If you’re looking for a lovely appetizer or side dish then these Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts are just the thing! Salty and sweet maple-flavoured bacon wrapped around Brussels sprouts and then brushed with a maple syrup glaze that caramelizes until crispy golden brown..it’s a MUST-MAKE appetizer for the holiday season!
Very seldom to do I come across any meat-eater who doesn’t love bacon. I mean, what’s not to love?! It offers a natural saltiness to any dish and is a match made in heaven when combined with anything sweet like bacon-wrapped dates or in this instance, using maple flavored bacon with maple syrup to offset the salty savory flavors of this delicious bite-sized appetizer.
With a little bit of prep work, you can have these beauties ready for serving in less than an hour. Or prep ahead of time by assembling your Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts, popping them in the fridge with just the baking time left. There’s nothing quite like welcoming guests through the door with the enticing smell of bacon to get the party started!
TIPS FOR MAKING BACON WRAPPED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
- I used smaller to medium sized Brussel Sprouts for this recipe. They taste sweeter and are easier to wrap with bacon, cooking evenly throughout. If you can only find larger Brussel sprouts, you may need to increase your cooking time especially if you feel the need to add extra bacon in order to cover them.
- Don’t skip on the use of parchment paper or you’ll have to do some scrubbing afterwards as the sticky syrup will be tough to remove.
- Don’t cut your sprouts in half but bake them whole.
- You may find it easier to use a toothpick per sprout for holding the bacon in place while baking.
- Baking time may vary depending on the thickness of bacon you choose to use. I’ve used thin bacon for this recipe so if you use thick bacon, then adjust your baking time accordingly. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
WHAT KIND OF BACON IS BEST TO USE?
- There are differing opinions on this so it really depends on your preference. Thin bacon tends to cook up quicker and gets nice and crispy in less time while thicker bacon will provide a heartier flavor and roasts beautifully along with the Brussels sprouts.
- If you’re not sure, test a batch using thin bacon and then a batch with thick bacon and see which you enjoy most!
DO I NEED TO PREP MY BRUSSELS SPROUTS?
Depending on which you buy, i.e. Brussels sprouts that are still clustered in a row on their long stems versus loose Brussels sprouts, you may find the prep slightly different although the following tips are good to apply regardless:
- Remove your clustered Brussel sprouts from their stems or check for any remainder stem on loose Brussels sprouts.
- Peel off any discolored or spotted outer leaves from each sprout.
- Give the Brussels sprouts a thorough wash in a liquid salt solution which will remove any remaining dirt.
- Rinse the Brussels sprouts under running water in a colander.
- Pat them dry and then assemble according to the recipe.
Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim ends and outer leaves from Brussels sprouts.
- In a medium bowl, mix maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Add Brussels sprouts to bowl and toss to coat.
- Cut bacon slices in half lengthwise and crosswise. Wrap each Brussels sprout in a piece of bacon and set on baking sheet seam side down to prevent them from unrolling while cooking. Each slice of bacon will wrap 4 Brussels sprouts.
- Using the remaining maple syrup mixture in the bottom of the Brussels sprout bowl, brush the bacon wrapped sprouts.
- Cook for 35 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender.
- While Brussels sprouts are cooking, prepare dipping sauce. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
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Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 26 small to medium Brussels sprouts
- ½ pound bacon maple flavored
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ tablespoon oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Dipping Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ½ tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim ends and outer leaves from Brussels sprouts.
- In a medium bowl, mix maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Add Brussels sprouts to bowl and toss to coat.
- Cut bacon slices in half lengthwise and crosswise. Wrap each Brussels sprout in a piece of bacon and set on baking sheet seam side down to prevent them from unrolling while cooking. Each slice of bacon will wrap 4 Brussels sprouts.
- Using the remaining maple syrup mixture in the bottom of the Brussels sprout bowl, brush the bacon wrapped sprouts.
- Cook for 35 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender.
- While Brussels sprouts are cooking, prepare dipping sauce. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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