A simple, festive side dish everyone will love
Brussels sprouts with crispy bacon make a quick and delicious Christmas side dish — with not a single soggy sprout in sight! Even sprout‑skeptics (and kids!) will be converted once they taste this smoky, buttery, bacon‑loaded version. Everything really does taste better with BACON 😋
This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Post updated August 2026
Recipe Top Tips
- Choose small to medium Brussels sprouts — large ones can taste more bitter and take longer to cook.
- Always cook sprouts in salted water first until just underdone. If you sauté raw sprouts, they burn before they soften.
- Sprouts sold still on the stalk (“sprout tree”) are usually fresher.
- After boiling, plunge sprouts into ice‑cold water to preserve their bright green colour — see my guide on how to keep colour in cooked vegetables .
- Butter adds flavour and colour; a splash of oil stops it burning.
- Dry‑cured smoked streaky bacon crisps beautifully — regular bacon contains more water and tends to boil.
- Smoked bacon is always best for this recipe 😕 (why unsmoked even exists is a mystery!).
- Bashing bacon between cling film makes it thinner and crispier once rolled.
- A drizzle of maple syrup at the end adds a gorgeous festive sweetness.
- Halved ready‑cooked chestnuts are a lovely Christmas addition — vacuum‑packed chestnuts work perfectly.
Make Ahead
Cook the Brussels sprouts, plunge into ice‑cold water, drain thoroughly, and store in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll be ready to finish on the big day.
You can also cook the bacon ahead of time and store it separately.
🎄 Ingredients
- 🧈 Unsalted butter
- 🫙 Vegetable oil
- 🥦 Brussels sprouts (cooked)
- 🥓 Dry‑cured smoked streaky bacon
- ⚫ Black pepper (to season)
🎄 Instructions
1. Prepare the bacon
Lay each rasher of bacon between two sheets of cling film and gently bash with the flat side of a meat tenderiser (or the bottom of a saucepan).
2. Roll the bacon
Cut each rasher in half, roll tightly like a little cigar, and set aside.
3. Cook the bacon
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Add the rolled bacon and cook until crispy, turning carefully so they don’t unroll.
Wipe out excess oil — although bacon fat adds amazing flavour 😋
4. Brown the sprouts
Add butter to the pan. Once hot and bubbling, add the cooked sprouts and let them brown slightly before turning.
5. Combine & serve
Once the sprouts are lightly browned, add the crispy bacon back into the pan and serve immediately.
What to Serve With Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
- Christmas dinner or the full Christmas roast
- Thanksgiving dinner
- Pan‑fried chicken
- Sunday roast chicken
- Crispy roast potatoes — the perfect Christmas side
- Or simply enjoy them on their own!
Equipment
You will need a large sauté pan or a large non‑stick frying pan.
Have you tried this recipe?
Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below!
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Easy side dish for Christmas dinner and Thanksgiving. You can drizzle with balsamic if you wish.
Ingredients
- 500g Brussels sprouts, cooked until just tender
- 6 rashers dry‑cured smoked streaky bacon
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 25g unsalted butter
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Lay each bacon rasher between two sheets of cling film and gently bash with the flat side of a meat tenderiser or saucepan.
- Cut each rasher in half and roll tightly into small “bacon cigars”.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the rolled bacon and cook until crispy, turning carefully so they don’t unroll.
- Wipe out any excess oil from the pan, then add the butter.
- Once the butter is hot and bubbling, add the cooked Brussels sprouts. Let them brown slightly before turning.
- Return the crispy bacon to the pan and toss everything together.
- Season with black pepper and serve immediately.
- Optional: drizzle with maple syrup or add halved cooked chestnuts for a festive twist.
Notes
For best colour, plunge cooked sprouts into ice‑cold water before draining.
Smoked streaky bacon crisps better than unsmoked or back bacon.
You can cook the sprouts and bacon ahead of time and finish the dish just before serving.
Small to medium sprouts work best — large ones can taste more bitter.
Optional addition: 1–2 tbsp maple syrup
Optional addition: 100g ready‑cooked chestnuts, halved
No comments
Post a Comment
I love to hear from everyone so thanks for taking the time to comment. Please note comments containing links will NOT be published.
Cheers
Jan