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Home » Recipes » Vegetables and Sides

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Published: Nov 16, 2022 by Marisa Franca

Jump to Recipe
Pinterest image with title overlay of Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries.

Look no further than these simple balsamic caramelized Brussels Sprouts if you're looking for a delicious and healthy side dish that tastes like a million dollars!

This recipe is easy to follow, and the end result is a tasty, nutty flavored, nutritious side dish that everyone will love. So give these roasted Brussel sprouts a try today!

A large bowl of Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with bacon, pecans, and cranberries with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Caramelized Brussels sprout salad adds a gorgeous colorful touch to our holiday dinner table.
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
  • 🛒 Ingredients
  • 🗒 Instructions
  • 🔪 Equipment
  • 🤔 FAQs
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 Tips
  • 📚 Variations
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 📗 Related Recipes
  • 🍽 Serve with
  • 📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
  • 📝 Recipe Card
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

  • This dish is packed with flavor, and the bacon gives it a nice salty crunch.
  • Plus, the caramelized Brussels sprouts with bacon is quick and easy to make.
  • It's a great side dish for your holiday dinner.

This delicious vegetable side will add color and flavor to your dinner table. The crisp and tender sprouts lend a crunch to the salad along with the toasted pecans and bacon, whereby the cranberries add a sweet contrast. This Brussels sprouts recipe is definitely a keeper.

🛒 Ingredients

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Image of the ingredients needed for making the holiday side dish of caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe with bacon and cranberries.

Note: The full list of this recipe ingredients with their amounts and options are listed in the recipe card below.

  • fresh Brussels sprouts
  • bacon slices
  • pecan -- whole and halves
  • dried cranberries
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • balsamic glaze or good quality balsamic vinegar

🗒 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

A Collage of the first four steps to making the holiday side dish of Brussels Sprouts recipe.
  1. Slice all Brussels sprouts in half.
  2. Arrange Brussels Sprouts cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the 400 °F for about 25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, flip them over for even caramelizing. The cut cut sides should be partially charred but not blackened.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add pecans in one layer. Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes in a 350 °F oven until they're golden.
  4. To rehydrate the cranberries, briefly soak them in hot water by bringing a small pot of water to a boil. Add the dried cranberries to a medium bowl and pour hot water over the cranberries and soak them for about 10 minutes. Drain.
Steps Five and Six to making the Holiday Vegetable side dish of Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with bacon.
  1. In a large bowl, combine the roasted Brussels sprouts, chopped cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and the soaked dried cranberries.
  2. Toss everything together. If desired, add an additional 1 Tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the salad and mix.
  3. Drizzle with 3 to 4 Tablespoons of your favorite balsamic glaze. (see notes for how to make your own)

🔪 Equipment

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

You’ll need the following items to make this Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe successfully.

  • rimmed baking sheets
  • parchment paper
  • aluminum foil
  • sharp knife
  • cutting board
  • mixing bowls
Caramelized Brussel Sprouts with bacon, pecans, and cranberries in a bowl with a spoon drizzling balsamic glaze over them.
A bit of tangy-sweet balsamic vinegar glaze is all that this Brussels sprouts salad needs as a dressing.

🤔 FAQs

These are the questions we are most frequently asked about making caramelized brussel sprouts with bacon.

Why are my Brussels sprouts not crispy?

If your Brussels are not crispy, that means that you didn't use enough oil when you roasted them. You want to make sure that they are well coated in oil before you roast them.

How do you get the bitterness out of roasted brussel sprouts?

A dash of salt is the best way to reduce the bitterness of brussel sprouts.

Should I soak brussel sprouts before roasting?

No, you don't need to soak the Brussels sprouts before you roast them.

Why do my cooked brussel sprouts taste bitter?

If you are using large Brussels they will be bitter, the smaller the Brussels sprout the less bitter they are.

What is correct Brussels sprout or Brussel sprout?

The correct spelling is Brussels sprout.

👩🏻‍🍳 Tips

  • Choose small Brussels sprouts so you get the best flavor possible.
  • Remove the outer leaves and slice them in half evenly before you roast them.
  • Make sure to lay them out on a single layer on your baking tray, so that they crisp up evenly.
  • When you are coating them in the oil, make sure to get the sprout evenly coated so that they crisp up nicely in the oven.

📚 Variations

  • You can add a touch of heat or spice to these by adding a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
  • If you are not a fan of cranberries you can leave them out or use raisins instead.
  • I used pecans because I enjoy their buttery flavor, but you could also use chopped walnuts instead.
A white bowl filled with a holiday vegetable side of Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries, pecans, and bacon.
This colorful crispy-crunchy salad might well become one of the most popular holiday dinner dishes on the menu.

