Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and maple pecans are a family favorite! Tender oven roasted Brussels sprouts are tossed with crispy bacon and maple pecans and make the perfect fall side dish recipe. These sprouts are so flavorful, and perfect for holiday dinner, or just a regular weeknight supper. Even the pickiest eater will love them!
Brussels Sprouts for Thanksgiving
Remember when I said that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday? I wasn’t joking!
I have a few other recipes up my sleeve that will be perfect for your holiday table. One of them is these roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and maple pecans!
I know that not everyone is a huge fan of Brussels sprouts, but I really think that this recipe will win the haters over.
I actually never had a Brussels sprout until I was in my mid twenties, I’m assuming because my parents didn’t like them. I had them in a soup and thought they were ok, but it wasn’t until I had them roasted that I started to sing their praises!
Honestly, roasting any vegetable is the way to go in my book. It’s easy, fairly hands off, and the results are always awesome. Add a little bacon and some pecans and you have the makings of one darn good meal!
Brussels Sprouts on the Stalk
Let’s talk a little bit about Brussels sprouts.
They are in the Brassica family which also includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, and kale. They grow on a big stalk, and are basically like mini cabbages, but tastier in my opinion.
These were not grown in our garden (I wish!).
Ours are still the size of marbles and may not be getting much bigger depending on what the weather does. I do love the spiral pattern they make!
It’s usually only around this time of year that you will find them on the stalk like this. I would get them if you see them!
Fall is when they are in season in most of the United States, and when they are on the stalk you know they are fresh.
It does take a little bit of work to get them off, but nothing that a sharp knife won’t take care of quickly.
Maple Pecan and Bacon Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Here is what you will need for this recipe:
- Brussels sprouts
- Bacon (thick cut is preferred)
- Pecans
- Maple syrup (the real stuff)
- Salt
- Olive oil
I didn’t give amounts here, but you can see a good estimate of what I did in the recipe card below.
To be honest amounts really don’t matter much in this recipe. You like bacon? Add more. You want your pecans less sweet? Use less maple syrup. You get the idea!
That said, I made one sheet pan full, which will feed about 6-8 people (maybe less if you have some real Brussels sprout lovers). So use that as a guideline if you’re planning on having a crowd!
Make the Maple Pecans
First you want to toast the pecans in a dry skillet on medium-low heat. I used about a cup of pecans, enough for a single layer in the pan.
Stir them constantly until toasty and fragrant, then put into a small bowl and set aside. Be careful as nuts go from pleasantly toasted to straight up burnt very quickly (I’ve made that mistake more than once).
Drizzle the maple syrup onto the warm pecans, add a pinch of salt, and stir to coat.
Add the Bacon to the Maple Pecans
Meanwhile, chop up some thick cut bacon into chunks.
Fry them up until your desired crispness level and save any bacon fat for roasting the Brussels sprouts.
Then take the bacon pieces out of the pan, add them to the maple pecans, and toss to coat.
Roast the Brussels Sprouts
Preheat your over to 400°F. Then trim and cut your Brussels sprouts in half.
Don’t get too crazy with the trimming, just pull off the outer leaves if they look holey or wrinkly, and trim the stem if it feels hard.
Put the cut sprouts into a bowl and add the rendered bacon fat. Add a sprinkle of salt and stir to coat.
If your bacon didn’t render much fat use olive oil instead. But use the bacon fat if you have it because it makes everything delicious!
Put the Brussels sprouts cut side down in a single layer on a baking sheet.
I know, it seems a little finicky of me to have you turn every little sprout cut side down, but trust me on this one. This is how it needs to be to maximize the roasted goodness.
Put them into the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, until they are fully cooked and golden brown.
Combine the Brussels Sprouts with the Maple Pecans and Bacon
Put the Brussels sprouts into a large bowl along with the maple pecans and bacon mixture and stir to combine.
Transfer to a pretty serving bowl (sorry, I don’t have any pretty ones), and that right there is the best vegetable side dish you could ever have!
Add some dried cranberries if you’re so inclined, and maybe even some feta or blue cheese to make it extra fancy.
I like it just the way it is, though, simple but with a little bit of flair. I even made a “chefs snack” super mini slider out of them.
That’s one good part of being the cook, you always get the best bites!
These roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and maple pecans is the perfect vegetable side dish. It is simple with a touch of fanciness, plus it tastes amazing!
I mean bacon and maple pecans, how can you go wrong? And Brussels sprouts are healthy, right?
Bacon and greens are a perfect match and make even the pickiest eaters enjoy eating their greens! Try serving it with turnip greens, radish greens, beans, bacon & kale, and  beet greens.
More Thanksgiving & Holiday Favorites
- Fermented Honey Cranberries
- Simple Spiced Cranberry Sauce
- Lacto-Fermented Cranberries
- Mulled Hard Cider
- Persimmon Champagne Cocktail with Cinnamon & Sage
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Maple Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 3 slices bacon thick cut is preferred
- 1 cup pecans
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- extra virgin olive oil as needed
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet on medium-low heat. Stir them constantly until toasty and fragrant, then put into a small bowl and set aside.
- Drizzle the maple syrup onto the warm pecans, add a pinch of salt, and stir to coat.
- Meanwhile, chop the bacon into chunks. Fry it up until your desired crispness level. Then take them out of the pan, add them to the maple pecans, and toss to coat.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Trim and cut the Brussels sprouts in half.
- Put the cut sprouts into a bowl and add the rendered bacon fat. Add a sprinkle of salt and stir to coat. If your bacon didn’t render much fat use olive oil instead.
- Put the Brussels sprouts cut side down in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Put the Brussels sprouts into the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, until they are fully cooked and golden brown.
- Combine the roasted Brussels sprouts into a large bowl along with the maple pecan and bacon mixture and stir to combine.
Notes
- Serving Suggestion: Serve with dried cranberries and/or some feta or blue cheese to make it extra fancy.
Holy stinking moley this looks sooooooo good!
I had these at a restaurant once,
they are awesome!!!
Thank you for the yummy recipe. I roast Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt & herbs de provence all the time. Definitely adding the bacon and pecans for the holidays. Have you tried peeling & slicing chiogga & gold beets, lay 6 strips of bacon over them in the oven @ 400; stir after 15 minutes and roast another 10 minutes, add pecans, roast for 5-10 more minutes. Can be eaten just like that or added to salad with avocado. A sure way to become a beet lover.