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Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and parmesan cheese might be my favorite side dish of all time. The bacon and cheese add a nice subtle smokey and salty flavor that compliments the crispy golden and tender Brussels sprouts.
Vegetables don’t always have to be the worst thing on your plate. I love this recipe because it’s incredibly easy to make and it’s a massive crowd-pleaser. I love roasted Brussels spouts alone, but it’s really hard to resist them when you add hearty chunks of bacon. Also, try my restaurant-style brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze!
I’ve attempted just about every method of preparing Brussels sprouts. Crockpot, stovetop, air fryer, and oven roasting. Roasting Brussels sprouts in the oven or air fryer delivers the best combo of tenderness and crispiness. When cooked properly, the inside takes on an almost creamy texture.
If you’re looking for more delicious and crispy roasted veggies, try my roasted red potatoes, roasted parmesan fingerling potatoes, or my lemon and parmesan broccoli recipe next!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts: remove the stems and cut them into halves or quarters depending on their size. I prefer smaller chunks.
- Bacon: look for thick-cut bacon or even pancetta. The thicker bacon will make it a little more hearty and prominent throughout the dish. Leftover bacon? Try baking bacon in the oven for breakfast.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: avoid pre-grated cheese if you can. They’re typically treated with preservatives that change the texture and overall quality.
- Shallots: shallots add an amazing complimentary caramelized flavor to this dish. If you’re a fan of shallots or onions I highly recommend you add this optional ingredient.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet in the oven as it preheats.
Step 2.
Rinse and dry Brussels sprouts. Trim the stems and remove any yellow leaves, cut lengthwise into halves or quarters depending on the size. Finely chop shallots.
Step 3.
Place Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil, shallot, salt, pepper, and bacon until coated and well-mixed.
Step 4.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and drizzle with a little olive oil. Arrange Brussels sprouts on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until very golden and tender. I like to flip halfway through.
Step 5.
Remove from the oven and give Brussels a final toss to mix. Just before serving, sprinkle all over with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Expert Tips
- Let Brussels marinate with the toppings. Sometimes I make them in the morning or the day ahead and just store them in a large Ziplock bag in the fridge. This is an optional step.
- My favorite way to grate parmesan is with a microplane. It offers the perfect fine texture and it makes it very easy to quickly top a dish with cheese in seconds.
- Use a large baking sheet and arrange with minimal overlap. Flipping halfway through isn’t always necessary unless you have a very full pan with a lot of crowding.
- Use thick-cut bacon. Thick bacon is my favorite because I love the larger chunks of chewy bacon. I always opt for fresh bacon and nothing precooked or microwavable. You can also make this recipe with pancetta as a substitute for bacon.
- Use plenty of oil. The oil is what will crisp up the brussels and make them flavorful. Don’t be afraid to go heavy on the oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
I always recommend fresh however if you don’t have other options frozen is OK too. Just note that you will need to add extra time in the oven for the Brussels to cook through and crisp up.
There is no need to precook the bacon. The bacon will have plenty of time to cook through in the oven.
I always recommend cooking just before serving, however, the ingredients can all be prepped a day in advance and stored in the fridge prior to baking.
Yes. Air fry at 400°F for 15-17 minutes, tossing halfway through for even cooking. The volume may have to be a little smaller depending on the size of your air fryer. Cook until golden and tender.
What to Serve with Brussels Sprouts
I love paring Brussels sprouts with steak and potatoes. It’s the ultimate combo of protein, starch, and vegetables. Try pairing these with my cream cheese mashed potatoes to compliment the crispy veggies or my roasted fingerling potatoes.
For a main dish, I highly recommend my pan-seared filet mignon, coffee-rubbed steak, bourbon-glazed salmon, or oven-baked BBQ ribs.
More Vegetable Side Dishes
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 pounds Brussels sprouts, stems removed and halved or quartered
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped (no need to precook)
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-2 shallots, finely chopped (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet in the oven as it preheats.
- Rinse and dry Brussels sprouts. Trim the stems and remove any yellow leaves, cut lengthwise into halves or quarters depending on the size. Finely chop shallots.
- Place Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil, shallot, salt, pepper, and bacon until coated and well-mixed.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and drizzle with a little olive oil. Arrange Brussels sprouts on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until very golden and tender. I like to flip halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and give Brussels a final toss to mix. Just before serving, sprinkle all over with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sorry, but you HAVE TO PRE-COOK THE BACON. Mine came out with the Brussels sprouts cooked but the bacon was still undercooked and soggy.
I will definitely cook the bacon ahead of time next time.
I’ve tried a couple of similar recipes before but this one is the best! Loved, loved it!
Do you cook the bacon before you mix with the brussel sprouts or does the bacon cook alongside the sprouts?
No need to precook!
No need to pre cook the bacon, it will cook in the oven. Check recipe for more details.
I have now made this twice and AMAZING!! I do use my bacon grease from cooking bacon to put my Brussels sprouts in, so probably not as healthy as yours!!! Thx for sharing!!
Could I do these with frozen Brussels, do you think? Would I thaw and then cut?
I’ve never tried with frozen – I always buy fresh. I’m sure you could however.
I have used frozen steamables and either cooks them or just let them thaw. It came out good also.
Shawn! I love this recipe. My introduction to Brussels was God awful! It was the 60’s when Green Giant thought it would be a good idea to douse them in some bland but salty “cheese” sauce and then freeze them into a solid block! Bleh! My introduction to asparagus was just as ghastly. Slimy and stinky right out of the can. Gross! Fortunately I was introduced again as an adult to fresh Brussels and Asparagus. Brussels with bacon is genius. They are offered here in Baltimore with bacon and a good dousing of maple syrup served up in a mini black iron frying pan. Weird? Yes. Good? Absolutely. I skip the syrup at home because who needs the extra calories.
So glad to hear your love for asparagus and brussel sprouts has been reconciled! Love the bacon myself.
could this be done in a crockpot?
I’ve never tried but I’m sure you could. May not be quite the same however as a disclaimer.
In a crock pot? No! you’ll wind up with mush. You can probably do your bacon ahead of time, save the grease. The Brussels only take about 20 minutes or less at 400 degrees.
Have you ever used Prosciutto instead of the bacon for this recipe ?
Wondering how that would be ?
I haven’t but it sounds like a great idea!
I’m using your recipe for Filet (with herb butter) and Brussel Sprouts tonight for Valentine’s Day dinner – don’t let me down! I’m sure it will all be great! Thanks for sharing!
I’ll never let you down. Sounds fantastic, JP
My SO and I recently discovered that we like brussel sprouts. Thank you for sharing this recipe for us to try. We enjoyed it so much that there weren’t any leftovers!
Thanks Tiffany!
How far in advanced can this be made?
I’d say about 24 hours. Store in the fridge all prepped.