friends, you truly can’t!
In addition to the delicious bacon and maple syrup, what makes these Brussels sprouts so amazing is how they are cooked. After roasting Brussels sprouts in the oven for many years, about a year ago I was turned on to pan frying the Brussels sprouts instead. And let me tell you, it was a game changer!!
My secret to perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts every time?
- A hot pan with an even layer of oil. (Or in this case bacon grease!)
- Adding all of the Brussels sprouts to the pan, cut side down and not touching them for 6-8 minutes!
Following these two simple steps will result in Brussels sprout perfection!
Ingredients
- Bacon
- Brussels sprouts – for this recipe, I recommend using fresh brussels sprouts. Frozen brussels sprouts won’t have the same texture as the fresh sprouts.
- Salt + ground black pepper – to season the sprouts.
- Apple juice
- Maple syrup – always use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup or imitation maple syrup. We want the real stuff to make the best brussels sprouts!
Instructions
- Cook the bacon.
- Chop the bacon and add it to a large cast-iron skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chopped bacon for 6-8 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked bacon from the skillet.
- Place the bacon on a paper towel lined plate to drain off any grease.
- Pan fry the Brussels sprouts.
- After removing the bacon from the skillet, add the Brussels sprouts, cut side down, to the skillet. Keeping the stove turned to medium-high heat.
- DO NOT TOUCH the Brussels sprouts for 6-8 minutes. This is how they get their perfect golden brown caramelization!
- After 6-8 minutes, sprinkle salt and pepper over the Brussels sprouts and give them a stir.
- Continue cooking the Brussels sprouts for an additional 6-8 minutes.
- Caramelize the sprouts.
- Add the apple juice and maple syrup to the skillet with the Brussels sprouts. Toss to coat the sprouts.
- Continue cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes.
- Add the bacon.
- Add the cooked, chopped bacon back to the skillet with the Brussels sprouts.
- Stir to combine and serve immediately.
Recipe tips
- This is not a side dish that I would recommend making ahead of time. The Brussels sprouts are best when they’re warm, crispy and fresh out of the skillet! That’s why I recommend making this side dish right before you plan to serve it.
- If you want to make this dish vegetarian, you can eliminate the bacon. Add two tablespoons olive oil to the skillet, instead of the bacon grease, then follow the instructions as written in the recipe.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free. No modifications need to be made if serving this to someone with gluten sensitivities.
- I recommend using fresh Brussels sprouts to make this recipe whenever possible. The texture will be better when using fresh over frozen Brussels sprouts.
- While I do recommend a cast iron skillet to make this recipe, it’s not required. But I do recommend using the heaviest skillet you have for even, crisp cooking of the Brussels sprouts.
- This recipe serves 4 as a side dish, but can easily be altered to serve 8, 12 or 16! Simply hover over the 2X button in the recipe card below. The ingredients in the recipe card will automatically update to double the recipe.
- Tip within a tip! If using this method to make more than one, four person serving, you’ll either want to use two large cast-iron skillets or one large cast-iron griddle. This way, you can make sure all of the Brussels sprouts are cooked, cut side down, in a single layer in the skillet without overlapping.
What to serve with brussels sprouts
While these Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts are the perfect Thanksgiving side dish to pair with a Smoked Turkey Breast, they’re seriously delicious anytime of the year! I guarantee they’ll be a hit with any of these delicious entrees.
- Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast – because double the bacon, double the fun!
- Dad’s Famous Captain Crunch Chicken Tenders
- Grilled New York Strip Steak with Peppercorn Crust
- Rosemary Sage Pork Skewers
- Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf – did someone say more bacon?!
- Sous Vide Tri Tip Steak
- Roasted Prime Rib
- Beef Wellington – for an epic holiday feast!
More bacon recipes to try
For more delicious bacon dishes, check out these recipes, and don’t miss this post on how to make homemade bacon!
Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the chopped bacon to a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes or until crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the skillet.
- Place the bacon on a paper towel lined plate to drain any grease.
- Add the Brussels sprouts, cut side down, to the skillet with the bacon grease over medium-high heat.
- Let the Brussels sprouts cook and caramelize without touching them for 6-8 minutes.
- Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the Brussels sprouts, then give them a stir and continue cooking them on the stove for an additional 6-8 minutes.
- Add the apple juice and maple syrup to the skillet, toss the Brussels sprouts and continue cooking on the stove for an additional 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cooked, chopped bacon back to the skillet with the Brussels sprouts, stir to combine, then serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- While a cast-iron skillet is recommended, it’s not required. I do recommend using the heaviest skillet you have on hand, for even crisp cooking of the Brussels sprouts.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- This recipe serves 4 as a side dish, but can easily be altered to serve 8, 12 or 16! Simply hover over the 2X button above. The ingredients in the recipe card will automatically update to double the recipe.
Nutrition Facts
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One Comment on “Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts”
So delicious! To make a meal or loaded version I add a little extra bacon then garlic on the second bake. Then goat cheese, balsamic glaze & a seed/nut/ dried cranberry mix at the end.