Caramelized Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Crispy Bacon for the Best Sprouts

This simple caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe makes melt-in-the-mouth browned Brussels sprouts with crispy bacon for the best Brussels sprouts ever. Made in thirty minutes, the Brussels sprouts are thrice cooked – boiled until tender, wok-fried in bacon fat until almost charred, then simply seasoned and roasted with crispy bacon. They make a perfect side for roast chicken.

Our easy caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe is proof you don’t need a long list of ingredients to make addictively delicious Brussels sprouts, just time. The recipe makes a simple yet sublime vegetable side for dishes such as our braised lemon-garlic chicken recipe, Italian roast chicken recipe with peppers and leeks, and Spanish style braised chicken with olives and capers, especially if you’re doing a gravy or jus that can be doused over them.

These caramelized Brussels sprouts are also brilliant with pan-roasted brined pork chops, côte de bœuf or chicken cacciatore. If you’re feeding a crowd, add another two or three vegetable side dishes, such as crunchy Hassleback potatoes or creamy mashed potatoes, Italian green beans with a pangrattato of crunchy breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, or roasted broccoli, zucchini and green beans with sesame seeds.

Trust me on this: I’m saying this as someone who eats absolutely everything, but loathed Brussels sprouts for most of her life – until we tasted the roasted Brussels sprouts by Australian chef Paul Wilson in Melbourne, which were the inspiration for these babies. More about that story below.

Because before I tell you about this caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe, I have a favour to ask. Grantourismo is reader-supported. If you’ve enjoyed our recipes, please consider supporting Grantourismo by buying something on Amazon, such as classic cookbooks for serious cooks, cookbooks for culinary travellers or cookbooks by Australian chefs; or buying a handcrafted KROK, the best mortar and pestle ever. Now let me tell you more about this caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Crispy Bacon for the Best Brussels Sprouts

This easy caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe will seriously make you the best ever Brussels sprouts with crispy bacon and it’s so incredibly simple. And, as I said, above, this statement is coming from someone who hated Brussels sprouts. I eat everything and I ate everything as a child, too. Well, almost everything – everything except Brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts were the only vegetable my father practically had to force me to eat. Dad wouldn’t let me leave the dinner table until I’d eaten every single one. That was because he said Brussels sprouts were good for me. Dad adored the things. And Dad was right. Brussels sprouts are healthy.

According to the experts, it’s true. Cousins of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and bok choy – they’re all members of the cruciferous vegetable family – Brussels sprouts are what nutritionists, call a ‘nutrient powerhouse’, packed with vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre and antioxidants.

While I love Brussels sprouts now, I couldn’t eat them until we sampled savoured the roasted Brussels sprouts by chef Paul Wilson in Melbourne, when we were back home in Australia some years ago working on magazine stories on Australian food and restaurants, while catching up with family and friends.

Chef Paul Wilson was one of the culinary forces responsible for the renaissance of the great Australian pub counter meal in Melbourne – a revival of traditional counter meals, such as succulent pork roasts and hearty meat pies, made with fresh, local, seasonal Australian produce, and an attitude that celebrated the classics rather than deconstruct them.

It was while enjoying the traditional Sunday lunch at The Middle Park Hotel, one of the chef’s pubs at the time, that we got to taste Paul Wilson’s sublime caramelised Brussels sprouts. When we interviewed the chef for our Australian food story a couple of days later, we asked him what his secret was: quality olive oil, bacon fat, and thrice cooking – boiling, frying and roasting – until caramelized. Simple as that.

And before anyone directs me to the countless Brussels sprouts recipes out there – or brussel sprouts recipes, as I keep seeing – I dislike all those recipes for Brussels sprouts with maple syrup as much as I used to dislike Brussels sprouts themselves. They’re too sickly sweet to my taste, although I have sprinkled a pinch of sugar along with salt on these babies.

A note on caramelization before I share some tips to making these Brussels sprouts. ‘Caramelization’ is often misused these days, in place of ‘browning’, as browning has more of a negative connotation I guess. I tend to think of bad apples and pears with big brown spots.

In Michael Ruhlman’s wonderful book The Elements of Cooking, he describes caramelization as what happens when sugar molecules get hot, decompose and form new compounds. He says that while we have a tendency to describe the browning and sweetening of vegetables such as onions as caramelization, that’s actually the result of Maillard browning, the reaction of proteins and carbohydrates to heat. My recipe does call for a little sprinkle of sugar, even if it’s after the first stage of browning.

Just a few tips to making this caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe.

Tips to Making this Caramelized Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Crispy Bacon

I only have a few tips for making this simple caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe as it really is very simple. Although you’re going to thrice cook these Brussels sprouts, each stage is easy and only takes ten minutes, more or less, so you can also be making these sprouts while you’ve got a chicken in the oven.

