Name: Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cups Brussels sprouts (cut in half (about 25)); 4 slices bacon (cut into small cubes); 1/2 teaspoon salt; freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon dried cranberries; 1 tablespoon Balsamic reduction; 1 tablespoon parsley (fresh, chopped)

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Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon is a perfect side dish for any Holiday meals. It can be done in just 20 minutes while your turkey is out of the oven and resting.

Even Skeptics will love these Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

This Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon will convert any skeptic into a happy brussels sprouts eater for sure! I know this because my husband is the worst when it comes to “cabbage-like” vegetables. It needs to be done well and it involves copious amounts of bacon.

These brussels sprouts are roasted with bacon in the same sheet pan for 20 minutes, then drizzled with a balsamic reduction, and finally sprinkled with dried cranberries and parsley. You’ll find that the sprouts come out crunchy and slightly browned. There is no mushy-mush involved (which is also key for your resident skeptic).

I’ll be totally honest here….I despised brussels sprouts when I was a kid. In hindsight, I now know that the reason behind it was exactly the same as the reason why I hated cauliflower, which btw I cannot live without right now (check out these recipes for affirmation: Whole Roasted Cauliflower Mediterranean Style, Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Smoked Paprika & Coconut Milk or Cauliflower Pasta Bake with Brie & Fontina).

I don’t know why it is, but in Poland, it seems that all the vegetables were OVERCOOKED. So both the cauliflower and brussels sprouts were a total uneatable mush. I’m sorry Polish cuisine; I love you, but here we differ. I do not like mush! Perhaps I’ll rethink this preference when I turn 90.

Ina Garten’s inspiration for Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Apologies, that was a bit of tangent. Coming back to my dish. Here you’ll find that the bacon bits are salty and crunchy as well. Then the sweet balsamic glaze brings the whole dish together. I added an extra sweetness from dried cranberries, just because I like them, and freshness from the parsley to brighten up the dish. At this point, my husband is actually excited when I make them. Can you believe that?

This dish was inspired by Ina Garten Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts. She made hers with pancetta and thick balsamic. But I love my Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze. It is super delicious and I don’t have to dirty any pots for reducing the balsamic. But if you can’t find a store-bought Balsamic Reduction, just heat up 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and reduce in half until thick and sticks to the spoon.

Ina also used extra olive oil for roasting the sprouts with pancetta, but I skipped this step as the bacon produces enough fat.

Ingredients needed for this roasted Brussels sprouts dish

To make these balsamic brussels sprouts, you will only need a few, simple ingredients for this dish:

Brussels sprouts;
Bacon;
Dried cranberries;
Parsley; &
Balsamic reduction

What to serve these Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with

This Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. For the Holidays, I would suggest serving them either along my:

Maple Mustard Glazed Turkey (I make it every year for Thanksgiving and it is always a hit!); or
Fall Harvest Turkey Breast; or even my
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast;

And for accompanying side dishes try:

Dill Mashed Potatoes with Brown Butter; or my
Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Candid Pecans; or
Sourdough Mushroom Leeks and Bacon Stuffing; or
Check my favorite Thanksgiving recipes.

There you go – I guarantee you’re going to have an epic Thanksgiving Day feast and a very satisfied family 🙂 Trust me on that! I’m so excited that the Holidays season is here.

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