Brussels sprouts and bacon – or, heck, any hearty greens and bacon – is a dish that we eat so regularly that when it came time to write it in recipe form, I began totally overthinking it. Not that it’s bad to have to eat 5 or 6 batches of Brussels sprouts with bacon in a week, some made in cast iron, others in non-stick, still another in stainless, but I was definitely starting to feel all Test Kitchen-y by the time I was done. Only without the benefit of imparting scientific information about the Maillard Reaction (JR only cares so much about chemical reactions in our food. Does it taste good? Yes. Great then. Moving on.) or an innovative new way to slice Brussels sprouts (for the record: I do not have one).
The results of all of this testing are that whether you use thickly-sliced bacon or thinly-sliced, the cooking time to get to lightly browned on one side is about the same (8 to 10 minutes). If you’re using a non-stick pan, you can use less olive oil (of course – you didn’t need me “testing” this to know that, I know. I’m just sharing my empirical data here, lest I feel I tested in vain), and regardless of pan choice, so long as your Brussels are browned – or, in other words, have experienced the Maillard Reaction – they are addictive.
Though we like Brussels sprouts any time we can get our hands on them, they do conjure up thoughts of Thanksgiving sides as well. And, of course, these Brussels sprouts can be included in your Turkey Day celebration as-is. Or, you could also add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the pan when the Brussels and shallots go in, then drizzle with maple syrup once the pan comes off the heat. Or you could also shave Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano over the sprouts in addition to or in place of the hazelnuts. Or you could add the zest and juice of a Navel orange to the pan at the end of the cooking time, or you could sprinkle blue cheese or Gorgonzola crumbles over the dish, or you could substitute pancetta for the bacon, or you could leave the nuts off and top with a dollop of crème fraiche and sliced green onion. Or, or, or!
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of your sauté pan)
- ¼ pound bacon (2 slices thick cut, or 4 slices thin cut), chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 1 medium shallot, peeled, trimmed, and coarsely chopped
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, outer leaves removed, sliced in half lengthwise
- ¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (see note)
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pour enough olive oil into a medium skillet or sauté pan to just cover the cooking surface.
- Arrange the bacon in a single layer in the pan.
- Place your sauté pan on the burner, set the heat to medium, and cook until the bacon is starting to brown on one side, 8 to 10 minutes. Some of your bacon may not be browning by this point, depending upon hot spots on your burner, so no need to fret, once the browning has started, go ahead and move to the next step, any unbrowned bacon will catch up by serving time.
- Add the shallot and Brussels sprouts to the pan, stir well, and cook, stirring frequently, until the Brussels sprouts are lightly browned and are cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts over the sprouts, and serve ‘em forth.
Notes
To toast hazelnuts, place them on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and toast at 350ºF until they are lightly browned and their skins are starting to peel off, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the nuts to sit until they are cool to the touch, then place them between two clean kitchen towels or paper towels and rub to remove their skins.
Rather than chop hazelnuts, I find it’s easier to crush them. Wrap the skinned hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, then use a wine bottle (you do have a wine bottle or two, don't you?), your olive oil bottle, or the side of a can of beans to gently crush them. Viola! “Chopped” hazelnuts.
[…] Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Hazelnuts – Yes, please. […]
I wasted so much of my life hating Brussels sprouts until I finally tried them pan-seared like this. So good! They’re now one of my favorite veggies. Great recipe.
Thanks so much, Katie! I know what you’re saying. I used to think Brussels sprouts were unappealing mush, but once they’re cooked like this (or roasted – I think steaming is where things go wrong for me with Brussels sprouts!), they’re really addictive!
[…] doesn’t get bored with the same ‘ol, same ‘ol? I was glad Kathie posted a link to this recipe, which relieved me of my duties of thinking of something to cook. I don’t mind the cooking […]
Yay! I am glad you are back blogging. I love Brussels sprouts. I never thought to add hazelnuts. Sounds delish.
Thank you, Christi! It’s good to be back at it. I definitely missed it, and really appreciate the kind words! Thanks for making my day!
Hi, Amy,
My husband hates hazelnuts. Do you think walnuts might work?
Thanks!
Hey Kim! Yes, walnuts will definitely work instead of the hazelnuts, and will be equally as delish! Happy Thanksgiving to you all! xo!
I’m going to try it with pine nuts!
That sounds delicious, David! Can’t go wrong with pine nuts! 🙂