These Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts With Bacon & Garlic make the perfect vegetable accompaniment to any roast dinner whether it is Christmas or not! This will become your new favourite way to cook sprouts.
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Brussel sprouts are a bit like marmite in the UK, they divide the nation. You either seem to love them or hate them!
I’m in the love them camp, my husband not so much, although he changed his mind after eating sprouts cooked this way!
We also only tend to eat them at Christmas time, a lot like mince pies, although you can buy them all year round they are normally in season from around October to March each year.
I can guarantee these Brussel sprouts with bacon & garlic will turn even the hardiest of sprout dodgers into sprout lovers.
No more soggy, boiled sprouts!
The trick here is to chop the sprouts in half and boil them for no longer than 5 minutes (that’s when they start to smell!!) then sauté them until charred in a pan with some crispy bacon and garlic…. Delicious!
Serve them alongside this Gluten Free Cauliflower Cheese & Slow Cooker Roast Potatoes for your next roast dinner.
This recipe will serve 4-6 people as a side dish alongside other vegetables.
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🥘 Ingredients
✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋
📖 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Brussel Sprouts - I have used fresh sprouts for this recipe as I prefer the taste. You can use frozen if you like, cook them as per the packet instructions & cut them in half after boiling or steaming.
- Bacon - You can either use smoked or un-smoked bacon. I use smoked as I prefer the flavour. Bacon lardons or pancetta can also be used. I would advise 100g of lardons or pancetta for this recipe.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
💡 How To Prepare Brussel Sprouts
The most common way to buy Brussel sprouts in the UK is loose, but you can also buy them still on the stalk. They are usually more expensive to buy this way.
Start by pulling off any discoloured or damaged leaves (you don’t need to peel them fully) and then trim the base of each sprout with a knife as the base will be hard and discoloured.
Then you are done! You don’t need to score a cross in the bottom of each sprout as this actually doesn’t speed up the cooking time and lets water into the sprout causing them to go soggy.
✏️ How to Make This Recipe
Start by preparing the sprouts as above, then cut each sprout in half.
Either boil or steam the sprouts for 5 minutes until just tender & then drain. (Don’t let them cook for any longer as this is when they start to smell)
Whilst the sprouts are cooking, chop the bacon into small squares and crush the garlic using a garlic press.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium/high heat and fry the bacon until it starts to go crispy, this should take around 4-5 minutes.
Add the drained sprouts to the pan and continue to fry for another 5 minutes until they start to char and brown on the outside.
Turn down the heat to medium, add the garlic and continue to stir for another minute or so.
Season well with some freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately,
🔪 Equipment Used
You will need a large frying pan, I love these non stick pans from Tefal.
You can either use a garlic press to crush the garlic or a small grater.
I love steaming vegetables using a steamer, as cooking them this way keeps a higher level of nutrients in the vegetables compared to boiling.(optional)
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
If you have leftovers they will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for around 2-3 days. Re-heat them in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil for 5-10 minutes until warmed through.
You can also re-heat in the microwave but the sprouts will take on a softer texture and the bacon will lose it crispiness.
You can also add any leftovers to this these Bubble & Squeak Cakes!
They will also freeze really well. Allow the Brussel sprouts to cool completely, then place in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrost in the fridge overnight and re-heat as above.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
These sprouts will taste amazing with your turkey roast alongside these Slow Cooker Roast Potatoes, Roasted Carrots and Green Beans and my Creamy Dairy Free Carrot and Swede Mash.
But sprouts are not just for Christmas! They also make a great side dish to any winter meal like this Minced Lamb and Sweet Potato Hotpot or my Chicken & Bacon Potato Topped Pie.
If dairy isn’t a problem for you, some freshly grated parmesan sprinkled over the top of the sprouts is divine. Alternatively you can use a dairy free parmesan.
💬 Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can either prep the sprouts and leave them in a saucepan of water overnight until ready to cook, or you can boil or steam the sprouts for 5 minutes, leave them to cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready, cook the bacon and garlic and add the sprouts as you would in the recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts With Bacon & Garlic
Equipment
- Vegetable streamer optional
Ingredients
- 500 g Brussel sprouts trimmed (see notes below)
- 4 rashers back bacon smoked or un-smoked depending on preference
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper to season. You may wish to leave out the salt if cooking for young children.
Instructions
- Prepare the Brussel sprouts as per the notes below, then cut each sprout in half.
- Boil or steam the sprouts for 5 minutes until just tender & then drain.
- Whilst the sprouts are cooking, chop the bacon into small squares and crush the garlic using a garlic press.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium/high heat and fry the bacon for 4-5 minutes until it starts to go crispy.
- Add the drained sprouts to the pan and continue to fry for another 5 minutes until they start to char and brown on the outside.
- Turn down the heat to medium, add the garlic and continue to stir for another minute or so.
- Season well with some salt & freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately,
Notes
- Brussel Sprouts - I have used fresh sprouts for this recipe as I prefer the taste. You can use frozen if you like, cook them as per the packet instruction & cut them in half after boiling or steaming.
- Bacon - You can either use smoked or un-smoked bacon. I use smoked as I prefer the flavour. Bacon lardons or pancetta can also be used. I would advise 100g of lardons or pancetta for this recipe.
Nutrition
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