Brussels sprouts get their reputation from the boiled, grey version — this is the roasted one, with bacon fat, maple, and edges that crisp instead of steam. The sprouts go onto the pan cut-side down, the bacon renders first so the sprouts roast in its fat, and the maple waits until the last few minutes, when it can caramelize instead of burn.
Why This One Works
The order is the recipe. Bacon first, because the fat it renders is the cooking fat — the sprouts roast in it, which is where the smoky flavor comes from, not from bacon sprinkled on at the end. Sprouts cut-side down, because the flat side against the hot pan is what browns; sprouts tossed loose in a pile steam each other and stay pale. And maple last, because maple syrup burns at roasting temperatures long before the sprouts finish. It goes on with five minutes left, when the heat is high enough to turn it into a glaze and the time is short enough that it can’t scorch.
Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup — the real thing caramelizes, the imitation kind just gets sticky. And give the sprouts room on the pan. If they’re touching, they steam; if they’re spaced out with their cut sides down, they roast. One large rimmed sheet pan holds a pound and a half comfortably. If yours is crowded, split the batch across two pans rather than piling it up.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Crisp the bacon: Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and leave the rendered fat in the pan.
- Toss the sprouts: Toss the halved sprouts with the olive oil, about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat, salt, and pepper on the baking sheet. Spread them in a single layer, cut-side down, with space between them.
- Roast the first round: Roast for 20 minutes, until the cut sides are deeply browned and the centers pierce easily with a fork.
- Glaze and finish: Drizzle the maple syrup over the sprouts, scatter the crisp bacon on top, and return the pan to the oven for 5 to 8 minutes more, until the glaze is bubbling and the edges are caramelized. Watch closely during the last few minutes — maple syrup goes from caramelized to burnt fast.
- Serve hot: Serve straight from the pan, while the edges are still crisp.
Variations, Serving, and Storage
A teaspoon of Dijon mustard whisked into the maple syrup before it goes on gives the glaze a little bite — that’s the version for people who find plain maple too sweet. Toasted pecans scattered on top at serving add crunch without changing the cooking. If you don’t eat pork, roast the sprouts in olive oil alone and finish with the maple and a pinch of smoked paprika; the bacon is flavor, not structure.
Serve them hot, straight from the pan, while the edges are still crisp — they soften as they sit. They reheat well, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges crisp up again. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for three days, though the crisp edges are a first-night thing.
On the Thanksgiving table, they sit naturally beside maple roasted carrots and sheet-pan sausage and roasted vegetables. If your sprouts have never browned properly, the fix is usually heat and space, not a new pan — see how to roast vegetables so they actually crisp.
The Last Word
Bacon first, sprouts cut-side down, maple last. Get that order right and the vegetable nobody asks for becomes the side dish that disappears first.
