The Too Good To Be Just A Side MapleBacon Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans Balsamic Glaze

The Feast Starter: Why Your Christmas Side Dishes Matter

Remember that time you served boiled sprouts and everyone politely pushed them around their plates? Awful! We’ve all been there, haven't we? This year, we’re banishing blandness. This Maple-Bacon Brussels Sprouts dish is a proper flavour upgrade. It smells incredible when it’s roasting; honestly, the kitchen smells like Christmas morning before the turkey is even near the oven.

The Too Good To Be Just A Side MapleBacon Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans Balsamic Glaze Recipe Card

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Preparation time:15 Mins

Cooking time:30 Mins

Servings:6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• lbs (680 g) Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved
• strips Thick-Cut Smoked Bacon, chopped into small lardons
• /2 cup (60 g) Pecan Halves
• Tbsp (30 ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• tsp Kosher Salt
• /2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Tbsp (45 ml) Grade A Dark Maple Syrup
• /4 cup (60 ml) Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Halve all Brussels sprouts.
• Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve on paper towels; reserve the rendered fat in the pan.
• Add pecans to the same skillet with the bacon fat (or a touch of oil if needed). Toast lightly for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
• In a large bowl, toss the halved sprouts with about 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet (ensure they are not crowded).
• Roast for 15 minutes.
• Remove sprouts from the oven, toss gently, and scatter the cooked bacon back over them. Return to the oven for another 10–12 minutes until tender-crisp and nicely charred.
• While the sprouts finish, combine maple syrup and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by about half and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
• Transfer the roasted sprouts and bacon to a serving platter. Drizzle generously with the warm balsamic glaze.
• Sprinkle with toasted pecans immediately before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories:360 kcal

Protein:6.4 g

Fat:20.7 g

Carbs:28.7 g

Fiber:6.1 g

Sugar:0.0 g

Sodium:326 mg

Recipe Info

Category:Vegetable Side Dish, Holiday Fare

Cuisine:American

Sorting Out Your Christmas Side Dishes Queries

I know what you’re typing into Google. You’re asking: "How do I make sprouts taste good?" "Can I make these Easy Side Dishes Christmas day needs ahead of time?" And, "What goes best with ham?" Fear not! This recipe tackles all that head-on. Unlike those other sites that just list random Popular Christmas Dishes , I’m showing you exactly how to nail the texture and balance here, making it brilliant for Holiday Potluck Side Dishes too.

Getting Down to Brass Tacks: The Recipe Prep

Right, let’s stop chatting and get cooking. We are making the "Too Good To Be Just A Side" Maple-Bacon Brussels Sprouts. Forget complicated timings; this is genuinely an easy recipe, perfect for when your oven is already full of Mum’s roast potatoes. The prep is quick—about fifteen minutes max before they hit the heat.

We need proper, good ingredients for our Christmas Side Dishes Recipes . Grab your sprouts—about 1.5 lbs, halved. Don't skimp on the bacon; we want that smoky, thick-cut stuff chopped into little lardons. That bacon fat is your secret weapon, trust me on this one.

The Critical Roasting Secret

The key to transforming these into fantastic Christmas Side Dishes UK tables demand is the roasting method. You must not crowd the baking tray. If the sprouts are piled up, they steam, and that’s a watery disaster. Spread them out so they can actually char a bit—we want those lovely crispy edges. We are roasting at 400°F (200°C) .

We’ll roast them hard first, then toss in the cooked bacon for the final blast. That way, the bacon stays crispy, and the sprouts soften just right. It’s those small lessons that separate an average meal from something memorable for your Christmas Side Dishes For Ham spread.

Glazing and Serving Up A Treat

While they finish up, quickly knock up that glaze—maple syrup and balsamic vinegar reduced down. It goes from thin liquid to sticky syrup surprisingly fast, so keep an eye on it! When it coats the back of a spoon, take it off immediately. Drizzle that gorgeous syrup over the hot sprouts, scatter on your toasted pecans, and you’ve got a showstopper. These are perfect Christmas Side Dishes Ideas to balance out anything heavy like roast beef or Christmas Side Dishes For Prime Rib . Job done!

