Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon Recipe

If I have to eat my Brussel sprouts, then I’m eating Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon!  This is a delicious way to eat your veggies,…Bacon makes everything taste better….MMM Good. They go so well as a side dish with a big turkey dinner, as well as other meats. Your kids will like them too!

I’ve been making Brussel sprouts for 40 years because my husband loves them. But only for the last few years did I start adding bacon and onions to them. Now my whole family loves them too, including me, the fussy one. This has

So now Brussel Sprouts with Bacon made on the stove or Baked Brussel Sprouts with Bacon has become one of the requested vegetables in my family. As a result, I make them often.

What Ingredients are in Brussel Sprouts with Bacon?

Brussel Sprouts – Always use fresh Brussel Sprouts.  They look like little mini cabbages. They taste similar but a little different as I think the flavor is a little more pronounced than green cabbage. They are available in the stores year-round but they really seem popular in the Autumn. I think it’s because they go so well with a lot of foods that are made in the oven like turkey, ham, roast beef, chicken…etc

Onions – Any kind of onions will work for this recipe, yellow, red, white, Vidalia, sweet….they are all good and are a good flavoring for a lot of food that we eat. In our opinion, if you add onions to your vegetables they just enhance the dish that you are making so much. When they are in season my favorite onion is Vidalia.

Bacon – You can use any bacon that you normally use, and it can be regular sliced or thick-cut, but I think the brand matters the most. I have used many kinds of bacon over the years for a lot of things and the best bacon is Oscar Mayer. It has the least amount of fat and as a result, the least amount of shrinkage and it also has the best taste, hands down.

Can I Eat Brussel Sprouts on Keto?

Yes, you can for sure eat Brussel Sprouts with bacon on the Keto diet plan. Brussel sprouts are one of the Keto-friendly veggies. But you have to measure them so that you stay within your carb count for the day. So how many carbs are in Brussel Sprouts? There are between 7-8 carbs in one cup of Brussel sprouts.

Brussel Sprouts may be a little higher than some other veggies such as zucchini or broccoli…etc But the carb count is not that bad, there are around 8 Net carbs for one cup, but only about 4 Net carbs in ½ cup, which is one serving of Brussel Sprouts and Bacon. 

One cup is a very generous portion, so if you don’t have enough carbs for the day then have half a cup instead.  

Different Ways to Make Brussel Sprouts

If you want to give your Baked/Roasted Brussel Sprouts another flavor, then you can add some cheese.  Any type will do really, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese….A cheese lover’s delight!

Or if you like spicy food then try some Tabasco or any other hot sauce which are all a good choice, or crushed red pepper can be added to any food for enhanced flavor. 

Some people like lemon juice on vegetables which is also possible here for some added tartness, which goes well especially with fish/seafood dishes.

Turn your Roasted/Baked Brussel Sprouts into an Italian dish and add some garlic to them. Also, add some butter and they will be very tasty that way too. Throw some Italian sausage, hot or sweet, on top and you have an entire one-dish meal. 

Should I Use Fresh Brussel Sprouts or Frozen?

You can use either one. But fresh is always better than frozen if possible. You can always find frozen vegetables year-round, but you may not always find fresh brussel sprouts. If you live in an area where you can have a vegetable garden, then try your hand at growing some.

And if the cost is a factor for you, frozen vegetables hold the same price year-round, whereas fresh vegetables tend to be cheaper when they are in season and can be higher in price when they aren’t in season locally and they may come from another country which can raise the price.   

Is it Better to Saute, Pan Fry or Roast Brussel Sprouts?

I think that it’s your personal choice whether you pan-fry them or bake them or roast them. Brussel Sprouts cook up good no matter which way you choose to cook them. They are just as delicious whatever way, and with the bacon mixed in you certainly can’t go wrong. 

One difference between the 2 ways is that when I pan fry them I leave them whole because they fall apart too much is you cut them and then toss them around a few times in the frying pan. If you bake them you can cut them in half and they will stay together better because when they are roasting on a sheet you aren’t handling them as much. 

A couple benefits to frying them, the first thing is that it cuts the cooking process down, it’s quicker to fry and then bake, which comes in handy if you are in a hurry to get dinner on the table.  You may also appreciate this method in the summertime so that your oven doesn’t have to be on as long and your kitchen won’t get as hot, especially important if you don’t have air conditioning.  

In case you are wondering why you should roast our Brussel Sprouts, roasting any veggies are a tasty way to eat them. They hold in more of their original taste and vitamins which makes them better for you. Plus once you prep them, it doesn’t take much effort on your part after that. And when they come out of the oven, yummy!

So go ahead and try making them.  See which way that you like them the best and I’m sure that these Low Carb Brussel Sprouts will become one of your favorite vegetables.

How to Make Brussel Sprouts with Bacon:

Now that we know which Brussel sprouts we are using and which method we are cooking them with, let’s look at the step by step instructions on how to make the best Brussel Sprouts with bacon!

Do I Need to Wash Fresh Brussel Sprouts before You Cook them?

Yes, you should wash your fresh Brussel sprouts before cooking them because they might have some dust and dirt on them. It’s always a good idea anyway to wash any other fresh vegetables too. Just rinse and pat with paper towels to take off any excess water and you’re good to go.

