This roasted Brussels sprouts recipe with bacon and balsamic will be the talk of the table. It’s an easy side dish made with just 7 ingredients. The combination of crispy garlicky Brussels sprouts, balsamic, bacon, tart cranberries, toasted pecans, and melty feta cheese is simply heavenly!
Recipe Highlights
This is a recipe you’ll want to make more than once a year. The combination of savory (garlic, bacon, and feta) and sweet (balsamic glaze and dried cranberries) makes for the most delicious blend of flavor.
They make a scrumptious Christmas addition or a tasty side dish to add veggies to any meal this time of year. Bonus: It’s an easy recipe that you can throw together in a cook time of 15 minutes!
Ingredients To Make Balsamic Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
- Brussels sprouts – You’ll need about 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts. Trimmed and halved or quartered.
- Garlic cloves – Minced or pressed. I like to use a garlic press to squeeze out the flavor.
- Olive oil or avocado oil – We like extra virgin olive oil from Primal Kitchen Foods.
- Balsamic vinegar – Adds so much flavor and caramelization. You can mix half balsamic and half maple syrup to cut the acidity to your preferred taste if desired.
- Bacon – Cooked to a crisp and chopped.
- Pecans – Toasted to perfection to add a nice crunch.
- Dried cranberries – Adds tartness. Pomegranate seeds would also make for a tasty addition in place of the cranberries.
- Feta cheese – Soft goat cheese like chevre would also be incredibly tasty. If you’re not into soft cheeses, top with shaved parmesan cheese. Feel free to omit the cheese altogether to make this recipe dairy-free and Whole30-friendly.
- Sea salt and black pepper
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How To Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts And Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cook and chop your bacon and set aside.
- Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts, slicing them into halves or quarters depending on how large they are.
- Toss the raw Brussels sprouts together with oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper to evenly coat the Brussels sprouts.
- Arrange Brussels in a single layer on a large rimmed sheet pan and roast for 20-25 minutes until tender. Don’t worry about placing the flat side down; they’ll roast well in any direction.
- Toss the roasted Brussels in a large bowl with pecans, bacon, and cranberries. Top with feta and serve!
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Prep Ahead
There are several steps you can take to cut your day-of prep time by working ahead the night before. The steps are as follows:
- Wash, trim, and halve the Brussels sprouts, toss to coat with the oil and garlic, and place in a container or large zip-top bag
- Cook the bacon and chop it
- Toast the pecans
How to toast pecans to perfection: Place the pecans in a small pan over medium-low heat. Toss the nuts every minute or so. After about 5-7 minutes, you’ll notice the nuts will start to give off a beautiful, nutty aroma. This is a good indicator that they are done.
Now all you have left to do is roast the Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes and combine the remaining ingredients after roasting.
How To Store the Leftovers
If you’re lucky enough to have any of last night’s roasted Brussels sprouts left, they make for scrumptious leftovers! I love to serve them on a big harvest salad with a leftover protein like turkey or roast chicken.
To store leftovers, simply place them in a glass storage container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat or serve cold.
Entrées That Pair Well With Roasted Brussel Sprouts
I like to keep the rest of the meal simple when I serve these crispy oven-roasted Brussels sprouts so that they can be the highlight of the meal. This recipe will make anyone love Brussels sprouts!
My favorite way to serve these is with a juicy pork chop or tenderloin and a baked sweet potato. If you want some more ideas for proteins that this recipe would go along with, check out these recipes:
- Balsamic Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
- Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs
- One-Pan Pork Loin
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Should Brussels sprouts be dry before roasting?
Is it better to cut Brussels sprouts before roasting?
How do you know when Brussels sprouts are roasted?
What if Brussels sprouts are overcooked?
Do I have to roast Brussels on parchment paper?
Can I cook Brussels in the air fryer?
What are the nutritional benefits of Brussels sprouts?
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic
Whip up this blend of perfectly roasted garlicky Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, tangy balsamic vinegar, tart cranberries, toasted pecans, and lusciously melted feta cheese. This easy-to-make side is perfect to serve on a holiday menu or just a normal weeknight dinner with the family.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. Brussels sprouts
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and chopped
- ¾ cup pecan halves, toasted*
- ½ cup dried cranberries (we like these dried cranberries without added sugar; may substitute pomegranate seeds)
- ¼ cup feta cheese (may substitute goat cheese or omit entirely for Whole30 and/or dairy-free)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Wash and trim Brussels sprouts.
- Slice them in half from top to bottom or quarter if they’re large.
- Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the oil mixture with raw sliced Brussels sprouts.
- Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
- Toss with pecans, bacon, and cranberries.
- Top with feta. Serve warm.
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Notes
To toast the pecans: In a small skillet over medium-low heat, add the pecans and toss every minute or so for about 5-7 minutes or until pecans give off a nutty aroma. Watch closely, as they can burn easily.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/10 of recipe (~1/2 cup)
- Calories: 171
- Fat: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Carbohydrate: 13g
- (Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 6g)
- Protein: 5g
Dietary
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I have the sprouts in the plastic bag with the marinade the night before. Should I refrigerate them until I roast them the next morning?
Hi Sandy, yes we recommend marinating them in the refrigerator.
Best brussels sprouts recipe. So good!
Can this recipe be made the day before ? Maybe minus the feta , cranberries and nuts? Maybe mix them in when reheated ?
Hi Jill, yes you could prepare this recipe in advance in two ways: 1) you could prep the brussels and store them in a container in the fridge and then separately prep and store the oil-vinegar-spices mixture in a container. Then all you’d have left to do is toss them together and roast the brussels for 20 minutes, then toss with the feta, cranberries, and nuts. Or 2) roast the brussels with the oil-vinegar-spice mixture the day before. Then reheat these in a roasting pan or on the stovetop before tossing with the feta, cranberries, nuts. This second method would probably only save you about 5 minutes in the end, since this is a quick-roasting recipe.
comes together quickly…so much flavor. love the combo! used as a side with our new york strip steak. yum!
Sounds scrumptious, Tara!