Once you try these maple bacon Brussels sprouts, you’ll never cook them another way! With bacon, onion, maple syrup and sage this recipes comes together in under 30 minutes and is made on the stovetop so you can save room in your oven for your mains.
There aren’t too many dishes that I love as much as I love Brussels sprouts. I’d honestly be happy with a plate of them for dinner. I’ve cooked them in pretty much every way possible and my go-to method is on the stovetop, though I also enjoy making roasted Brussels sprouts in the oven.
Why this recipe works
The secret to this recipe is in how the Brussels sprouts are cooked. Instead of roasting in the oven (after all, you probably have a lot of other things going on in the oven ahem, Thanksgiving), they are cooked in a pan on the stovetop.
What this means is that they get seared and caramelized on the outside and steamed so that they are perfectly tender on the inside. Plus, they are ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredient notes
- I use bacon as it’s more affordable and easier to find, but pancetta would also be delicious. If you’re looking for a vegetarian version, you can leave out the bacon and proceed simply with the onions.
- I opt for the humble everyday yellow onion, but I’ve made this recipe with shallots before with great success.
- By cooking the bacon and onions in olive oil first, you’ll end up with extra flavour on the Brussels sprouts as they cook in the rendered bacon fat.
- Cinder vinegar, maple syrup and fresh sage get added right before serving, this helps to balance the flavours.
Expert tips
- When shopping, look for Brussels sprouts with tight, compact leaves that are bright green. Avoid any that are starting to turn yellow or have brown spots.
- When trimming, you may feel like you’re losing a lot of leaves. Don’t worry! You want the tender insides; you can discard the leaves that fall off (they’ll get mushy if you cook them in the pan), or cut down on food waste and make tasty Brussels sprouts chips.
- In this recipe, the Brussels sprouts get added to the pan with ¼ cup of water. This allows them to steam while also caramelizing on one side. Shake the pan frequently to ensure even cooking; they’ll end up browned on one side.
Frequently asked questions
Typically you’ll want to plan for about ⅓ of a pound of Brussels sprouts per person. This recipe serves four and calls for 1 ½ lbs so you may have a few leftovers!
Related recipes
If you’re looking for other ideas, roasting Brussels sprouts with chicken thighs and carrots on a sheet pan is an absolute winner of a weeknight dinner.
Maple bacon Brussels sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 slices of bacon, cut into ½″ pieces
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ lbs of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
Instructions
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add oil, bacon and onion. Cook stirring frequently until onions are slightly browned and bacon is fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add Brussels sprouts and ¼ cup of water. Cover and cook for 7-9 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to ensure even cooking. Brussels sprouts should caramelize and brown on one side.
- Add bacon and onions back to pan, season with salt and continue cooking for another minute.
- Remove from heat, stir in apple cider vinegar and scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in maple syrup and sage.
Shirley Clements