How to Trim and Cut Brussel Sprouts

No matter which way you are going to be cooking your Brussel sprouts, I would recommend trimming them.

To trim your fresh Brussel sprouts is really easy. First, cut the flat bottom part off and take off any outer leaves that are not in good shape so that you are left with a round and clean looking bulb. They may be a little delicate so be careful not to be too rough with them or you might find your Brussel sprouts are half the size that they were when you first started.

If you are going to start cooking them by frying them in a pan, then I recommend at this point leaving the Brussel Sprouts whole.  Don’t cut them anymore.

If you are going to roast the Brussel sprouts in the oven the whole time, then I recommend cutting them in half before putting them in

If you do cut your Brussel sprouts, don’t cut them too much. They are delicate and will fall apart if you handle them too much. From experience, if you are going to cut them at all, then don’t cut them any more than just in half. 

Cut them from top to bottom, lengthwise not across then place in a bowl to coat in oil and salt and pepper.

Cooking the Brussel Sprouts

At this point, you’ve decided whether you are frying the Brussel Sprouts first or just straight roasting them.  However, either way at the end of the process, you are putting them into a baking dish and cooking them in the oven with your bacon for another 5 minutes.

(Method 1) Frying Brussel Sprouts 

Before roasting or baking your Brussel sprouts with bacon, you could fry them in a large frying pan in olive oil or bacon grease to brown them up a bit. This “starts them out” ever so slightly, and makes them even more delicious when coming out of the oven.

Take your Brussel sprouts and put them in your greased pan and fry them for about 5 minutes until they start to brown up. Then transfer them into your baking dish and bake at 450 degrees for about 15 min or until tender. When you take them out of the oven then add your bacon and toss. Put back in the oven to heat up the bacon. Serve.

(Method 2) How to Roast Brussel Sprouts

One thing that you need to do to brown up your Brussel sprouts well is either olive oil or bacon grease. Again, cutting them in half will also help them to crisp up when roasting.

Place the cut side down and separate them a little to ensure that one side will be more crispy. Make sure not to stack them up on top of each other in several layers. Otherwise, they will not crisp.        

If you’re roasting them: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place the Brussel sprouts cut side down on a cookie sheet.

How Long to Roast Brussel Sprouts?

We roast a lot of our vegetables, and Brussel sprouts are no exception. once you prepare them, it’s a one-dish, no fuss and delicious way to cook your Brussel Sprouts.

Cook your Roasted Brussel Sprouts in your oven at 450 degrees for 35-45 minutes, depending on how hot your oven is. 

Another important step if you’re not frying them is to put the broiler on towards the end when they are almost done, to make them crispy.

Once your Brussel sprouts have reached their doneness and crispiness, transfer them into a baking dish and add your chopped bacon, stir and put back in the oven for 5 minutes to heat up the bacon. Serve.

This is how you want them to look…

Other Diets this recipe is good for. Ex. Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-Free?

Gluten-Free – If you have a problem with gluten you may certainly eat these sprouts. Veggies and bacon…both good choices to keep away from gluten.

Sugar-Free – Also a good choice if you are looking for foods without sugar. No sugar added in these little tasty Brussel sprouts.

Paleo – If you are on the Paleo Diet you may eat this Brussel Sprouts recipe with only bacon and onions, all accepted foods. It’s nice to know that bacon is on the list of acceptable foods, but it would be better to get bacon that is naturally cured.

Dairy-Free – There is no dairy in these delicious Brussel Sprouts and bacon. So feel free to eat these as a great side dish to any of your meals.

What Can I Serve with Brussel Sprouts?

Oven-roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon go so well with so many things. Any kind of meat or fish, year-round. I can think of so many things on the grill that these little veggies go well with. Burgers, chicken, ribs, steak….to name a few. 

If you are making more food in the oven, they go well with so many things such as chicken, ham, roast beef, meatloaf, pork chops or pork roast…and the list goes on. 

Do Roasted Brussel Sprouts Reheat Well?

There are several ways that you can reheat your Brussel Sprouts, and yes they are just as tasty the next day as they were the day you first made them. 

You could heat them up on the stove but once again they are a little delicate so be careful with them so they don’t fall apart

Another way to heat up your Brussel Sprouts is to pop them in the microwave for a minute or two, depending on how hot you like them. You could also heat them up in the oven too, in an oven-safe dish at around 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, also depending on how hot you like them.

How to Store this recipe

If you have any leftover Brussel Sprouts, then just cover them tightly and put them in your refrigerator. They will stay fresh in a refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.

Can I Freeze Brussel Sprouts?

Yes, you can freeze Brussel sprouts, either already cooked or raw. As with so many things, the better you do in wrapping them either in Ziploc freezer bags or plastic containers covered with Ziploc freezer bags, the better they will freeze and the longer they will last. If wrapped properly they will last 3-4 months in the freezer.

More Similar Recipes

If you’re in the mood for some other Keto Bacon Recipes then try our:

• Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
• Keto Green Bean Casserole
• Roasted Green Beans w/ Bacon
• Loaded Cauliflower Casserole w/ Bacon

They all are Keto-friendly and low carb, and will be a hit at your next party!

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