Balsamic Brussels Sprouts: a kitchen method

A bowl of balsamic brussels sprouts with bacon.

These balsamic brussels sprouts are roasted brussels sprouts with crunchy bacon, all topped with a sweet balsamic glaze. An straightforward yet elegant side dish that always gets rave reviews!

I’m always looking for unfussy veggie preparations to round out my meals. Some of my favorites include sauteed asparagus, roasted carrots and these balsamic brussels sprouts.

Brussels sprouts are great on their own, but they’re even better when roasted until crunchy and drizzled with balsamic reduction. Balsamic brussels sprouts are the reliable combination of smoky and savory flavors, and also happen to be straightforward to make.

These sprouts are fantastic with main dishes like chicken madeira, pork scallopini or pesto chicken. Try these dishes or pick your go-to entrée from my dinner recipes to create your reliable meal!

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts Ingredients

When you prepare balsamic brussels sprouts be sure to have trimmed brussels sprouts, extra virgin olive oil, bacon, balsamic glaze, parsley, salt and black pepper.

How Do You Make Balsamic Brussels Sprouts?

This balsamic brussels sprouts recipe starts with fresh, trimmed brussels sprouts, which are tossed in a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the sprouts on a sheet pan or baking sheet with bacon, then roast the vegetables and bacon until everything is browned and crunchy. Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, then serve and enjoy.

Brussels sprout halves and chopped bacon on a sheet pan.

Tips For The Reliable Dish

Balsamic glaze is a thick and syrupy version of balsamic vinegar. You can buy it in the vinegar or salad dressing area of most grocery stores, or you can make your own by simmering 1 cup of balsamic vinegar over low heat until it’s reduced by half and thickened.
I like to finish my sprouts with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you don’t have parsley on hand, you can also use chives or basil.
I find that these brussels sprouts taste finest fresh from the oven. Any leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
While this dish makes a great accompaniment to meat entrées like rosemary chicken or rib eye steak, you can also toss your balsamic brussels sprouts with a pasta like angel hair pasta or serve them over a risotto like mushroom risotto to create a main course.

Quick Tip

I recommend using fresh brussels sprouts in this dish, as frozen sprouts will be overly soft in the finished product.

Recipe FAQs

How do you trim brussels sprouts?

To prepare brussels sprouts for roasting, simply use a small knife to cut a thin slice off the root end of each sprout. Peel off any outer leaves that are wilted or damaged, then cut each sprout in half lengthwise.

Why are restaurant brussels sprouts so good?

Restaurants often roast their brussels sprouts to bring out the natural flavor. They also cook and serve the sprouts with salt, oil and acid enhance the flavor. This roasted sprouts recipe includes salt, olive oil, bacon and balsamic glaze to make the sprouts as good as in a restaurant.

Why do brussels sprouts taste better now?

Brussels sprouts taste better because farmers grow new breeds that are less bitter. Home cooks have also found that roasting sprouts brings out the natural savory flavor of the sprouts.

Follow Me

Balsamic brussels sprouts with crispy bacon and parsley on a pan.

Flavor Variations

There are so many different ingredients you can add to this dish to customize it to your tastes!

Cheese: Add a sprinkle of feta or finely grated parmesan cheese after the sprouts come out of the oven.
Nuts: Toasted pine nuts, almonds, walnuts or pecans add a nice crunch to the dish.
Vegetables: Feel free to add other veggies to the pan before it goes into the oven. Some great options include mushrooms, red onions, green beans or red bell peppers.
Spices: You can add some additional herbs and spices to the mix such as Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder or smoked paprika.
Meat: You can use pancetta, prosciutto or serrano ham.
Vegetarian: You can omit the bacon if you prefer, just add an extra tablespoon of olive oil.

This recipe takes your ordinary brussels sprouts, and dresses them up to create an extraordinary dish!

More Vegetable Dishes To Try

Parmesan Zucchini

25 mins

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

30 mins

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

20 mins

Garlic mushrooms in an herb and butter sauce in a frying pan.

Garlic Mushrooms in Butter Sauce

10 mins

Roasted Root Vegetables

55 mins

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts Video

Love This Recipe?

Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen A bowl of balsamic brussels sprouts with bacon.

These balsamic brussels sprouts are roasted brussels sprouts with crunchy bacon, all topped with a sweet balsamic glaze. An straightforward yet elegant side dish that always gets rave reviews! Time Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
6 slices bacon chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.
Place the brussels sprouts in a single layer on the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
Scatter the bacon pieces around the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until bacon is crunchy and sprouts are browned. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the sprouts. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes

I recommend using fresh brussels sprouts in this dish, as frozen sprouts will be overly soft in the finished product.
Balsamic glaze is a thick and syrupy version of balsamic vinegar. You can buy it in the vinegar or salad dressing area of most grocery stores, or you can make your own by simmering 1 cup of balsamic vinegar over low heat until it’s reduced by half and thickened.
I like to finish my sprouts with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you don’t have parsley on hand, you can also use chives or basil.