Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon are cooked in a cast iron skillet and then oven roasted until perfectly caramelized.  A few simple tips will teach you how to make this perfectly crisp vegetable recipe that will become your new favorite gluten-free, low-carb, and Paleo side dish!

Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

Brussel sprouts have always been my go-to side dish when eating out.

However, I have never been able to find a recipe for roasted sprouts that brown and crisp up perfectly.

Until recently…

I discovered a super quick and easy way to make perfectly crispy Brussels sprouts.

And it doesn’t require any deep frying or super naughty ingredients.

I know… I didn’t think it could be done either, but let me let you in on a little trick!

Best Way to Cook

There are so many ways to cook and prepare Brussels sprouts.

You can roast, sauté, steam, and shred.

Make salads and scrambles.

Cook them with onions and without.

And do you know what?  They all of these ways taste incredible, but I definitely have my favorite method.

The best way to cook is a combination technique that uses a cast iron skillet and then roasts them in the oven!

And it’s SO easy that even the most novice of home cooks can do it!

Ingredients

This recipe is simple to make and only requires a few easy-to-find ingredients.

• Brussels Sprouts – A 1-pound bag of sprouts can be located in the produce section at your grocery store.  Try to find the BAGS of sprouts, and not the kind still on the stalk.
• Bacon – If Paleo, use a Paleo-approved one such as the kind made by Butcher Box.
• Garlic – One clove of fresh, crushed garlic.
• Sugar – Coconut sugar is used to keep this recipe Paleo.  However, you can also use regular white sugar, turbinado sugar, or brown sugar.  If low-carb and keto, you can substitute with stevia powder.
• Salt and Pepper – Add as much or little of these as you would like!

You could also add a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or balsamic vinegar to change it up a bit!

Preparing

Before you start cooking and roasting, we need to trim and cut your sprouts.

First, buy a 1-pound bag of sprouts that are a similar size.

If they vary in size too drastically you will have a difficult time cooking them at a similar rate.

How to Trim and Cut:

1. Trim the stem end off of the sprouts.
2. Cut each trimmed Brussels sprout in half.
3. Remove any loose outer leaves before cooking.

Four Tips

There are four main components that I have found will give you that crisp texture you desire.

How to Make Them Crispy?

1. You must use some type of granulated sugar.  Maple syrup and honey taste great, but they will make the sprouts soggy!
   • Stevia powder will work great if you are on a low-carb or keto diet.
2. Use JUST the right amount of oil or butter.
   • Too much fat and the sprouts will get soggy.  Too little oil and they will burn.
3. A cast iron skillet is a MUST!
   • And a well-seasoned skillet is an even BIGGER must.
   • The slightly non-stick nature of a cast-iron skillet allows the sprouts to crisp up while also not sticking!
4. Laying the sprouts FACE-DOWN in that cast iron skillet is what gives your sprouts their magical crispiness.
   • The more surface area touching the skillet, the better.

How to Make

Now that the Brussels sprouts are trimmed and cut, it’s time to get to cooking and baking!

Recipe Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook bacon pieces in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until cooked through.
3. Remove bacon and reserve 3 tablespoons of grease.
4. Add crushed garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
5. Place Brussels sprouts CUT SIDE-DOWN into the pan.
   • Do not overlap any of the sprouts!
6. Sauté sprouts for 8-10 minutes or until the flat side becomes crispy.
7. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and coconut sugar and toss to coat.
8. Bake sprouts in the preheated oven for 7-10 minutes.

FAQs:

Are Brussels sprouts good for you?

Brussels sprouts are closely related to the Cabbage family.  They are relatively low in calories, but high in fiber, Vitamin K and Vitamin C.

When prepared without additional sugars, this vegetable is both keto and Whole30 diet approved.

Can I use a sheet pan instead?

If you do not have a cast iron skillet, feel free to use a sheet pan instead.

Cook the everything in a non-stick skillet and then transfer to the sheet pan.

Why are my sprouts mushy?

Brussels sprouts become mushy when they have been over cooked or too much oil has was used.

To get a crispy texture, roast them until just cooked and only use as much oil as necessary.

Can you cook them the day before serving?

You can cook Brussels sprouts ahead of time, but you do run the risk of them loosing their crispiness.

For the most crispy sprouts, cook them the day of serving for the best taste and texture.

How do I reheat leftovers?

To reheat leftovers:  Place them on a baking sheet and reheat in a 300 degree oven or toaster oven for 5-10 minutes.

Microwaving leftover sprouts will heat them up but will make them mushy.

VIDEO:

Other Brussels Sprouts Recipes

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes.

Tap stars to rate!

4.50 from 6 votes

Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon are cooked in a cast iron skillet and then oven roasted until perfectly caramelized.  A few simple tips will teach you how to make this perfectly crisp vegetable recipe that make a great gluten-free, low-carb, and Paleo side dish!

Yield 4 servings

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 30 minutes mins

Total 45 minutes mins

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 oz. bacon Paleo approved, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 pound Brussels sprouts ends trimmed and cut in half
• ▢ 1 clove garlic crushed
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. coconut sugar
• ▢ ½ tsp. salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp. pepper
• ▢ See this recipe in Meal Plan #6

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Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat cook bacon pieces for 8-10 minutes.
  
• Remove bacon from skillet and reserve 3 tablespoons of bacon grease. (If you do not have 3 tablespoons, simply add additional olive oil as needed.)
• Add garlic to reserved bacon grease and saute for 1 minute over medium-low heat.
• Next, place Brussel sprouts cut-side down into the pan, paying careful attention not to overlap the sprouts.
  
• Saute Brussel sprouts for 8-10 minutes, or until the flat sides become crispy.
• Sprinkle coconut sugar, salt, and pepper into skillet and toss to combine.
  
• Cook Brussel sprouts in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes, or until done to your liking.
• Serve sprouts with bacon pieces and enjoy!  See this recipe in Meal Plan #6.

Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

4.50 from 6 votes

Video

Notes

• Make sure you use an uncured, no sugar added bacon to make this recipe Paleo compliant.
• If low-carb or keto: substitute stevia powder for the coconut sugar to bring the carb count down to 10 grams carbohydrates / 4 grams fiber per serving.
• If Weight Watchers: 6 points/serving with coconut sugar or 5 points/serving with stevia powder.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 462mg, Potassium: 497mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 855IU, Vitamin C: 96.6mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 1.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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