Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Honey
Easy sautéed brussels sprouts will have you begging to eat your vegetables. If you’ve only had mushy bitter brussels sprouts, I’m about to change your life. These are cooked in a skillet leaving them firm, charred, caramelized, and tasty. They’re delicious for dinner party menus and holiday meals.
This recipe is simple to make and even if you’re hosting, it only takes a few minutes of active cooking. You can still chat with guests as you give them a stir a few times.
This side dish recipe pairs well with any protein entree, making it a good option for dinner party menus and holiday meals. We eat these almost once a week with salmon.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh brussels sprouts. Make sure they’re clean; we usually buy them pre-bagged and ready to use. Cut the stem end off and remove the outer layer of leaves. If you need to rinse them make sure you pat them dry before adding them to a pan of hot oil or they will splatter.
- Bacon. Cook the bacon until crisp. You can do this earlier in the day to save time. Just make sure you save the drippings.
- Butter. While this is optional, it does add richness and another layer of flavor.
- Nuts. Chopped pecans are my favorite, but walnuts, pistachios, and even cashews taste great here. Lightly toast the nuts before using, to bring out their flavor and texture, and wait to add them once your ready to serve so they don’t soften from the heat of the pan.
- Honey. The balance of sweet and savory is fantastic. Substitute with real maple syrup or balsamic glaze.
Quick Tip
Make this vegan-friendly by eliminating the bacon (use olive oil to cook), and use maple syrup instead of honey. You can serve bacon on the side for other guests to add.
Tips & Tricks
If you have a cast iron skillet, it works well for this recipe. It’s heavy and distributes heat well, giving you that crust you want on the vegetables.
Cook the bacon and toast the nuts the morning of your dinner party. That way they’re all ready to go.
Prep the brussels sprouts hours ahead of using so they’re ready to add to the pan when you’re ready to cook.
When you’re hosting guests, step away to cook these on the stove about 15 minutes before you’re ready to sit down to dinner. Better yet, invite a few guests to stand around the island or in the kitchen with you while you cook. Make sure they have their glass of wine in hand!
What To Serve It With
Dinner Party: Serve these alongside salmon with red pepper coulis and add fruit & nut wild rice pilaf on the side.
Thanksgiving and Christmas: They are easy to prepare and go great with slow cooker turkey breast for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Easter: These can also accompany lamb and goat cheese polenta for a rustic supper club meal or Easter menu.
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Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon recipe
An easy skillet side dish recipe that's elegant and rustic. Brussels sprouts combine with bacon and honey for a flavor combination perfect for weeknight supper, dinner parties and holidays.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh Brussels Sprouts
- 5 slices bacon cooked crisp; Reserve the drippings
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or pistachios)
- honey (or real maple syrup)
Instructions
- Cut off stem ends, remove any loose leaves, and slice in half lengthwise.
- Use a large heavy skillet to cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon and reserve the drippings in the pan.
- Increase heat to medium and add butter if desired and let it melt. Add brussels sprouts and toss in pan to coat. Flip them as best you can so the cut side is face down. Let cook undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes or until the bottom starts to develop and brown, caramelized char.
- Give the brussels sprouts a good stir and continue to cook for 6-10 minutes, STIRRING OFTEN until tender and lightly charred. Do Not Over Cook. Pierce the vegetables with a fork. They should be tender but firm.
- Season the brussels sprouts with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon and chopped nuts.
- Drizzle honey lightly over brussels sprouts and serve.
Notes
The exact cooking time will depend on how large your brussels sprouts are. If you need to, you can put a lid on the pan for 2 minutes to help cook through. Not too long though, or they won't have the crusty texture.
Toast the pecans or walnuts before adding them. Heat in the oven at 375 degrees for about 5 - 7 minutes. No need to toast pistachios.
My husband loves brussel sprouts and my kids love bacon. I am thinking this is a dish the entire family can enjoy! It looks so delicious. I think I will try it this week!
Well now that you added bacon….
Exactly! 😉
I make these all the time and everyone loves them. I boil mine first for only about 5 minutes to soften them up and I use proscutto instead of bacon. Last of all I brown them in olive oil instead of butter to make them a little healthier and still tastes great. Love the idea of drizzling honey on them, yum!
Great tips!