Bacon-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples

Brussels sprouts with bacon and green apples is a simple side dish that’s easy to make. The bacon and sprouts roast together until the Brussels sprouts caramelize and are tender. Toss them with some chopped garlic and diced apples and you get a combination of flavors and textures that is so delicious.

Tender caramelized Brussels sprouts, smoky bacon, sweet and tart apples all tossed together in an easy side dish that is layered with lots of textures and flavors. Otherwise known as my favorite kind of side dish.

I’ve made bacon-roasted green beans before and these roasted brussels sprouts follow a similar route – easy to make and low-fuss, but stepped up a bit with the addition of the apples, garlic, and herbs.

I was inspired to make it after having a similar dish at a restaurant and it’s sort of like a roasted vegetable side dish and a salad had a baby. There are bites of warm bacon and sprouts and pops of fresh green apple with a splash of apple cider vinegar for a tangy-tart kick.

Ingredients

  • Brussels sprouts
  • Thick-cut bacon
  • Minced garlic cloves
  • Diced green apples
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Chopped parsley
  • Kosher salt and black pepper

And it starts with the sprouts and bacon. Trim your sprouts and remove any not-so-pretty leaves. If they’re large go ahead and quarter them, the smaller ones can be halved or left whole. Just make sure they’re similar in size so they cook evenly.

For the bacon, I like to stack six strips together, slice them in half lengthwise, and then cut them into small pieces. Break them up and sprinkle them over the top of the sprouts. As it cooks, it will release bacon grease that will flavor and help caramelize the sprouts.

overhead shot of the bacon and sprouts on a baking sheet.

Recipe Steps

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place the bacon in an even layer on top of the sprouts.

Roast the sprouts and bacon for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir them around and roast them for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until the sprouts are fork-tender and caramelized.

diced apples in a bowl with other ingredients around it.

Take the pan out of the oven and add the garlic, diced apple, and stir them into the hot sprouts and crispy bacon. Drizzle the apple cider vinegar over the top and stir again.

Sprinkle the parsley, salt, and pepper over the top and serve. I do all of this while the sprouts are still on the baking sheet or you can transfer them to your serving bowl and add the other ingredients. 

Recipe Tips

Every oven is different and, depending on the size of your brussels sprouts, the roasting time may vary. So, keep an eye on them and give them as stir at least once during the baking time. Once the sprouts are caramelized and soft, they’re ready.

Instead of bacon, you can use the same amount of diced pancetta.

When you add the apple cider vinegar, it will mix with the bacon fat creating a light dressing. You can also use balsamic vinegar if you don’t have apple cider vinegar.

This brussels sprouts with bacon recipe is a great side dish for holiday dinners, but it’s easy enough for a weeknight, too. I hope you ❤ it!

Happy roasting,

April

More Roasted Vegetables

  • Roasted parmesan potatoes are another easy roasted vegetable side dish. The potatoes are roasted until they’re crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and then topped with grated Parmesan cheese for serving.
  • Raw radishes are very peppery and almost spicy, but when you roast them they mellow and sweeten. My roasted radishes with red onions is a colorful and simple side dish.
  • Roasted sweet potatoes seasoned with herbes de Provence is a simple side that goes with so many main dishes.

Did you make these delicious brussels sprouts with bacon? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment and rating at the end of this post!

Print

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apples

brussels sprouts with bacon.

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Bacon-roasted Brussels sprouts with fresh green apples is a simple side dish that’s easy to make. The bacon and sprouts roast together until the Brussels sprouts caramelize and are tender. Toss them with some chopped garlic and diced apples and you get a combination of flavors and textures that is so delicious.

  • Author: April Anderson
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Side Dishes
  • Method: Roast
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 24 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved or quartered
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2” pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups diced green apples (1/4” cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 2 pinches each kosher salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet in an even layer. Place the bacon in an even layer on top of the sprouts.
  2. Roast the sprouts and bacon for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir them around and roast them for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until the sprouts are browned in spots and fork-tender.
  3. Take the sprouts out of the oven. Combine them with the garlic and apples. The apples and garlic will warm up when you mix with them with the hot sprouts and bacon.
  4. Drizzle the apple cider vinegar over the top and stir it all together. Sprinkle the parsley, salt and pepper over the top and serve. I do all of this while the sprouts are still on the baking sheet or you can transfer them to your serving bowl and add the other ingredients. 

Notes

Substitutions: You can swap the bacon for the same amount of pancetta. Instead of apple cider vinegar, try balsamic vinegar.

Cooking Tip: The roasting time may vary depending on your oven and how big your sprouts are. Keep an eye on them – you will know they are done when they are fork-tender and caramelized. I like mine with a little bite, but if you prefer yours softer you may need to cook them a little longer.

Storage Tip: Leftovers will keep for a few days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 189
  • Sugar: 6.3g
  • Sodium: 311.7mg
  • Fat: 11.5g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.8g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6.9g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.9g
  • Fiber: 5.4g
  • Protein: 7.6g
  • Cholesterol: 18.5mg

Do you love this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a comment and your recipe star rating!

The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

Post updated from the archives. First published in December 2019.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.