Maple Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

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These sweet and tangy crispy roasted Brussels sprouts are tossed with maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and bacon. They make a perfect healthyish Thanksgiving vegetable side. 

Lucky for me, (and unlike many apparently), I have not been holding on to any unpleasant childhood memories of being forced to eat smelly boiled Brussels sprouts. In fact I honestly can’t remember ever eating them as a kid at all.

But still, when I had some incredible roasted Brussels sprouts in a fancy restaurant a couple of years ago, it was a real revelation!

Brussels sprouts have definitely gained momentum in the food world these last few years, and their reputation has been on a steady incline as more and more people learn how to cook them properly.

Honestly, all it really takes to make them great is a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

But if you really want to take them to the next level, toss them in something sweet and tangy while they’re still piping hot (they’ll just soak it up), and add some extra mix-ins.

This time, I roasted them with some bacon and tossed them in maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. The rest of the meal kind of faded into the background…

If you’re looking for something green and healthy (but, you know, with bacon obviously) to put on your Thanksgiving table, I would urge you to give these sprouts a go.

Here’s how to make them.

How to roast Brussels sprouts

• For your Brussels sprouts to properly roast and get crispy, your baking sheet should be large enough to hold all the (halved) sprouts in a single layer. If you crowd too many into the pan, they will just steam and get soggy. My quarter sheet pan (9 x 13) was just large enough to hold 1 lb of halved sprouts.
• Toss the sprouts with plenty of olive oil, salt and pepper, and lay them out cut side down in the pan, so the bottoms caramelize and the leaves get crispy.
• Sprinkle some bits of uncooked bacon over the sprouts and roast on high heat (425 degrees F)

• Toss them with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup as soon as they come out of the oven, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Stay tuned for more Thanksgiving recipes this month! I would love to hear what you’re planning to make too. If you have special requests, I’m all ears!

Enjoy xx

Other easy vegetable sides you might like

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots with Orange and Thyme

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin and Coriander

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Maple

Fall Salad with Apples and Maple Vinaigrette