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Right then, let’s get stuck into the gear you need for this showstopper. Getting your bits and bobs sorted beforehand—what the French call mise en place —is the real secret to stress-free cooking, especially when you’re juggling multiple pans for those all-important Christmas Side Dishes .

Equipment & Mise en Place

We aren't breaking out any fancy kit here, promise. You’ll need a good large rimmed baking sheet —ideally two, because if you pile your sprouts up, they'll stew, and nobody wants soggy sprouts on Christmas Day! A decent non-stick skillet for sorting out the bacon is essential too. For the glaze, any small saucepan will do the trick.

My big tip, learned the hard way after once burning my sage stuffing because I was faffing about chopping, is this: get everything ready before the oven timer starts yelling at you. Halve those sprouts, chop your bacon into neat little lardons, and have your pecans ready to toast. That way, when the main roast comes out and the oven temperature is just right, you can whip this entire thing together quickly. It makes tackling a spread of Easy Side Dishes Christmas a doddle.

Core Shopping List

For the sprouts themselves, aim for about 1.5 lbs (680 g) . Try to find ones that are firm and tightly closed—no floppy outer leaves hanging off, or they’ve seen better days. For the bacon, go for thick-cut smoked; you want that lovely smoky fat to crisp up and flavour everything else. We need 6 strips (about 150 g) , chopped small.

Now, for the sweet hit: you must use proper maple syrup. None of that watery pancake stuff pretending to be maple. Look for Grade A Dark. You need 3 tablespoons (45 ml) . A decent quality balsamic vinegar makes a huge difference in the glaze; don't use the stuff you use for cleaning windows! If you’re feeling flush, a slightly aged one is superb, but any decent supermarket balsamic will work here to create those fantastic Christmas Side Dishes Recipes .

Flavour Architecture

This dish is all about balance, isn't it? It’s the sweet, the salty, and the sharp tanginess all playing off each other. The bacon fat (savoury umami, thank you very much) coats the sprouts, giving them a gorgeous foundation before the oven caramelises them.

The magic happens when you combine the 3 tablespoons of maple syrup with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of balsamic vinegar . This reduction is what pulls it away from being just 'bacon sprouts' and elevates it to something worthy of Holiday Potluck Side Dishes . If you happen to be out of maple syrup, honestly, brown sugar works in a pinch—use about 2 tablespoons instead—but it won't have that earthy, complex background note. My own little addition? A tiny pinch of dried chilli flakes goes into the pan right when the sprouts hit the oven. It doesn't make them spicy, just gives them a lovely little background warmth, which is fantastic next to, say, Christmas Side Dishes For Prime Rib .

Right then, let’s get down to brass tacks. Planning the perfect Christmas dinner is all about the supporting cast, isn't it? Those Christmas Side Dishes can make or break the whole meal. Everyone focuses on the turkey, but honestly, a cracking side is what people really remember. We’re making sprouts that taste like they should feature on every list of Popular Christmas Dishes . Forget those grey, mushy things your Auntie Brenda makes; we’re aiming for crispy, sweet, and salty heaven.

Before You Cook

We need to nail the staging, or you’ll be running around like a headless chicken on Christmas morning. My rivals always bang on about timing benchmarks, so let’s get organised. You want those sprouts prepped well ahead. Give those pecans about 5 minutes to toast gently in a dry pan—don’t walk away, they burn faster than a cheap cracker! The biggest pitfall here is texture. If you boil the sprouts first, you’ve failed. We want char, not sludge. Also, if you skip rendering the bacon fat to coat the sprouts, your flavour profile will be flatter than a day-old bottle of pop.

Guided Cooking Sequence

This is dead simple, trust me. It’s all about the heat and giving the sprouts space.

