Pan-fried Brussels Sprouts
This easy and fast Brussels sprouts recipe with crispy bacon is a delicious 3-ingredient side dish.
Make this recipe your own, you can add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, or even garlic.
*Post updated November 2023
Let's face it, everything tastes better with BACON 😋 Even kids will be converted to loving sprouts this holiday season!
Recipe Top Tips!
- Large Brussels sprouts tend to be more bitter than smaller ones.
- Use small-to-average-size Brussels, if you use larger ones the cooking time will be longer than what I suggest in the recipe.
- Always cook the Brussels sprouts in salted water first until slightly undercooked. If you just saute them, they will more likely taste burnt before they are tender.
- If you can Brussels sprouts still attached to the stalk (known here in the UK as a sprout tree) buy one as they're likely much fresher than those ready-prepared sprouts packed in plastic bags.
- After cooking the Brussels, drain them and add ice cold water, then drain again - do this to preserve the colour of vegetables.
- Butter will colour the sprouts and the oil will stop the butter from burning.
- Dry-cured streaky bacon will result in delicious crispy bacon - regular bacon has too much water in it and boils before it crisps - yuk! I used Tesco's Finest, it's perfect.
- Smoked bacon is always better, I can never understand why they even make unsmoked bacon. 😕
- Lightly bashing the bacon rashers between two sheets of cling film will make them thinner and once cut in half and rolled up they will crisp up nicely.
- Once everything is cooked, drizzle with maple syrup for a deliciously sweeter taste.
- Add halved ready-cooked chestnuts - you can buy vacuum packed chestnuts from Amazon or in any good supermarket.
Make ahead
Once you've cooked the Brussels and put them into ice-cold water, drain well and put them into a food storage container.
Put them into the fridge and they'll be ready to continue with the recipe on the big day.
You could even cook the bacon and store it separately in the fridge.
Ingredients - serves 4
- 15g unsalted butter
- ½ a tablespoon of oil
- 500g Brussels sprouts - cooked salted water until slightly underdone, drained, add cold water and then drain well.
- 12 rashers (strips) of dry-cured smoked streaky bacon
- freshly ground black pepper to season
Lay each rasher of bacon between two sheets of cling film (food wrap) and, using the flat side of a meat tenderiser (or the bottom of a saucepan).
Cut each one in half, roll it tightly like a cigar and set aside.
Please see the full recipe in the recipe card below
Cook the Brussels sprouts but take care not to overcook them, you want them slightly just under.
Now, add the oil to a large frying pan and heat. Add the rolled bacon and fry until crispy, take care when turning that they don't unroll.
Wipe the pan to remove any excess oil - although bacon fat adds to the flavour! 😋
Add the butter and once it's nice and hot, add the cooked sprouts into the pan and let them brown slightly before turning.
Once they start to get a bit of colour, mix the bacon in with them and serve right away.
What to serve with Brussels sprouts and bacon
- Christmas dinner - you know, the full Christmas roast! Or of course, Thanksgiving.
- Pan-fried chicken
- Regular roast chicken
Equipment
a large saute pan or a large non-stick frying pan
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- 15g unsalted butter
- ½ a tablespoon of oil
- 500g Brussels sprouts - outermost leaves removed
- 12 rashers (strips) of dry-cured smoked streaky bacon
- black pepper to season
Instructions
- Lay each rasher of bacon between two sheets of cling film (food wrap) and, using the flat side of a meat tenderiser (or the bottom of a saucepan) lightly bash to make each rasher thinner.
- Cut each one in half and roll tightly like a cigar and set aside.
- Bring a suitably sized saucepan of cold, salted water to a boil and add the Brussels. Put a lid on (not tightly, just to cover) and cook for about 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook, you want them slightly just under.
- Once cooked, drain and add cold water to the pan and then drain well. it's best to put the pan back on the stovetop (no heat) just to dry the Brussels out a bit.
- Now, add the oil to a large frying pan and heat. Once it's nice and hot, add the rolled bacon and fry until crispy - take care when turning that they don't unroll.
- You might want to wipe the pan to remove any excess oil - although bacon fat adds to the flavour!
- Move the bacon over to one side of the pan and add the butter. Add the cooked sprouts to the pan and let them brown slightly before turning. Once they start to get a bit of colour, mix the bacon in with them, season with black pepper and serve right away.
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Jan