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    Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries

    By Julia | Updated: Nov 23, 2023 | Published: Dec 04, 2019 | 345 Comments

    804.9K shares
    • Facebook68.3K
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    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Toasted Pecans, and Dried Cranberries is an easy Christmas side dish that will add colors and vibrancy to your holiday menu!

    Christmas Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

     

    This is such a perfect Christmas recipe.  Roasted Brussels sprouts taste great combined with the classic holiday ingredients, such as pecans and dried cranberries.  Dried cranberries provide a nice, sweeter contrast to the Brussels Sprouts. And, there is a little bit of crunch from toasted pecans and chopped cooked bacon.  This side dish is bursting with colors!

    If you enjoy colorful holiday recipes, you will also love green beans with bacon and butternut squash and Brussels sprouts.

    Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries

    What I love the best about this Christmas Brussels sprouts recipe is that it fits so well with the traditional holiday side dishes, such as green beans, potatoes, and stuffing.  It’s a perfect recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve or any other holiday!

    This side dish is packed with vegetables and nuts. It’s healthy, gluten-free, and rich in fiber!

    Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon have become one of my favorite holiday recipes.

    Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries

    Other holiday side dishes

    If you want to discover other colorful and vibrant holiday side dishes, check out these recipes:

    • Garlic and Bacon Green Beans – crispy and crunchy green beans sautéed with garlic and bacon in olive oil and butter on the stovetop.
    • Creamy and Crunchy Salad with Peas, Bacon, and Pecans – easy and beautiful side dish for the holidays!
    • Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries - this vibrant recipe will work perfectly for both Thanksgiving and Christmas!
    • Winter Fruit Salad with Maple Lime Dressing – the holiday ingredient list includes red apples, pears, clementine oranges (or mandarin oranges), kiwi fruit, dried cranberries, and pomegranate seeds.
    • Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate – perfect healthy holiday salad features Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing.

    Christmas main courses

    Brussels sprouts and bacon will pair well with any Christmas main course.  I recommend that you try one of these recipes for your holiday dinner, especially the duck:

    • Roast Duck is a perfect holiday main course!  This Roast Whole Duck has tender and juicy meat, crispy skin, and it’s glazed with the honey-balsamic glaze to give the duck a beautiful roasted look.
    • Duck Breast with Cranberry Sauce - this recipe will make a perfect main dish for any special night, an anniversary celebration, or holidays, especially Christmas or New Year’s Eve.
    • Lamb Chops with Cranberry Balsamic Reduction - this recipe features holiday ingredients, such as pomegranate seeds and pecans. Simple lamb chops marinade is made of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.
    • Roasted Cornish Hen is made with root vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes) and onions.

    Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries

    How to make Brussels sprouts with bacon

    1) Start by cooking the bacon in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 20 minutes. After the bacon is cooked, drain it of fat and chop it up into smaller pieces.
    cooking bacon

    2) Next, prepare the Brussels sprouts by tossing them with olive oil and salt. Add them to a baking sheet.

    brussels sprouts with olive oil

    3) Roast the Brussels sprouts in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 20 minutes.

    roasted brussels sprouts

    4) Finally, in a medium bowl, combine together roasted brussels sprouts, chopped cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries.

    Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries

    Tips and tricks

    • To save time, roast both Brussels sprouts and bacon on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.
    • Optionally, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the final dish.  The dish should already have enough oil from Brussels sprouts and the cooked warm bacon.
    • Soak dried cranberries briefly in hot water to plump them up.  This will make dried cranberries juicier, softer, and more vibrant.

    How to make it ahead

    • If you plan to make this dish a day ahead, don’t add nuts. Add nuts only when ready to serve (to make sure they are crunchy).
    • Reheat this dish in a shallow pan, such as a sheet pan or a sheet cake pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the ingredients on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Reheat for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven at 350 F. Then add toasted pecans, when ready to serve.

    Serve this cold or hot?

    • This dish is best served immediately, warm or at room temperature.

    Substitutions

    • Don’t want to use pecans?  Use pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or pine nuts.
    • You can use dried cherries, raisins, or chopped dried figs instead of dried cranberries.
    • What is a good substitution for regular bacon?  Use prosciutto, duck bacon, or turkey bacon.
    Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries
    4.72 from 1034 votes

    Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries

    Christmas Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries will add color and vibrancy to your holiday table!   This crispy and crunchy salad might become one of your family's favorite Christmas side dishes!  Dried cranberries provide a sweet contrast to the savory Brussels Sprouts.  There is a bit of crunch from toasted pecans and chopped cooked bacon.  
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 407 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 4 slices bacon cooked and chopped
    • 1 cup pecans
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    US Customary - Metric
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    Instructions 

    How to Roast Brussels Sprouts

    • Preheat oven to 400 F. 
    • Slice all Brussels sprouts in half.
    • In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and toss to combine.
    • Place Brussels sprouts on the baking sheet, cut side down. 
    • Roast in the oven at 400 F for about 25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be partially charred but not blackened.

