- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Get My 10 Holiday Sides with Serious Swagger
- How to Make Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- The Maple Syrup That Makes the Difference
- The Sheet Pan I L❤️VE!
- Oops! What Did I Do Wrong?!
- FAQs
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic Glaze Recipe
- What to Serve with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- More Brussels Sprouts Recipes
How these Brussels sprouts finally got restaurant-crispy at home
I ALWAYS ordered Brussels sprouts if they were ever on a menu.
For some reason, I could never get mine to come out quite as crispy or flavorful at home as they did in the restaurants. That is, until I came up with this Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts recipe you’ll find below.
It starts by making sure the sprouts are the perfect size so they don’t get over- or undercooked. Then the oven has to be hot, and the pan needs to sit undisturbed long enough for the cut edges to brown.
Then, the sauce, a sweet and tangy mix of maple syrup, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar. (Yes! Both types of sugars are a must for maximum flavor!)
Most versions of this have you cook the bacon in a skillet first and reduce the balsamic separately. Mine skips both, so everything goes onto one sheet pan raw and caramelizes together in the oven.
This is the best side dish for any weeknight dinner or even a Thanksgiving or Christmas dish! And picky eaters will devour these simple roasted sprouts, too.
If you like this combo, my Maple Bacon Shredded Brussels Sprouts take the same flavors in a completely different direction. But when the oven’s already on, this sheet pan version is the one I reach for.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Brussels sprouts: Look for ones that aren’t brown or wilted, and pull off any loose outer leaves. Halve anything medium or large so every piece cooks at the same rate.
- Bacon: Thin or thick cut both work, and the thickness is what decides how crisp it gets. Turkey bacon is fine if that’s what you have, though the texture won’t be quite the same.
- Butter or oil: Either one works here, and olive oil or avocado oil are both easy swaps.
- Balsamic vinegar: Go for a good quality bottle, since a lot of that tangy flavor comes straight through. If you’re out, here are my balsamic vinegar substitutes.
- Maple syrup and brown sugar: You really do want both. The maple brings the flavor and the brown sugar is what gives you those sticky caramelized edges, though honey can stand in for the maple.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is key to really getting that rich flavor the whole family will love.
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How to Make Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Prep the bacon and sprouts.
Cut the bacon in half lengthwise first, then slice it into pieces no more than half an inch thick. Trim the ends off the sprouts and halve any that are medium or larger, leaving the small ones whole.
Toss everything in the balsamic glaze.
Whisk the oil, vinegar, maple syrup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Add the sprouts and toss gently with a spatula until every piece is coated.
The Maple Syrup That Makes the Difference
I always use Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup for this recipe. The darker the grade, the bolder the maple flavor, and that’s what you want when you’re trying to recreate that Quaker taste from scratch.
Spread it out on one sheet pan.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the coated sprouts on (a baker’s half sheet should hold all of them). Spread them into a single layer so none are touching, then scatter the bacon pieces all around.
The Sheet Pan I L❤️VE!
Your veggies will end up steaming instead of roasting if you overcrowd the pan. So my tip… use the largest sheet pan you have and spread everything out!
Roast until the edges caramelize.
Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. They’re done when the bacon is crispy and the biggest sprout pierces easily with a fork.
The trick to extra crispy sprouts
High heat, and a pan you don’t touch. The longer a cut edge stays flat against the hot pan, the CRISPIER that side gets, so give them one flip at the halfway mark and otherwise leave them alone.
Crowding is the other thing that gets people. Sprouts that touch each other steam instead of roast, so use two pans before you pile everything onto one.
Oops! What Did I Do Wrong?!
My sprouts are burnt outside but still hard in the middle. They were probably too big to roast whole, or cut unevenly. Halve anything bigger than about three-quarters of an inch so every piece finishes at the same time.
They came out soft instead of crispy. Nine times out of ten the pan was crowded. Sprouts that touch each other steam instead of roast, so spread them into a real single layer or split them between two pans.
The glaze looks really dark on the pan. Some deep caramelization is exactly what you want from the maple and brown sugar. If it’s going past that before the sprouts are tender, your oven may run hot, so check them at 18 minutes next time.
My bacon isn’t crispy. Thick cut bacon needs longer than the sprouts do. Slice it thinner next time, or pull the sprouts out and give the bacon a few extra minutes on its own.
FAQs
Both work, and they give you two different results. Tossing the balsamic on before roasting, which is what this recipe does, lets it cook down into a sticky glaze right on the sprouts. Drizzling it on after keeps the vinegar sharper and brighter instead.
You don’t have to. Chopped raw bacon roasts right alongside the sprouts on the same sheet pan and crisps up in the same 20 to 25 minutes, which saves you a skillet and the extra cleanup. Just cut it no thicker than half an inch so it finishes when the sprouts do.
High heat and a pan you leave alone. Roasting at 425 degrees with the cut sides flat against the pan is what browns the edges, and the longer they sit undisturbed the crispier they get. Crowding is the thing that ruins it, so keep them in a single layer with space between.
Start with fresh sprouts that aren’t browning or wilted, pull off the outer leaves, and roast them instead of boiling. The maple syrup and brown sugar help too, since a little sweetness caramelizes in the oven and balances out any bitter edge.
Fresh is the way to go for this one. Frozen sprouts release too much water in the oven, so they steam instead of roasting and you never get the crispy edges or the sticky glaze.
Seal leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. These will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, but the crispy edges do not survive it and they thaw out soft. Fridge leftovers are the better call.
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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic Glaze Recipe
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Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Parchment Paper Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts
- 4 ounces bacon about 4-5 slices
- 2 tablespoons oil or butter
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar good quality
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup sugar, or honey
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar or more maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut the Bacon: Slice the pieces of bacon in half length-wise and then cut into pieces no more than ½-inch thick.4 ounces bacon
- Prepare the Brussels Sprouts: Cut and remove the ends from all of the sprouts. Slice in half if you have medium to large-sized sprouts, or keep whole if they’re smaller than ¾-inch.2 pounds Brussels sprouts
- Toss Sprouts in Sauce: Whisk together the oil, vinegar, maple syrup, sugar, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the sprouts and toss until they’re completely covered in the sauce.2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add to a Sheet Pan: Place the coated sprouts on a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet (a baker’s half sheet pan should fit them all!) or two smaller pans. Spread them out into a single layer. Sprinkle the pieces of bacon all around the sprouts.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. (This will depend largely on the size of your Brussels sprouts!) You’ll know they’re done when the bacon is crispy and the inside of the largest sprout pierces easily with a fork.
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Video
Notes
- Sprouts: Halve anything medium or large so every piece finishes at the same time, and leave sprouts under three-quarters of an inch whole.
- Temperature: The high heat is essential. Roast at 425 degrees and keep them in a single layer so they roast instead of steaming.
- Bacon: Raw chopped bacon goes right on the pan with the sprouts, so there’s no skillet to wash. Slice it no thicker than half an inch so it crisps in the same time, or leave it off if you prefer.
- Storage: Airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet or the oven to bring back the crispy edges.
- Freezing: Up to 3 months, but the crispy edges do not survive it and they thaw out soft.
- Extra saucy: Drizzle on a little balsamic glaze right before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to Serve with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
These are the side I make when the oven is already on for something else. They’re right at home next to Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin or a big pan of Cajun Cornbread Dressing on a holiday table.
For a regular weeknight, they go great with Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs or Honey Balsamic Chicken, since the balsamic in both ties the whole plate together.
And if you’re building out a bigger spread, Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese and Skillet Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes round it out nicely.
Want them extra saucy? Drizzle on some balsamic glaze right before serving.
