Soft Brussels sprouts are why people say they don’t like brussels sprouts. If they’re going on a Thanksgiving table next to everything else that’s soft — the mashed potatoes, the stuffing, the casserole — they need to be crisp!
This recipe crisps the brussels sprouts in two distinct steps. The sprouts roast cut side down at 425°F until the flat faces are deeply golden, and then — this is the part that matters — they go into a hot pan with the strained bacon fat for about four minutes. Doing only the first half gets you good roasted sprouts. Doing both gets you the ones people stand at the stove picking at before dinner.
There’s one tablespoon of maple syrup in two pounds of sprouts, added in the last minute. That’s deliberate — enough to glaze them and play off the bacon, not enough to turn a vegetable into dessert. It’s rated 4.88 stars by the people who’ve made it, and the thing they mention most is the texture rather than the sweetness.
FALL SIDE dish
very easy
Quick Look: Crispy Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 50 minutes
- 🕖 Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- 🍁 Servings: 8 servings
- ⚡️ Calories: 155 calories per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Roast at 425°F, then fry in the bacon fat
- 📅 Make Ahead: Roast the sprouts a day ahead, fry them fresh on the day
- 💡 Key Tip: Arrange the brussels sprouts on the roasting pan cut side down — that’s where the crust comes from
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients you need to make this delicious spring roll salad. For a full list of ingredients with measurements, see the full recipe.
- Brussels sprouts – brussels sprouts crisp up perfectly and pair well with bacon and maple syrup for this recipe
- Avocado oil – I used avocado oil for this recipe, but you can use olive oil for a little flavor or any other neutral oil.
- Salt – Salt your brussels sprouts to bring out all of the flavor. You don’t need too much because you will get saltiness from the bacon in your final dish.
- Bacon – Use your favorite bacon for this recipe. Jones Dairy Farm Cherrywood Smoked Bacon is my favorite! Pork bacon works best in this dish. I like to cook it in a pan rather than the oven so you can cook it while the brussels sprouts roasts.
- Maple Syrup – A touch of sweetness goes perfectly with the brussels sprouts and bacon to finish off the dish.
For another side with a maple flavor, try these maple glazed carrots.
How to make Crispy Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425F. Place trimmed brussels sprouts in a mixing bowl and toss in avocado oil and salt. Arrange brussels sprouts on the baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes.
Step 2: Cook bacon on the stovetop until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, chop the bacon and reserve the bacon fat. Strain the bacon fat and heat over medium high heat.
Step 3: Once the oil is hot, carefully add the cooked brussels sprouts to the hot oil and toss constantly with tongs. Cook the brussels sprouts in the bacon fat for 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Pour in the maple syrup and chopped bacon and toss to combine. Cook for another minute and remove from heat. Serve and enjoy!
If you want a vegetarian brussels sprouts recipe, make these smashed brussels sprouts.
Can you Make these ahead of time?
Yes, but stage it rather than making the whole thing and reheating. Fully assembled, the sprouts and bacon sit in the fridge absorbing moisture and go soft.
The day before: roast the sprouts at 425°F, cut side down, for the full 35 minutes. Let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Don’t add anything else.
On the day: fry the bacon fresh, strain the fat, and fry the cold roasted sprouts in it for 3 to 4 minutes. They’ll crisp up again in the hot fat, which is something they will not do in an oven. Add the maple syrup and bacon at the end as written.
That splits the recipe into 35 minutes of unattended oven time the day before and about 8 minutes of stovetop work on the day, which on Thanksgiving is the trade you want.
If you’d rather make the whole thing ahead, it will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheats in a casserole dish at 425°F for about 10 minutes. It’s good — just not as crisp.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts 🥓
- Place the brussels sprouts cut side down – This is what gives them that beautiful golden caramelized crust. Do not move them around while they roast. Let them sit undisturbed to get it crispy.
- Strain the bacon fat before frying – Pour the bacon fat through a fine mesh strainer to remove any burnt or solid bits before using it to fry the brussels sprouts. This keeps the flavor smoky without tasting burnt.
- Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup – Pure maple syrup has a much richer, more complex flavor that pairs perfectly with the bacon. Pancake syrup will taste flat and overly sweet.
- Serve immediately – These are the absolute best and crispiest right out of the pan. If you need to reheat, do it in the oven at 425F for about 10 minutes to bring back the crunch as best you can.
To make a turkey breast as your main dish with this side, check out how to roast a turkey breast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really have to roast them and fry them?
The two steps do different jobs. Roasting cooks the sprouts through and caramelizes the cut face; frying in the bacon fat crisps the outer leaves and coats everything in flavour. Skip the roast and the insides stay squeaky. Skip the fry and they’re good roasted sprouts, but they aren’t the thing this recipe is named after. The frying takes four minutes, and it’s the four minutes people remember.
Why aren’t my Brussels sprouts crispy?
Usually one of three things. Crowding the pan — sprouts need space or they steam in their own moisture, so use two sheet pans if you have to. Not cutting side down — that flat face against hot metal is where the golden crust comes from, so take the extra minute to turn them all. Or the sprouts went in wet; pat them properly dry after trimming.
Can I make these without the bacon?
Yes. Roast them the same way, then fry them in 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter or avocado oil instead of bacon fat, and add the maple syrup at the end. You lose the smoke, so a pinch of smoked paprika in the oil gets you partway back. Turkey bacon also works with the same method — it renders much less fat, so add a tablespoon of oil to the pan to make up the difference.
Can I use frozen Brussels sprouts?
You can, but manage your expectations: frozen sprouts hold a lot of water and won’t get as crisp. Don’t thaw them. Follow the baking directions on the bag rather than the 35 minutes here, since times vary by brand, then fry them in the bacon fat as written. The frying step matters even more with frozen, because it’s what drives off the extra moisture.
Storage and Reheating
Once prepared, allow them to cool completely. Then, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the oven at 425F for 10 minutes until warmed through and crispy.
Other Thanksgiving Side Dishes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Crispy Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 32 oz brussels sprouts
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 strips of bacon – I like Jones Dairy Farm Cherrywood Smoked Bacon
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Trim the ends off the brussels sprouts and cut them in half
- Place brussels sprouts in a mixing bowl and toss in avocado oil and salt
- Arrange brussels sprouts on the baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes
- While the brussels sprouts roast, cook 6 strips of bacon on the stovetop until crispy
- Remove the bacon from the pan, chop the bacon and reserve the bacon fat
- Strain the bacon fat to remove the solids
- Heat the bacon fat over medium high heat
- Once the oil is hot, carefully add the cooked brussels sprouts to the hot oil and toss constantly with tongs
- Cook the brussels sprouts in the bacon fat for 3-4 minutes
- Pour in the maple syrup and chopped bacon and toss to combine
- Cook for another minute and remove from heat
Recipe Notes
- Roast at 425°F, cut side down. That flat face against the hot pan is where the golden crust comes from. Every sprout, every time — it’s worth the extra minute of arranging.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Sprouts need space around them or they steam instead of roasting. Use two sheet pans if 32 oz won’t fit in a single layer.
- Strain the bacon fat before you fry the sprouts in it. The burnt solids left behind will turn bitter in the pan.
- Six strips of bacon renders about 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat. If yours gives less, top it up with avocado oil so the sprouts have enough to fry in rather than stick.
- Add the maple syrup at the very end, in the last minute. It burns fast over high heat and turns from glaze to bitter quickly.
- Make ahead: roast the sprouts a day early and refrigerate them plain. Fry the bacon fresh on the day and crisp the cold sprouts in the fat for 3 to 4 minutes. Assembling the whole dish ahead makes it soft.
- Without bacon: fry in 2 to 3 tbsp butter or avocado oil, plus a pinch of smoked paprika. Turkey bacon works too — add a tablespoon of oil, since it renders very little fat.
- Leftovers keep 4 days in an airtight container and reheat at 425°F for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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