Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

These Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with bacon are going to become one of your favorite vegetable side dishes! They’re crispy, sweet, salty, flavorful, and have a little (optional) kick. Needing just 30 minutes, they’re perfect for anything from the holidays to weeknight dinners!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Low maintenance – Maple balsamic brussel sprouts only take 30 minutes and need just a few pretty basic ingredients.
• Perfect for holidays – Need a flavorful Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter side dish? This flavorful dish uses a seasonal fall veggie favorite – brussels sprouts! (If making for Chanukah, omit the bacon.)
• Full of flavor – They’re sweet, a little tangy, salty, a little smoky from the bacon, and have an optional bit of heat if that’s your jam.
• The best texture – roasting brussels sprouts gets them caramelized and crispy and just SO dang good!
• Flexible recipe for different dietary eating patterns – Maple balsamic brussels are naturally dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free (if using gluten-free bacon), and can easily be made vegetarian or vegan by omitting the bacon.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Brussels Sprouts – the star of the show, no substitutes here! (Although truly, you could make this recipe with broccoli or asparagus, too!)
• Bacon – a little goes a long way. As the bacon renders and gets crispy, it helps crisp the brussel sprouts, too. You can use regular bacon, turkey bacon, or skip if you’re looking for a vegetarian or vegan side. (If skipping, add an extra tablespoon of oil to ensure the brussels get ultra crispy!)
• Maple Syrup – adds the perfect sweetness and helps the brussels get caramelized. If needed, you can substitute with an equal amount of honey, brown sugar, or brown sugar substitute like Truvia Sweet Complete Brown Sugar Substitute.
• Balsamic Vinegar – adds a bit of tang and tastes delicious with the brussels and maple!
• Flavor – No one needs bland veggies, so we dial up the flavor even more with garlic powder, thyme, and a little crushed red chili pepper flakes. Feel free to customize to your preference (i.e. if you or your fam doesn’t do heat, just leave it out).

Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.

How to Cut Brussels Sprouts

1. Prep brussels sprouts by washing them in a colander. All you need is water, you just want to rinse out any dirt.
2. Pluck off and discard any discolored leaves on the outside of each brussel.
3. Use a paring knife to trim a very thin slice off the stem base (it’s normally woody, dry, tough, and discolored brown-ish).
4. Cut the brussels sprouts in half length-wise. If any of your brussels sprouts are particularly large, cut them in half again to quarter them. (Aim for all halves/ quarters to be roughly the same size for more even cooking.)

How to Make Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. You can bake directly on your baking sheet, but if you prefer less mess, line your baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup.
2. On the baking sheet, add your trimmed brussels sprouts and bacon and top with maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, oil, and seasonings. Toss to combine.
3. Spread all the brussels sprouts out on the sheet pan. Make sure they are not touching and that the cut sides are all facing down. Bacon slices can be spread in between brussels sprouts.
4. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until browned. Discard the thyme stems.
5. Serve warm and enjoy. If desired, garnish with additional fresh thyme leaves, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, or a grating of fresh parmesan.

Recipe Tips & Variations

• Don’t crowd the brussels. One large baking sheet pan should work, but just make sure there is a little space between every brussels sprout. This allows air to circulate around them for more even cooking and better browning and caramelizing.
• Know your oven. Especially if you have an older oven, know how your oven cooks! For example, my older oven had a couple hot spots, so I had to rotate my pan a couple times for more even cooking, whereas I don’t need to with my new oven.
• Cut-side down. This helps get the perfect brown and crispy brussels sprout!
• Use a hot pan. I personally like to keep things as low maintenance as possible in the kitchen, but if you like your brussels sprouts really crispy, try preheating your sheet pan. You can toss all the ingredients together in a bowl, then continue to carefully place cut-side down on the hot sheet pan.
• Move your rack to the bottom third of your oven. Again – know your oven! But if you’re struggling to get your brussels crispy enough, try placing a rack in the bottom third of the oven and baking your brussels there. But again – know your oven! If your oven is older or cooks unevenly, this could create some burning.
• Finish with balsamic glaze or fresh parmesan. Looking to elevate your maple balsamic brussels sprouts even further? Finish them with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and/ or grate some fresh parmesan reggiano for even more flavor.

More Delicious Side Dishes

• Healthy Cinnamon Carrots
• Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes
• Healthy, Easy Sauteed Mushrooms
• Maple Dijon Brussels Sprouts
• Prosciutto Green Beans
• Healthy Corn Casserole

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