1. First things first, get your oven cranked up to a cracking 400° F ( 200° C) . While that’s warming up, chop your bacon and halve those sprouts. Uniformity is key so they roast properly.
2. Next, get your bacon lardons going in a skillet over medium heat. Listen for the fat to sizzle and the bacon to crisp up—that’s your sound cue, usually about 6– 8 minutes . Scoop the bacon out, reserving the glorious fat.
3. Toss your sprouts with about a tablespoon of that beautiful bacon fat, some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Now, spread them out on your baking sheet. They must have breathing room; this is critical for achieving proper caramelisation.
4. Slide them in for the initial blast: 15 minutes . You should start smelling that lovely nutty, savoury aroma now.
5. Pull them out, give them a quick stir, scatter the cooked bacon back on, and roast for another 10 to 12 minutes . They should look nicely browned and slightly singed at the edges. That’s perfection.

Save-It Section: Make-Ahead Magic

These are excellent Easy Side Dishes Christmas cooks can manage ahead of time. You can wash and halve the sprouts the day before. Even better, you can roast the sprouts entirely (steps 1–6) and store them in the fridge. Reheat them in a hot oven—about 375° F for 10 minutes —just before serving.

The glaze is where flavours evolve beautifully. Make the balsamic glaze a day or two ahead; it will thicken nicely in the fridge. If your sauce separates (it shouldn't if you didn't boil it hard), just whisk it vigorously over very low heat, or stir in half a teaspoon of cold water to bring it back together. These travel well too, making them top-tier Holiday Potluck Side Dishes . They are fantastic Christmas Side Dishes For Ham or, if you're serving beef, equally brilliant as Christmas Side Dishes For Prime Rib . Get these in your arsenal of Christmas Side Dishes Recipes now!

Right then, let's talk about those little finishing touches that make people go, "Oh, that side dish was brilliant." Getting these Christmas Side Dishes spot on is what separates a decent dinner from a proper feast, you know?

Taste & Texture Upgrades

We aren't just chucking stuff on a plate here. For a real showstopper, think about contrast. After these sprouts come out piping hot, give them a good toss with that sticky glaze—that's your sweet/sour hit. Then, scatter those toasted pecans right on top last minute. That crunch against the soft, charred sprout? Pure magic.

If you’re plating up for your guests, make sure you don’t just dump them in a bowl. I like serving mine piled high on a rustic wooden board or a white platter, letting the dark glaze shine against the bright green. It looks dead professional, but honestly, it takes two seconds. Compare this to some of the frankly duller roasted veggie recipes out there—we’ve absolutely nailed the balance of salty bacon and sweet maple, which is often missing when people try making simple Easy Side Dishes Christmas .

Nutrition & Dietary Paths

Now, for the grown-ups watching their intake. For this recipe, serving 8, you’re looking at roughly 190 calories per portion, which isn't bad considering the flavour bomb you’re dropping. The main hits are healthy fats from the pecans and fibre from the sprouts.

If you need to keep it lighter on the calories, just hold back slightly on the bacon fat drizzle and use a touch less maple in the glaze. For those avoiding gluten, no worries at all—this dish is naturally gluten-free! Dairy-free is also a doddle, provided you use oil instead of butter if you ever decide to pan-fry the bacon first. It remains one of the most adaptable Christmas Side Dishes Recipes I have in my repertoire.

Serving & Pairing Ideas

These sprouts are incredibly versatile. While they sing next to turkey, they are also fantastic alongside baked salmon if you are leaning away from the traditional red meat roast. For Christmas Side Dishes For Ham , the sharpness of the balsamic is key—it cuts through the saltiness perfectly.

If you make too many (unlikely, trust me), they store fine in the fridge for three days. Reheating is best done spread thin on a baking sheet in a hot oven—about 10 minutes at 400° F—to bring back that crispiness. Don’t microwave them unless you enjoy floppy vegetables; that’s a definite no-no for maintaining texture! These are firmly in the running for top Popular Christmas Dishes this year.

Honestly, if you make just one new side dish this December, make it this one. It's festive, easy, and transforms the humble sprout into something genuinely special. Give this one a go; you won't regret adding this beauty to your collection of Christmas Side Dishes UK staples!

If you're craving more ideas, explore The Chefs Secret to Buttery Fluffy Mashed Potatoes Sunday Roast Side , My Pukka Easy Garlic Bread Recipe The Ultimate Crisp Cheesy Sidekick and The Fluffiest Strawberry Cake Recipe Insider Stable Cream Victoria Sponge Tips .