Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon melds savory oven-roasted Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, and sweet pomegranate in this delicious favorite side dish recipe!
Looking for additional delicious side dishes for holidays or special meals? Like this beautiful Brussels sprouts dish, recipes like my sweet potato casserole and roasted carrots add color and amazing flavor to special meals. Comfort food sides like mashed potatoes, squash casserole or macaroni and cheese also add a familiar and satisfying feel to family meals.
These Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pomegranate are such a delicious side dish. Crisp salty bacon and sweet pomegranate, along with balsamic and maple syrup give this recipe an elevated flavor profile that makes it a crowd favorite!
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
- Outstanding Flavor – Roasting the Brussels sprouts gives them a rich, nutty flavor. Then, finalizing the recipe with pomegranate and bacon provides this dish with a salty, slightly sweet, tart taste that is always a favorite.
- Only 5 Ingredients – In addition to the seasoning of salt and pepper, you only need five ingredients to make this simple yet impressive dish packed with flavor.
- Impressive for Entertaining – This has a colorful presentation on the table.
How to Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Bacon – about 3 slices cooked til crispy and crumbled. Crispy and a bit salty, this makes the recipe extra savory.
- Brussels Sprouts – use fresh ones if you can for the best results. You will slice them in half to prepare them, which is easier to do with fresh ones. If you use frozen, make sure Brussels are completely thawed and patted dry with a paper towel before preparing the recipe.
- Salt and Pepper
- Balsamic Vinegar – Adds a slight sweetness and works well with the juicy pomegranate.
- Maple Syrup – Gives an extra touch of rich sweetness that complements the salty bacon.
- Pomegranate Seeds (Arils) – Colorful and juicy with a sweet and tart taste. It tastes great paired with this vegetable. It is not only delicious with the other ingredients, it helps make this dish so attractive on the table. Please don’t skip it!
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook Bacon. To start, arrange bacon on a baking sheet and bake until cooked and crisp, about 12 minutes. Once done, remove the bacon from the baking sheet and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate to allow to drain the excess grease and to cool. After it has cooled, crumble the bacon.
Roast the Brussels Sprouts. Using the same baking sheet used to cook the bacon, Place the Brussels sprouts onto the baking sheet used for the bacon and sprinkle with salt and pepper and lightly toss to coat. Roast them in the preheated 425-degree oven, stirring occasionally, until tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Whisk Maple Syrup and Balsamic Vinegar. While the Brussels are roasting, whisk to combine the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
Drizzle with Syrup/Vinegar Mixture. Once Brussels sprouts are done, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Drizzle them with the maple syrup mixture.
Toss with Bacon and Pomegranate. Add the crumbled bacon and pomegranate seeds to the drizzled Brussels sprouts and toss all ingredients together lightly to combine.
Serve. After all ingredients are tossed together, then transfer to a serving dish. Serve while warm and enjoy.
The fantastic flavors combined with the colorful presentation make this a holiday and special dinner favorite!
What Main Dish Goes Well With this Recipe?
Many main dishes are delicious with this impressive side dish. I especially love it beef or poultry – such as Prime Rib or Roast Turkey for special holidays or entertaining and Balsamic Beef, Baked Chicken Breast or steak for simple meals with friends and family.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Prepare as instructed without adding the pomegranate seeds. Place the cooled Brussels Sprouts recipe in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat in the oven until reheated throughout. Remove from the oven, top with pomegranate seeds, and serve.
This side dish is really easy to make and to make ahead, which makes it an excellent option for holidays and entertaining. It is always a hit with my guests every time I serve it and I think you will love it too! I can’t wait to hear how you like it!
More Delicious Vegetable Side Dishes
Here’s my Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pomegranate Recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pomegranate
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- 1-1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Arrange bacon on the baking sheet and bake until cooked throughout, about 12 minutes. Remove the bacon from the baking sheet and set aside to cool. Once cooled, crumble.
- Place the Brussels sprouts onto the baking sheet used for the bacon and sprinkle with salt and pepper and lightly toss to coat. Roast the brussels sprouts, stirring occasionally, until tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and set aside.
- Remove the Brussels sprouts from oven, drizzle with maple syrup mixture, add crumbled bacon and pomegranate seeds and toss to coat. Serve warm.
Notes
- Prepare as instructed without adding the pomegranate seeds. Allow cooked Brussels Sprouts dish to cool and add to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Reheat in the oven until reheated throughout.
- Remove from the oven and top with pomegranate seeds and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Robyn, just have to come on here and give you props. My husband and I do not like Brussels sprouts and never have, but in our continued effort to eat more vegetables, I decided to try this. We both absolutely loved it. And it is true when they say the pomegranates take it to another level, but so does that maple/balsamic drizzle. This is now going to be in our dinner rotation (as is your shredded beef recipe and best baked chicken breasts!). Tonight I will be making the ribeye fajitas. Quickly becoming your number #1 fan here! Thanks for sharing all this goodness.
Oh, thank you so much, Roxy. I’m really pleased when I hear that someone loves my recipes. I love the Brussels sprouts story.