You truly can’t go wrong with this combination of brussel sprouts with bacon and maple syrup. No one will guess that this easy side dish took under 20 minutes to whip up thanks to its bold flavors and beautiful presentation. If you’re feeling inspired, try out our roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta recipe! Either one would be amazing at Thanksgiving dinner or as a weeknight dinner side dish.
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Table of Contents
If you love brussel sprouts as much as we do, you definitely need to try our crispy Parmesan Brussel Sprouts!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- fresh brussels sprouts – Remove the dirty outer leaves, slice of the stem and then halve.
- olive oil – Toss the brussel sprouts in this before roasting to keep them moist.
- thick-cut bacon – Because we want you to be able to taste the bacon in every bite!
- fresh garlic – A perfect aromatic ingredient to compliments the sweet and savory flavors.
- lemon zest – Helps to brighten all the flavors.
- pure maple syrup – Pick up your favorite store bought brand or use homemade!
How To Make Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts
Prep your brussel sprouts by removing the ends and the outer layer of leaves. Then halve each sprout and place them all in a large bowl to be drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.
Next, cut your bacon into small pieces while your large skillet is coming to medium-high heat. Then add the bacon chunks and move them around the pan until they are fully cooked and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon onto a paper plate lined with paper towels.
Save about 2-3 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat from the pan and then toss the rest. Now add the brussel sprouts to the pan and move them around to let them soak up that bacon fat and crisp up a bit. This should take around 8 minutes.
Then add in the garlic and lemon zest and toss to combine. Cook everything for another 1-2 minutes.
Finally add in the crispy bacon and then add a drizzle of maple syrup. Toss everything together to ensure those awesome flavors get combined. Then taste and adjust the sweetness or seasonings as needed.
What To Serve With Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts
For best results, serve this healthy side dish immediately and enjoy!
- We love this along side a main dish of cedar plank salmon, oven baked tilapia, or our cast iron flank steak.
- And if you’re looking for some tasty starch options, look no further than our easy oven baked potato, easy herbed potatoes, or our ultimate mashed sweet potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
Avoid large brussel sprouts, as we’ve found these to be less tender than the little guys.
Don’t worry, this won’t taste lemony. The zest just adds a subtle bit of citrus to help round out the flavors.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Other Brussel Sprout Recipes You Might Like
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Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Maple Syrup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
A maple bacon brussel sprout recipe that is the perfect side dish for any meal! Made with real, simple ingredients and packed with flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds brussel sprouts, halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1–2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Prep the brussel sprouts by remove the end, removing the outer layer and then halving each one. Place them in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Massage oil into brussel sprouts. Prep the bacon by cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
- Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add bacon and move around pan until it is fully cooked and the fat has rendered. Remove bacon pieces with slotted spoon and place on a paper-towel lined plate. Set aside.
- Leave 2-3 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat in the pan, discard the rest.
- Ensure cast iron skillet is at medium-high heat. Add brussel sprouts. Move around and let them crisp up a bit, approx. 8 minutes. Add in garlic and lemon zest – toss to combine. Let cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Drizzle with maple syrup (start with 1 tablespoon) and add cooked bacon pieces back in. Toss to combine and then taste. Add additional maple syrup (or kosher salt), as desired.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Brussel Sprouts: try and use brussel sprouts that aren’t too big – I find those are the ones that tend to get mushy and/or just don’t cook up as well!
- Lemon Zest: we don’t need much here, just a bit to round out the flavors with a bit of acidity!
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz.
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 3.4 g
- Sodium: 244.4 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.7 g
- Protein: 5.9 g
- Cholesterol: 8.5 mg
Amanda Williams Williams says
SO good!!!
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed this one, Amanda!
Jackie says
Made this for Thanksgiving. Super easy and tasteful
Erin says
Thanks, Jackie! So happy to hear that! And thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review – I really appreciate it!