Brussels Sprouts, Never Had It So Good.

As a kid I would turn my nose up at the thought of Brussels sprouts. Now a trendy appetizer, sprouts seem to be commonplace on menus at fine dining establishment. Somewhere between turning my back on these mini cabbages and their new popularity, I developed a fondness for them. I like mine a few ways… this version is my roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and dates.

Brussel sprouts, dates, olive oil, salt, pepper, bacon in white bowls

What piqued my interest in Brussels sprouts? My Grandma, who was a great home cook, and seemed to only have cast-iron skillets, would serve Brussels sprouts. Her cooking style was of her era. Meat and potatoes, all the sides, lots of bacon grease, and so much flavor. If she liked Brussels sprouts, there must be something to them. So, let’s make these Brussels sprouts super tasty and irresistible.

What You Need To Make Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

  • Brussels Sprouts – I like to purchase fresh, pre-washed, ready to go option from the grocery store. You can also buy them still on the stalk too, which I think is really interesting to see. I don’t recommend frozen.
  • Bacon – I recommend thick cut. Be sure to look at the back of the bacon package to see the meat to fat ratio. You want bacon that has a bit of both.
  • Dried Dates – Dates are a fruit, and dried dates are super sweet, so delicious by themselves, and we’re going to use them to balance the saltiness of the bacon. Dried dates will keep for a long time. I keep mine in the pantry, but to maintain their moisture you should store them in the refrigerator.
  • Olive Oil – In addition to the bacon fat, we’ll use olive oil as the second fat in our recipe and will make the salt and pepper stick.
  • Seasonings – Salt and ground black pepper are the only additional seasonings needed for this recipe.

How To Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

Start with your bacon. I tried to cook the bacon with the sprouts, but the bacon ended up soft like ham and the Brussels sprouts were also not as crispy as I wanted. I also tried cooking the bacon on one half of a baking sheet and the sprouts on the other, and the grease still found its way over. So, because of this, I recommend making the bacon ahead or take the time to prepare it separately from the Brussels sprouts.

We’re going to bake our bacon. For easy clean up, I recommend using a foil lined baking sheet with sides or a small oven safe dish to allow you space in the oven for 2 dishes. Set the oven to 425 degrees F. You’ll have to work with me here, because, we’re only going to prepare a few pieces of bacon, so the time they need to bake will vary. The amount of fat and the thickness of the bacon will also impact how quickly it cooks. You may need 15-20 minutes.

Place the bacon on the pan or dish and place the pan or dish on the middle rack. Let the bacon cook for 15-20 minutes… keep a close eye on it and flip if needed. Less bacon should require less time.

While the bacon starts to bake, prepare your Brussels sprouts. I like to use the ready to use, pre-washed option. Trim off the very ends of each sprout, and then quarter them lengthwise. Add them to an oven safe dish. I prefer to use a glass pie dish.

cut dates on a cutting board and whole dates in a bowl

Dried dates are so good, I think they could replace candy bars in my life. Whole dried dates may still have the pits inside, so slice them open, remove the pit and cut the dates into 1/2″ strips, then again into small pieces the size of a nickel. They are a bit sticky, so do your best and break them up with your hands when you mix everything together. Add them to the Brussels Sprouts.

Check on your bacon. The bacon cooking will overlap with the Brussels sprout cook time. Add olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper to the sprouts and dates, given them a toss to coat well. Add the pie pan to the oven. The Brussels sprouts should cook for 30-35 minutes.

Once the bacon is done, remove it from the oven. Let the bacon rest on a paper towel to drain a bit and cool enough to handle. Then, cut the bacon or crumble it into smaller pieces (the same size as the dates). Add the bacon to the Brussels sprouts and toss. If there’s time left on the Brussels, let them continue to roast. Serve immediately, enjoy!

roasted brussel sprouts, dates, and bacon in a pie dish
roasted brussel sprouts, dates, and bacon on a fork
roasted brussel sprouts, dates, and bacon in a white bowl