Firstly, over high heat, you’ll need to bring a medium-sized pot of salted boiling water to a rolling boil (a pinch of salt is sufficient), then slide your Brussels sprouts into the pot and boil them for 10 minutes until tender.

Note: if you prefer your Brussels sprouts on the firmer side so they still have some bite, you could always skip the boiling stage and simply blanch them. Put the Brussels sprouts into a strainer with handle or deep-fry basket, and when the water is at a rolling boil plunge them into the boiling water for a minute. The Brussel sprouts will be a brighter green if that’s important.

Whatever method you choose, make sure to drain the Brussels sprouts well in a fine mesh strainer. For caramelized Brussels sprouts, they must be dry when they go into the wok or fry pan, so if needed, pat the sprouts down with paper kitchen towels or a clean cotton tea towel, so they’re completely dry.

Transfer the Brussels sprouts to a cutting board and chop each one in half, through the centre of their small stubby stalks so that they don’t fall apart.

Before you move onto the next stage, make sure to turn your oven on to 220°C or 430°F.

Next, in a frying pan, skillet or wok over high heat (I prefer a wok), heat one tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering, then fry the chopped bacon for a minute or two until cooked, browning and even a little crispy, but note that you don’t need super-crispy bacon yet, as it will crisp up in the oven during the final stage.

Push the bacon to the side or if it’s already crisping up transfer it to a small dish, taking care not to lose your now bacon-infused olive oil, as you want to cook your Brussels sprouts in that bacon fat.

Lay the Brussels sprouts face down on their flat side in the bacon fat, taking care not to burn your fingers, and fry the sprouts for 8-10 minutes, by which time you should have some nice caramelized Brussels sprouts that are brown and even charred in bits.

Now, coat an oven tray with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, transfer the bacon and Brussels sprouts to the tray, using tongs to turn them face up this time. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pinch of sugar evenly onto the Brussels sprouts then slide the tray into the oven for another 10 minutes.

Transfer your caramelized Brussels sprouts and crispy bacon to a bowl and serve piping hot. If you’re not ready to call your guests to the dinner table yet, keep the Brussels sprouts in the oven on low heat until you are.

While I can happily tuck into a whole plate of these Brussels sprouts straight out of the oven just as they are (which would make Dad happy), if you’ve got guests over, provide a bottle of extra virgin olive oil on the table, along with dishes of lemon wedges, cracked black pepper, sea salt, and perhaps some chilli flakes.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Crispy Bacon

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Crispy Bacon

AuthorLara Dunston

This simple caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe makes melt-in-the-mouth browned Brussels sprouts with crispy bacon for the best Brussels sprouts ever. Thrice cooked – boiled until tender, wok-fried in bacon fat until brown and even charred, then simply seasoned and roasted with bacon – they can be served as is or further seasoned at the table.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Australian

Servings made with recipeServings 2

Calories 284 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• 300 g Brussels sprouts - trimmed, outer leaves removed (around 20)
• 2 tbsp olive oil - divided
• 2 bacon rashers - finely chopped
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

 

• Bring a medium-sized pot of salted boiling water over high heat to a rolling boil, then boil the Brussels sprouts for 10 minutes or so until tender yet still firm. Drain them well in a colander.
• Transfer the Brussels sprouts to a cutting board and chop each one in half through its stalk so they don’t fall apart. If needed, pat the sprouts down with a paper kitchen towel so they’re dry.
• Heat the oven to 220°C (430°F).
• In a wok or fry pan on high heat, heat one tablespoon of olive oil, fry the chopped bacon for a minute, push the bacon to the side or if it’s already crisping up transfer it to a small dish, taking care not to lose the bacon fat.
• Lay the Brussels sprouts face down on their flat side in the bacon fat, taking care not to burn your fingers, and fry the sprouts for 8-10 minutes, by which time they should be nice and brown, even charred in bits.
• Coat an oven tray with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, transfer the bacon and Brussels sprouts to the tray, using tongs to turn them face up this time. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pinch of sugar evenly onto the Brussels sprouts then slide the tray into the oven for another 10 minutes.
• Transfer the Brussels sprouts and bacon to a bowl and serve hot. If not ready to serve yet, keep them in the oven on low heat until you are. Serve with freshly ground black pepper, sea salt, lemon quarters, even chilli flakes; you could also drizzle a little more extra virgin olive oil over the sprouts.

Notes

To serve: sea salt, freshly ground pepper, lemon wedges, extra virgin olive oil

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 8gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 203mgPotassium: 627mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1139IUVitamin C: 128mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 2mg

Please do let us know in the comments below if you make our caramelized Brussels sprouts recipe as we love hearing how our recipes turn out for you.