    How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

    • Line the separate baking sheet with foil.  Add the bacon slices in one layer.  Bake in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is done.  You can do it at the same time as roasting the Brussels sprouts.
    • Drain bacon of fat and slice the bacon into small bites.

    How to Toast Pecans

    • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Add pecans in one layer.
    • Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color.

    Prepare Dried Cranberries

    • For best results, briefly soak the dried cranberries in hot water.   Bring a small pot of water to boil.  
    • Add dried cranberries to a medium bowl.  Pour hot water over the cranberries and soak them for about 10 minutes.  Drain.

    Assembly

    • In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, warm chopped cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and soaked dried cranberries.   Toss everything together.  The olive oil from Brussels sprouts and fats from bacon should be enough to coat the ingredients.  If desired, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to mix with the salad (optional). 

    Notes

    If you would like to ADD SAUCE TO CREATE MORE FLAVOR, here are some easy options:
    • Drizzle with a balsamic glaze.  Make the balsamic glaze by cooking down the balsamic vinegar together with a small amount of honey or brown sugar until the mixture reduces by about half.  For example, combine 1 cup of balsamic vinegar + ¼ cup of honey or brown sugar and cook it down. Consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon but should not be overly thick.
    • Drizzle with a very high-quality aged balsamic vinegar made in Italy.  Aged balsamic vinegar is often sold in specialized stores or sections of foreign foods at some grocery stores.  High-quality Italian-made aged balsamic vinegar is usually expensive but it does not need cooking down.  Just use it as is.  And, you don't need to use much. 
    • Or, use your favorite balsamic vinaigrette-based salad dressing. 
    • You can use white balsamic vinegar to brighten this dish!

    Looking for more THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES?

    • I have created a comprehensive recipe collection of 60 Thanksgiving side dishes conveniently categorized by ingredient: Green Beans, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Potatoes, Acorn Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Asparagus, Broccoli, etc. It's a great resource to browse through for a last moment holiday inspiration! This side dishes will also work great for Christmas and New Year's Eve.

    Looking for a complete THANKSGIVING MENU?

    • Be sure to check out my 50 Best Thanksgiving Recipes (The Complete Holiday Menu) - it includes everything: Fall-inspired holiday appetizers, side dishes, salads, main courses, pasta recipes, desserts, and even breakfast. This holiday menu features proven, tried, and true Thanksgiving dishes that have been reader favorites for years (I've been publishing recipes since 2012).

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    407
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    34
    g
    52
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    31
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    14
    mg
    5
    %
    Sodium
     
    312
    mg
    14
    %
    Potassium
     
    475
    mg
    14
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    23
    g
    8
    %
    Fiber
     
    6
    g
    25
    %
    Sugar
     
    12
    g
    13
    %
    Protein
     
    7
    g
    14
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    655
    IU
    13
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    72.6
    mg
    88
    %
    Calcium
     
    53
    mg
    5
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword Brussels sprouts bacon, Christmas Brussels sprouts
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    804.9K shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Stacey

      February 06, 2023 at 7:41 pm

      Made this dish tonight and it was absolutely delish! I used turkey bacon instead of regular bacon and I drizzled a tiny bit of honey over all of it before serving. So so good!

      Reply
      • Julia

        February 13, 2023 at 7:03 pm

        Stacey, thank you for your tip about drizzling everything with a small amount of honey - that sounds delish!

        Reply
    2. Beverly Hayes

      December 26, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      This recipe had popped up on my FaceBook feed several times and when looking for something festive to do with Brussels Sprouts for Christmas dinner, I went searching for it. Such a beautiful dish and it got rave reviews. I made it exactly as your recipe suggests and it was incredibly well received. Definitely will make it again. Thanks for the excellent, well written recipe. It was easy to make and I was thrilled with the outcome.

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 07, 2023 at 9:52 pm

        Beverly, your comment truly made my day! 🙂 Thank you for this positive and thoughtful feedback. So glad you chose this recipe for your Christmas dinner and glad it was a success! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Trish

      December 24, 2022 at 9:44 am

      Any suggested reheating method besides crockpot? I’d love to make this ahead.

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 24, 2022 at 11:52 am

        Trish, you can reheat this in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 20 minutes.

        You can also briefly reheat this in the microwave oven.

        In either cases, when making this ahead, keep the pecans separate and add them only right before serving as they get soggy if left in the salad overnight. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Elaine

      December 21, 2022 at 6:20 am

      Is this dish served hot, room temperature or cold?

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 23, 2022 at 2:04 pm

        Elaine, this can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. But not refrigerator cold.

        Reply
    5. Kaytlin

      December 20, 2022 at 8:44 pm

      A great name for this - Holiday Sprouts! Love the recipe

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 23, 2022 at 2:06 pm

        Kaytlin, yes, I agree - Holiday Sprouts is a good name for it! 🙂

        Reply
      • Kristy

        December 26, 2022 at 3:20 pm

        I just made this for Christmas and it was really tasty...I have a lot leftover. Could this dish be frozen?
        Thanks
        Kristy

        Reply
        • Julia

          January 07, 2023 at 9:51 pm

          Kristy, you can freeze this, but I would keep the nuts separate as they will get soggy if refrigerated or frozen.

