Hello Foodies! I’ve got a real treat for your Christmas table today, although you don’t have to reserve this recipe for Christmas. It’s good year-round! Today I’m sharing my recipe for Brussel Sprouts with a Balsamic Reduction with you. These Brussel sprouts are full of good surprises like applewood smoked bacon and dried cranberries. Yum!
I’ll admit that like most kids, even this future foodie did not like Brussel sprouts. Had my mother roasted them and tossed them with bacon, dried cranberries and a balsamic reduction, I might have felt differently! Brussel sprouts are a wildly popular side dish in steakhouses, which I have only noticed more recently. Brussels sprouts are among the top 20 most nutritious foods in regards to ANDI score (Aggregate Nutrient Density Index), which measures vitamin, mineral, and phytonutrient content in relation to caloric content. They are loaded with vitamins, nutrients and even protein. They are loaded with health benefits.
Oven-roasting Brussels sprouts brings out their sweet, almost nutty flavor and keeps them crisp while diminishing the harsh, sulfurous odor and taste that many find offensive. And when you add the bacon, cranberries and balsamic reduction……let me tell you, there is nothing bad tasting about these veggies. I brought them to a potluck at the office today and got several comments on how delicious they are and was asked for the recipe. The recipe for Brussel sprouts folks! They really are delicious and if you think you don’t like Brussel sprouts, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. Make it a New Year’s resolution – must try Ketchum Kitchen’s Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction.
I try to keep it simple here on the blog and this dish sounds very fancy, but I assure you, it is not. It’s in line with my simple, delicious recipes with easy to find ingredients and I trust you will make it from the heart as I always do!
Let’s get started! First, clean the Brussel sprouts (just give them a good rinse) and trim off the tough bottom part and slice them in half and toss them in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them in the oven until they start to crisp up (roughly 35-40 minutes.)
Meanwhile, sauté the applewood smoked bacon in a sauté pan. Applewood smoked bacon is smoked from the wood of various apple trees. You certainly can use other types of bacon in this dish, but the applewood is my favorite. I prefer to chop the bacon first and then throw it into the sauté pan. Be sure to drain it really well.
Another key ingredient is dried cranberries. This is another ingredient that you can omit, but they add extra sweetness and a nice, chewy texture. I’m a sucker for good texture and the combination of the crispy bacon and chewy cranberries is a winner in my book!
While the Brussel sprouts are roasting and the bacon is crisping, get the balsamic reduction started. What is a balsamic reduction? It sounds fancy. It sounds complicated. It’s not. It’s one ingredient – balsamic vinegar – that is heated on the stove until it reduces into an almost syrup-like consistency and it gets sweet and will coat the Brussel sprouts and make them delicious! You can add a little sugar to the vinegar, but I don’t think it needs it. It gets plenty sweet on its own.
When all of the ingredients are ready, add them all to a large mixing bowl and toss well. This dish is a great side dish to chicken, turkey, beef or pork and reheats really well. I will be adorning my Christmas table with these yummy Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction this year!
Merry Christmas friends! I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and come on back and let me know how you like it. Leave me a comment! I love to hear your feedback. If you’re not already, be sure to subscribe to receive recipes right in your inbox and follow me on Social Media for all kinds of fun content.
Thanks for stopping by where everything is made from the ♥
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds Brussel sprouts, cleaned, trimmed and halved
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar (reduced)
- 6 slices applewood smoked bacon
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Toss Brussel sprouts, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and coat well. Spread Brussel sprouts out on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the leaves start to crisp up.
- Meanwhile, slice the bacon and sauté in a pan until nice and crisp. Drain and set aside.
- While the Brussel sprouts and bacon are cooking, make the balsamic reduction. Simply pour the balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and cook on med-high heat until bowling. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until it reduces. You'll know it's ready when it hangs onto the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat immediately! It can burn quickly.
- Add all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir well. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Roasted Brussel Sprouts w/ Balsamic Reduction
Serves:
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 433.51 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 28.12 g | 43.1% | |
| Saturated Fat 7.31 g | 35% | |
| Trans Fat 0.06 g | ||
| Cholesterol 28.71 mg | 9.3% | |
| Sodium 667.35 mg | 27.8% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 36.59 g | 12% | |
| Dietary Fiber 7.4 g | 28% | |
| Sugars 21.18 g | ||
| Protein 11.51 g | ||
| Vitamin A 69.5 µg | Vitamin C 144.61 mg | |
| Calcium 89.62 mg | Iron 3.07 mg | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ketchum Kitchen
These were delicious! Thanks for bringing them! 🙂
Thank you for the sweet comment Shanah! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!