Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts (2024)

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March 11, 2020 — last updated November 2, 2020 10 comments »

These flavorful brussels sprouts sauté quickly with bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. They are addictively delicious!

Brussels sprouts are maybe my favorite vegetable (some days I might say broccoli, I can never decide) but I know lots of people disagree. For some reason brussels sprouts are either very loved or very hated — nobody is on the fence about them.

My theory is that those who don’t like them have probably mostly been served them steamed or raw. (I grew up with them steamed. Anyone else? Is that just how most people made their veggies in the 80’s and 90’s or was it just my family?)

While I can eat them in any form, I’m telling you that the secret to making them wow is all about preparation. If you’re a brussels sprouts hater (or cook for someone who is) I suggest giving these and my Roasted Brussels Sprouts a try!

For years my favorite way to prepare them has been to pop them in the oven. Oh man, they are crispy, salty, and just plain yummy! But recently I’ve been experimenting with sautéing them with lots of different flavor combinations. Today’s Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts recipe is the first version I want to share with you!

The bacon gives this side a saltiness you’re going to really appreciate. Plus the balsamic vinegar introduces some tanginess and sweetness. And there’s garlic. Good golly, what’s not to love about garlic?!

So switch things up for dinner tonight with this surprisingly fun dish!

How to trim and halve brussels sprouts

Use a knife to carefully slice off and discard the bottom stem of the brussels sprout.
Remove any outside leaves that look wilted, brown, or dry.
Cut the brussels sprout in half vertically.
Keep any leaves that fall off while you’re cutting the sprouts in half! Just toss them in the pan with the halves. Those extra leaves get perfectly crispy!

More recipes like this:

Garlic Green Beans

Spicy Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Ranch Veggies

Sautéed Honey Carrots

Roasted Red Cabbage

Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

These flavorful brussels sprouts sauté quickly with bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. They are seriously addictively delicious!

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Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive or avocado oil
6 slices bacon, diced, I prefer Wellshire or Applegate turkey bacon.
2 lbs brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp garlic, minced

Instructions

If using turkey bacon, add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet on the stovetop. Heat to medium heat. Once hot, add the diced bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy, stirring frequently. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside.
If using pork bacon, heat a large skillet to medium heat on the stovetop. Add diced bacon and cook until bacon is crispy, stirring frequently. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside. (We don't need the extra fat from the oil to get the pork bacon crispy. We do need that extra oil when using turkey.)
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet along with whatever bacon grease remains. Add halved brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper. Stir. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes. Brussels sprouts should be a fairly bright green color with lots of browning.
Reduce heat to low. Add crispy bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar to skillet. Stir. Cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until brussels sprouts are tender. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.

Notes

Nutrition information assumes you use turkey bacon and the full 3 tablespoons of oil. (If you use pork bacon you won’t need as much oil since that bacon will give you more fat to sauté in.)

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 747mg, Potassium: 649mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1140IU, Vitamin C: 129mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @thewholecook and hashtag it #thewholecook on Instagram.