Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and Pomegranates

I remember growing up, I was a big desserts and candied yams girl at my holiday dinners. I always remember the one Christmas where my jaw dropped when I had oven-roasted Brussels sprouts for the first time. It was crazy good. I couldn’t believe that vegetables could be this delicious. 

In my take on this holiday classic, I have added crispy roasted bacon and its fats that make everything better, too. 

Now this recipe is one way to enjoy vegetables, and I mean REALLY enjoy them… not just tolerate them so we can say we ate our vegetables. Even the pickiest eaters and vegetable haters will be delighted to pop these crispy, caramelized Brussels sprouts in their mouths one after another. 

Coating the bacon and Brussels sprouts is a delicious honey glaze which I like to call liquid gold. It has a bit of zing from apple cider vinegar and is also buttery. Just when you think it’s flavorful enough – and here’s the twist that I added in my version of the recipe – we top it off with pomegranate seed pearls and some goat cheese. 

Yummy doesn’t even begin to describe this Brussels sprouts and bacon recipe. 

It is so easy to prepare, too. I make this recipe all year round, not just during the holiday season. I suggest completing this with any main dish which has similar flavor profiles. Try it with this easy lemon butter salmon, lemon wine pasta, or honey garlic chicken. 

Recipe Ingredients

These ingredients are the stars of the show. Once roasted, their flavor will fill the room with the most tempting aroma. 

• Brussels sprouts – Cut 1 pound of Brussels sprouts into half lengthwise. If they are slightly larger, cut them into quarters until they are bite-sized.
  • Pro Tip: The most efficient way to prepare Brussels sprouts is to trim off the end of each Brussels sprout (the brownish-yellow stem). Discard any yellow or damaged leaves and slice the sprout in half. 
• Bacon – Get 5 thick-cut raw bacon slices. Chop them approximately ½-inch wide or ¾-inch wide so that they don’t shrink to nothing when they’re in the oven. 
• Extra virgin olive oil – Measure 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to help the bacon and Brussels sprout crisp and caramelize beautifully. 

A sweet and zesty honey glaze will accompany the Brussels sprouts and bacon: 

• Honey – Measure ⅓ cup of honey to make the glaze sweet and sticky, coating the Brussels sprout and bacon. 
• Butter – A good glaze needs salted butter, so we will use 3 tablespoons of it.  
• Apple cider vinegar – Apple cider vinegar is too sharp to enjoy on its own, but it makes such a difference in this glaze. One variation is to use balsamic vinegar instead to create a honey balsamic glaze. 
• Orange zest – Also, to add a lovely citrus flavor to this glaze, grab your zester and grate 2 teaspoons worth of orange zest or lemon zest.
  • Pro Tip: Instead of ACV, you can also squeeze fresh orange juice. 
• Salt and pepper – This glaze is already very well-flavored, but we will add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to complete it. 

Optional but highly recommended toppings to bring it all together: 

• Goat cheese – Crumble ½ cup worth of goat cheese or feta cheese.  
• Pomegranate seeds – Measure 1 cup of pomegranate seeds. These sweet and juicy seeds really make this dish come to life. Plus, who doesn’t love a pop of bright pink in their food? 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step One: Preheat the oven to 425°F and position the oven rack in the lower ⅓ of the oven.

Step Two: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the Brussels sprouts cut side down on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on the sprouts. Toss to combine.

Step Three: Scatter the chopped raw bacon around the Brussels sprouts. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep an eye on it and remove from the oven when Brussels sprouts are browned and the bacon is crisp. 

• Pro Tip: Ensure the sprouts and bacon are laid out on the baking sheet in a flat single layer rather than heaped or piled up. This will ensure they all get roasted evenly. 

Step Four: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add honey. Boil the honey for 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar, butter, orange zest, and a pinch of salt.

Step Five: Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Drizzle the honey glaze over the Brussels sprouts with bacon while hot and toss lightly, ensuring it is evenly coated. Top with crumbled goat cheese and pomegranate seeds. 

• Pro Tip: If you are hoping to refrigerate this dish for a few days, set aside a portion without the goat cheese and pomegranate toppings to ease the reheating process. See Storage Instructions for details. 

Serve warm for the most easy and delicious side dish or appetizer for your holiday dinner.

Storage Instructions

What do you do if (in the unlikely case) you happen to have leftovers of oven roasted Brussels sprouts? Store and reheat them following these guidelines:

Chill in the fridge – Seal cooked Brussels sprouts in an airtight container. It will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. Unfortunately, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon is one of the dishes that cannot be frozen. In the thawing process, they will get mushy and soggy, so I do not recommend freezing them.

Reheating instructions – Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle some olive oil. Scatter the Brussels sprouts and bacon on the baking sheet. Warm it up in the oven at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes until heated through. They can also go in the microwave, heating at 30-second increments until heated through.