Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions

Active Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

Servings:

Yield:

10 servings, about 3/4 cup each

Nutrition Profile:

Low-Carb Diabetes-Friendly Dairy-Free Low-Fat High-Fiber Heart-Healthy Gluten-Free Low-Calorie

This flavorful dish is particularly enjoyable during the fall and winter months when Brussels sprouts are in season.
The nutrients and antioxidants in Brussels sprouts may help reduce inflammation and lower your risk of chronic disease.
For a vegetarian version of this dish, replace traditional bacon with vegan bacon or smoked almonds and nuts.

Bacon makes everything better, including cruciferous veggies—like in this Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions recipe. Fiber- and antioxidant-rich Brussels sprouts are fork-tender and dance in the pot with sweet onions and crisp bacon. Herbs and lemon juice add a pop of freshness that balances out the salty bacon. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to trim the Brussels sprouts.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

To prep your Brussels sprouts, start by trimming a thin slice from the stem end of each sprout, but don't cut off the stem completely. Keeping the stem intact helps keep the Brussels sprout in one piece while cooking. Discard any brown or yellow leaves. After trimming, rinse the Brussels sprouts under cold running water in a colander.
You can make this dish vegetarian by using vegan bacon, smoked almonds or nuts instead of bacon.
To reduce the bitterness of Brussels sprouts, make sure to shop for the freshest ones at the grocery store. They should be bright green in color and firm to the touch. Smaller Brussels sprouts are often milder and sweeter in flavor than larger ones. To improve the flavor, it's important to not overcook them. When boiling the Brussels sprouts in Step 1, you want to cook them until barely tender. They will continue to cook when you're sautéeing them. Adding lemon juice at the end gives the Brussels sprouts some brightness and acidity to balance out the flavors of the dish.

Nutrition Notes

One of several cruciferous vegetables, Brussels sprouts are loaded with nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium. Thanks to the nutrients and antioxidants in Brussels sprouts, regularly eating them may help reduce inflammation and lower your risk of chronic disease and conditions, including cancer, high blood pressure and cognitive decline.
While you may not appreciate the tear-producing qualities of onions, you will most likely appreciate their health benefits. Thanks to the antioxidant quercetin, onions have been linked to reduced inflammation and a lower risk of heart disease. Their sulfur compounds—some of which cause watery eyes—have been shown to help regulate blood sugar.

Recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.

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Ingredients

1/2x

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Original recipe (1X) yields 10 servings

2½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed
4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 sprigs thyme or savory, plus 2 teaspoons leaves, divided
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If sprouts are very small, cut in half; otherwise, cut into quarters. Cook the sprouts until barely tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until brown but not crisp, 3 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel. Pour out all but about 1 tablespoon bacon fat from the pan.
Add oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned, reducing the heat if necessary, about 4 minutes. Stir in thyme (or savory) sprigs, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high, add the Brussels sprouts and cook, tossing or stirring occasionally, until tender and warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs. Add the bacon, thyme (or savory) leaves and lemon juice, if using, and toss.

Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser

To make ahead

You can prep and cook the sprouts a day ahead (Step 1). Store the cooked sprouts in the refrigerator and finish with Steps 2 and 3, 15 to 20 minutes before you are ready to serve them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! Since it contains no ingredients containing gluten, this recipe is gluten-free.
Should you soak your Brussels sprouts before cooking?

No, you don't need to soak Brussels sprouts before cooking, just rinse them after trimming.

Equipment

Large heavy skillet

EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2009

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

77	Calories
3g	Fat
10g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 10
Serving Size about 3/4 cup
Calories 77
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 10g	4%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 4g	9%
Total Fat 3g	4%
Saturated Fat 1g	4%
Cholesterol 3mg	1%
Vitamin A 971IU	19%
Vitamin C 78mg	87%
Folate 77mcg	19%
Sodium 303mg	13%
Calcium 50mg	4%
Iron 2mg	9%
Magnesium 28mg	7%
Potassium 430mg	9%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by

Carrie Myers, M.S.,

Hilary Meyer,

Jan Valdez,

and

Linda Frahm