Finding a side dish that is simple enough for busy weeknight dinners yet flavorful enough to star on a Thanksgiving holiday table can feel like a challenge. If you are tired of soggy, bland greens, this recipe will change your mind. Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries gives you a quick, delicious balance of crunchy, tangy, and rich flavors. Plus, it is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, making it a crowd-pleaser for everyone at your table.
If you love easy sheet-pan sides, check out my other collection of roasted vegetable recipes for more delicious ideas!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Jump to:
- Key Takeaways
- Things to know before making this recipe
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries Recipe
- Organizing & Kitchen Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve With This Recipe
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast With Vegetables
- Quick Turkey Tenderloin Recipe For Dinner
- Delicious and Easy Grilled Herbed Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- Reveal
- Related
Key Takeaways
- This recipe for roasted shaved Brussels sprouts combines bacon and cranberries, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday tables.
- Use kitchen shears to cut the bacon quickly, or buy pre-shaved Brussels sprouts to save time.
- The dish is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free; just check ingredient labels (affiliate) to ensure there are no gluten additives.
- You can prepare the Brussels sprouts and bacon in advance for convenience, and reheat before serving.
- Pair the dish with roasted turkey, grilled pork, or toss it into gluten-free grain bowls for a delicious meal.
Things to know before making this recipe
You only need a few things before making this recipe.
- Have a pair of cooking shears - these all-purpose kitchen scissors (affiliate) are used to help cut the bacon quickly and easily. Hold the bacon strip at one end and, with the other hand holding the scissors (affiliate), cut the bacon pieces horizontally over a plate.
- Cranberries only need to be heated through. They don't need to cook for more than 10 minutes.
- To speed things up, buy a bag of shaved or shredded Brussels sprouts.
Ingredients
Shaved Brussels sprouts (about 4 cups)
6 pieces of raw bacon, cut into small pieces
1 cup dried cranberries
2-3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil (affiliate)
2 tablespoon Dried thyme (affiliate)
Salt (affiliate) and black (affiliate) pepper (affiliate) (to taste)
Optional: Aged balsamic vinegar (for drizzling)
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Instructions
Below is a step-by-step list with images so you can easily follow along and make this recipe for a quick weeknight meal or a holiday side.
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Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Roasted vegetables
- Method: oven roasted, oven roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Keto, Low-Carb
Description
Roasting shaved Brussels sprouts with savory bacon and sweet dried cranberries gives you a quick, delicious mix of crunchy, tangy, and rich flavors. Plus, it is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, making it a crowd-pleaser for everyone at your table.
Ingredients
- Shaved Brussels sprouts (about 4 cups)
- 6 pieces of raw bacon strips, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2-3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil (affiliate)
- 2 TBSP Dried thyme (affiliate)
- Salt (affiliate) and black (affiliate) pepper (affiliate) (to taste)
- Optional: Aged balsamic vinegar (for drizzling)
Instructions
Prep the Oven and Baking Sheet:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a large (affiliate) rimmed baking sheet (affiliate) with parchment paper (affiliate) for quick cleanup.
Prep the Ingredients:
- Trim and finely slice your Brussels sprouts (or use pre-shaved sprouts). Using kitchen shears, snip the bacon strips into small bite-sized pieces. Or, you can buy a bag of shredded Brussels sprouts like I did.
Assemble on the Pan:
- Spread the shaved Brussels sprouts across one side of the pan and the chopped bacon across the other.
- Drizzle olive oil (affiliate) over the sprouts, then evenly sprinkle dried thyme (affiliate), salt (affiliate), and black (affiliate) pepper (affiliate) across the whole sheet pan.
First Roast (20 Minutes):
- Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes at 425°F.
Add Cranberries & Finish Roasting:
- Remove the baking sheet (affiliate) from the oven. Toss the Brussels sprouts and bacon together, then scatter the dried cranberries evenly across the pan.
Second Roast (10 Minutes):
- Return to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes (30-40 minutes total cook time) until the bacon is crispy and the sprouts are tender with browned edges.
Finish and Serve:
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar, toss gently, and serve warm!
Organizing & Kitchen Tips
Below are some tips on keeping your kitchen organized.
Kitchen Scissors (affiliate) Trick: Use clean kitchen shears instead of a knife to quickly cut raw bacon strips directly onto your prep plate. It saves time and minimizes clean-up.
Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Prep: Prep the Brussels sprouts and chop the bacon the day before, keeping them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. On Thanksgiving day, simply scatter them on your pan and bake! This recipe is delicious at room temperature, so you can easily make it earlier in the day.
Easy Clean-Up: Always line your sheet pan with parchment paper (affiliate) to catch grease and glaze so you aren't stuck scrubbing pans after dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some questions you may have for this recipe
Yes! You can roast the entire dish ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, and reheat it in a 350°F oven or air fryer for a few minutes to crisp up the bacon before serving.
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Double-check your bacon and dried cranberry labels to ensure they have no added gluten additives or cross-contamination.
Dried cranberries have high sugar content and can easily burn or turn bitter if baked for the full 30 minutes at high heat. Adding them during the final 10 minutes lets them warm through and plump up without scorching.
You can buy them pre-shaved at most grocery stores, or use a food processor with a slicing disc attachment to shave whole sprouts in seconds.
What to Serve With This Recipe
You can serve this recipe in several ways. Here are a few ideas.
Holiday Roast Turkey or Chicken: The tart cranberries and smoky bacon complement roasted poultry perfectly.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin: Easy grilled pork tenderloin, seasoned and tossed on the grill, makes a great addition.
Gluten-Free Grain Bowls: Toss leftovers into warm quinoa or wild rice (affiliate) with roasted nuts for an easy meal-prep lunch.
Below are some of my recipes you can try.
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast With Vegetables
Slow-cooker turkey breast is fantastic! You need to try this one.
Quick Turkey Tenderloin Recipe For Dinner
Turkey Tenderloin easy diner idea
Delicious and Easy Grilled Herbed Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Easy and delicious pork tenderloin grilled for a quick dinner tonight.
Reveal
Here's what the recipe looks like when it's finished cooking. I am so pleased with this recipe, especially because it is so easy to make and I can do other things while it is cooking. Are you planning on trying it today? Please leave me a review above.
Related
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