This brown sugar bacon brussels sprouts recipe will make anyone a believer in this amazing vegetable! The best brussels sprouts recipes are all about sautéing or roasting, NOT boiling. That’s the secret!
Brussels sprouts. We need to talk. My poor, neglected vegetable friend. Don’t listen to what others say about you sometimes. They clearly haven’t tried these brown sugar bacon brussels sprouts.
They just don’t understand what it’s like to be you. You’re unique and delicate. You should only be prepared in certain ways and sadly… there are many home cooks out there who don’t understand your special needs.
People have been cooking you incorrectly for generations.
No vegetable likes to be boiled in plain water and I don’t see why anyone would think you’re any different! Water makes you soggy and, oddly enough, makes you smell and taste rather sulfurous.
It’s ok, like I said you’re unique. You don’t HAVE to smell bad. Just stay away from the water and make sure other people don’t submerge you.
You like high heat in the form of a 425-450 degree F oven or a hot sauté pan. Some olive oil or bacon fat to help get you all nice and caramelized. Maybe a bit of salt to bring out your finer qualities.
And when I get my hands on you, you get the works. Brown sugar, bacon, and a bit of balsamic vinegar. My darling, you’ve never tasted better.
Looking for more brussels sprouts recipes?
You definitely don’t want to miss my Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts! These Brussels Sprouts Chips from All Day I Dream About Food are also pretty amazing.
Brown Sugar Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 cups brussels sprouts
- 5 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2-4 tablespoons brown sugar (dark or light, though I prefer dark brown sugar)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper as needed
Instructions
- Cut off the root ends of the brussels sprouts and pull off any old outer leaves. Slice them in half.
- In a large skillet, render the fat from the bacon over low to medium-low heat. Once the fat has mostly melted down, turn up the heat and brown until caramelized and crunchy. Set aside to drain on a paper towel. Remove all but two tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan.
- In the same skillet, add the brussels and allow them to caramelize on one side. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, using a spatula to scrape up any brown bits and incorporate them with the brussels. Continue to saute the brussels on high heat for a few minutes, shaking the pan, until they have softened up a bit. Add the bacon back to the pan along with 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved and is evenly coating the brussels sprouts.
- Taste; add the remaining brown sugar if desired, allowing it to dissolve before removing the pan from the heat. Add kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. (Note: you might not need any salt because of the bacon).
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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Really yummy but a little too sweet for my taste. I think I’ll cut the brown sugar down to 1 TB next time and maybe the balsamic too. I saw the blue cheese recommendation and that sounds amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
I could not be happier about finding this recipe! Your instructions are easy to follow. I enjoyed a similar dish at The Grey Market in Savannah years ago. We just grew brussel sprouts for the first time this year and this is how we celebrated our first pickings! SO GOOD!!!! Thank you!