🥫 Storage

These caramelized Brussels sprouts with bacon are best enjoyed right away. However, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up three days.

Reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes or in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes or until the brussel sprouts are warmed and crispy.

📗 Related Recipes

  • If you love delicious roasted vegetables, then next time you may want to give this Cheesy broccoli casserole recipe a try.
  • This Swiss Chard Gratin combines blanched chard smothered in a garlicky cream then baked with two kinds of cheese and covered in a blanket of buttery fresh homemade breadcrumbs. It's another delicious side dish for your holiday meal.
  • Do you love zucchini? Are you looking for a delicious way to prepare it? If so, oven-baked zucchini is definitely the recipe for you!

🍽 Serve with

  • Our Dry Aged Standing Rib Roast With Herb Rub is now a Christmas Eve family tradition. You won't regret making this holiday meal.
  • This Slow Cooker Green Beans recipe is quick to assemble, allowing you to get on with other meal preparations while the flavors intensify in the crockpot.
  • No Yeast Bread is an easy, no-fuss bread recipe that only calls for six ingredients and requires no kneading or rise time thanks to the use of baking powder!

📞 Chiacchierata (chat)

I love making a fresh and colorful side dish like this one for the holiday season. The flavors compliment turkey, lamb, or a meat roast. We've served this with venison and it was such a huge success. Everyone loved the buttery taste of the sprouts along with the sweet and tangy balsamic glaze.

Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!

A spoon holding a helping of Brussels Sprouts, pecans, bacon, and cranberries dressed with olive oil and balsamic glaze.
Brussels sprouts with bacon and cranberries pairs well with any holiday main course.

What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.

📝 Recipe Card

These Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries are crispy, and topped with a tangy balsamic glaze. They make the perfect side dish for family dinners or holiday meals.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

📖 Recipe

White bowl filled with Caramelized Brussel Sprouts glazed with balsamic vinegar and tossed with cranberries and toasted pecans.

Balsamic Glazed Caramelized Brussels Sprouts With Cranberries

The crispy Caramalized Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries are the perfect side dish for any family dinner or holiday meal. The tangy balsamic glaze brings out their natural sweetness, making them picky eater approved!
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: vegetable side
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 433kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • rimmed baking sheets
  • aluminum foil
  • Parchment paper
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients

  • 12 oz Brussels sprouts yellow leaves removes, ends trimmed
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 slices bacon cooked and chopped
  • 1 cup toasted pecans whole and pieces
  • ½ cup dried cranberries plumped in hot water (see instructions)
  • ¼ cup balsamic glaze
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

How to roast Brussels sprouts:

  • Preheat oven to 400 °F.
  • Slice all Brussels sprouts in half.
  • In a medium bowl, toss together halved Brussels sprouts, 2 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, and kosher salt until well coated.
  • Arrange Brussels Sprouts cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Roast in the 400 °F for about 25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, flip them over for even caramelizing. The cut cut sides should be partially charred but not blackened.

Cook the bacon in the oven:

  • Line a separate baking sheet with foil. Add the bacon slices in one layer. Bake in the preheated oven at 400 °F for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is done. You ca do it at the same time as roasting the Brussels sprouts.
  • Drain the bacon of fat and slice the bacon into small bites.

Toast the pecans:

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add pecans in one layer.
  • Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes in a 350 °F oven until they're golden.

Plump Dried Cranberries:

  • To rehydrate the cranberries, briefly soak them in hot water by bringing a small pot of water to a boil.
  • Add the dried cranberries to a medium bowl and pour hot water over the cranberries and soak them for about 10 minutes. Drain.

Putting it together:

  • In a large bowl, combine the roasted Brussels sprouts, chopped cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and the soaked dried cranberries.
  • Toss everything together. If desired, add an additional 1 Tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the salad and mix.
  • Drizzle with 3 to 4 Tablespoons of your favorite balsamic glaze. (see notes for how to make your own)

Notes

TIPS:
  • Choose small Brussels sprouts so you get the best flavor possible.
  • Remove the outer leaves and slice them in half evenly before you roast them.
  • Make sure to lay them out on a single layer on your baking tray, so that they crisp up evenly.
  • When you are coating them in the oil, make sure to get the sprout evenly coated so that they crisp up nicely in the oven.
STORAGE:
These caramelized Brussels sprouts with bacon are best enjoyed right away. However, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up three days.
Reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes or in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes or until the brussel sprouts are warmed and crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 663IU | Vitamin C: 73mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg

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    I’m Marisa Franca, a home chef, food writer, and photographer who believes that you can make gourmet quality food at home with simple seasonal ingredients. I’m passionate about family, food, friends, everything Italian, and happy endings.

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