          Reply
    6. Christina

      December 15, 2022 at 10:44 pm

      Can this be made ahead and kept warm in a crockpot?

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 23, 2022 at 3:32 pm

        Christina, yes, you can make it ahead and keep it warm in a crockpot. I would keep toasted pecans separate (not in a crockpot) and add them only when serving.

        Reply
        • Terry

          December 23, 2022 at 8:53 pm

          I should also have said I cut bacon in pieces and cooked with the Brussel sprouts at the same time @400 degrees about the same time you suggested for the Brussel Sprouts. I also toasted the pecans in airfryer 5 min......to long had to throw them out. Make that 2 min with close watch. I didn't "puff up' the cranberries but will do Sunday when I make it again.

          Reply
          • Julia

            December 24, 2022 at 12:00 pm

            Terry, that's a great tip for roasting chopped bacon at the same time at Brussels sprouts - saves a ton of time! So sorry to hear about the pecans - they do burn quickly even in the oven, I always have to be very careful and watch them closely.

            Reply
    7. Valerie Helfrich

      December 06, 2022 at 11:00 pm

      Top notch recipe! Planning to repeat for Christmas dinner so we did a practice run. It was beyond my expectations. I added a clove of roasted garlic to the mix and a drizzle of fig balsamic vinegar. Absolutely elevated my Tuesday night roasted chicken to a new level!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 07, 2022 at 9:40 pm

        Valerie, your comment made my day! 🙂 Glad you loved it - I love the addition of roasted garlic (I love garlic anything!). 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share this wonderful review.

        Reply
    8. Marilyn

      November 30, 2022 at 2:19 pm

      Do you have a book out?

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 06, 2022 at 12:23 am

        Marilyn, I don't - just this website! 🙂

        Reply
        • Terry

          December 06, 2022 at 4:28 pm

          I prepared in air fryer. It was delicious. Only change I would make is 3/4 cup of pecans, a little more bacon and white balsamic to brighten the look of the dish.

          Reply
          • Julia

            December 07, 2022 at 9:50 pm

            Terry, thank you for sharing that you successfully made this in the air fryer - good to know for me and other readers! I love your suggestion about using white balsamic for presentation purposes - in fact, I just updated my recipe with this! 🙂

            Reply
    9. Terri

      November 26, 2022 at 12:51 pm

      Turned out great!

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 06, 2022 at 1:28 am

        Terri, I am so glad! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Jean

      November 25, 2022 at 1:53 pm

      Made this for Thanksgiving, multiplied the recipe x 4. Delicious, everyone loved it.

      Reply
      • Julia

        December 06, 2022 at 1:41 am

        Jean, WOW - 4 x the recipe! Thank you for taking the time to share this positive feedback! 🙂

        Reply
    11. Lizzy

      November 23, 2022 at 10:47 pm

      Hello!

      Will this still taste good if I leave out the bacon?

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 24, 2022 at 4:04 pm

        Lizzy, yes, - this would still be delicious even without the bacon!

        Reply
    12. Tracy

      November 23, 2022 at 6:36 pm

      Can I make this the night before then add to crock pot to warm up ?

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 24, 2022 at 4:07 pm

        Tracy, yes you can! In this case, I would not add pecans to the crockpot and add them only when you're ready to serve so that they don't get soggy.

        Reply
    13. LeAna

      November 23, 2022 at 3:09 pm

      This is on my Thanksgiving list and I'm hoping to make-ahead. Should I re-heat in oven (covered) or simply microwave? I don't want to ruin it, but I'm concerned about my timing on the day. It looks divine!!

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 24, 2022 at 4:16 pm

        LeAna, here are some tips:

        1)
        If you plan to make this dish a day ahead, don’t add nuts and dried cranberries. Add them only when ready to serve (to make sure they are crunchy) and add the balsamic glaze right before serving.

        2)
        Reheat this dish in a shallow pan, such as a sheet pan or a sheet cake pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the ingredients on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Reheat for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven at 350 F. Then add toasted pecans, when ready to serve. And drizzle with the balsamic glaze (or balsamic vinaigrette).

        3)
        You can also reheat this in the microwave (without the balsamic glaze and without the pecans).

        Reply
    14. Preparing us for Thanksgiving was wondering could I substitute reasons for the cranberries or would that be too sweete

      November 22, 2022 at 12:35 pm

      Hi Julia. Preparing this recipe for Thanksgiving was wondering could I substitute raisins for the cranberries or would that be too sweet? Ellen

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 22, 2022 at 6:26 pm

        Raisins would work well, too! You can also use dried figs or dried blueberries.

        Reply
    15. Glenda D

      November 22, 2022 at 8:27 am

      This looks divine! It’s now on the menu for this year’s Thanksgiving.

      Reply
      • Julia

        November 23, 2022 at 9:36 am

        Glenda, I am glad you chose this dish to add to your Thanksgiving menu! Happy Holidays! 🙂

        Reply
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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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