Tips, Tricks, & FAQs

  • How Long Do Brussels Sprouts Last in the Refrigerator? Weeks. Another reason to love Brussels sprouts. They are delicious roasted, but I have also used them to make a coleslaw… which came out of having Brussels sprouts hanging around in my fridge. Try Street Shrimp Tacos with Slaw or at least try just making the Brussels sprout slaw!
  • What to Serve with Brussels Sprouts? I think Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates is tasty with a steak, burgers, and salmon. Pair Brussels sprouts and a protein with another side like mashed potatoes or buttery noodles. Follow the mashed potato portion of this recipe: Chicken Marsala with Mashed Potatoes.
  • How To Store Leftover Roasted Brussels Sprouts? I usually will tell you if I think leftovers are a good idea. In this case, you could probably store leftovers for a couple of days and reheat them in a toaster oven or air fryer to bring back the crisp. You may need to add a bit more olive oil. For me, I think roasted vegetables are best enjoyed fresh.
  • Time Savers. Making Roasted Brussels Sprouts is a quick weeknight dish and made faster if you have precooked bacon. Bake bacon in bulk to have crumbles ahead of time for this dish, salads, macaroni and cheese, baked potato toppers, or leave in strips for a quick reheat for breakfast. Then, you can go straight to baking the Brussels sprouts and add the premade bacon crumbles from the start.
roasted brussel sprouts, dates, and bacon in a pie dish

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

Brussels Sprouts make a delicious dinner date! Roasted with sticky sweet dates, salty, thick cut oven baked bacon, and a dash of salt.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 cups

Equipment

  • parring knife
  • cutting board
  • 2 glass pie dishes or other oven safe dishes second is optional
  • baking sheet with sides if not using a glass pie dish for the bacon
  • foil for the pan if not using a glass pie dish for the bacon
  • paper towels and plate (drain the cooked bacon)

Ingredients
  

  • 9 ounces fresh Brussels sprouts
  • 6 ounces raw bacon (3 slices thick sliced bacon)
  • 2-3 ounces dried dates (3-4 dates)
  • 3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat. Preheat the oven to 425 ยฐF.
  • Bacon. Place the bacon strips in an oven safe glass dish, or on a foil lined baking sheet with sides. Bake on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes until the bacon is cooked through and to your preferred level of crisp. You may need to flip them once or it may take less cook time which will vary depending on your oven, number of bacon slices, and the thickness of the bacon.
    ** Prepare the Brussels sprouts so they are cooking at the same time as the bacon. **
    6 ounces raw bacon (3 slices thick sliced bacon)
  • Brussels Sprouts. If not already washed, give your sprouts a rinse and pat them dry. Slice off the very ends and quarter each sprout lengthwise. Place the sprouts in another pie dish.
    9 ounces fresh Brussels sprouts
  • Dates. Natures candy… oh my goodness, so true. Slice open each date and remove the pit if it is still in the date. Then, slice each into small strips, then into small pieces. The dates will be sticky, so do your best. Add the dates to the sprouts.
    2-3 ounces dried dates (3-4 dates)
  • Olive Oil. Pour olive oil over the sprouts and dates.
    3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Seasoning. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the sprouts and dates. Give everything a good mix to coating. I prefer to use my hands. The oil will make the dates less sticky. Break them apart if the pieces are clumping. Spread the sprouts and dates into an even layer in the dish.
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Roast. Place the pie dish on the middle rack in the oven. If the bacon isn't done, you'll have both dishes in the oven at 425 ยฐF. Start the timer for the Brussels sprouts and cook for 30-35 minutes.
  • Bacon. Once the bacon is done, place the slices on a paper towel lined plate for a few minutes to drain off the excess grease and cool the bacon enough that you can handle the pieces. Then, cut or crumble the bacon into small pieces the size of the dates. Place the bacon with the sprouts, toss, and finish the Brussels sprout cook time.
    Note: 25 minutes will make the sprouts tender, but still with a bit of soft crunch. I don't like mushy sprouts. If you like yours a little more tender, continue to cook for 5-10 minutes more for a total of 30-35 minutes.
  • Enjoy! Serve immediately. And yes… you can eat the lemons!
Keyword roasted vegetables

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