Brussels Sprouts Taste Unforgettable When Paired With This Protein

Brussels sprouts may seem like a boring green vegetable, but there is more you can do with it than you may realize. In fact, there are a number of delicious ingredients that can boost the flavor of Brussels sprouts and turn them into a deletable side dish. While bacon may be a breakfast staple, it's also one of the many ingredients that pairs well with Brussels sprouts — even Anthony Bourdain had a trick to turn the combo into an irresistibly savory side dish. 

Brussels sprouts are a hard vegetable to get just right — they often come out mushy, bitter, or give off an unpleasant smell. Brussels sprouts contain a compound called glucosinolate, which is what gives them their bitter flavor, and when overcooked, causes them to sometimes release that pungent odor. This is where bacon does the magic. Not will does bacon have a mouthwatering aroma that can mask the vegetable's pungent smell, but the salty, slightly smoky flavor of the bacon and its fat help balance the bitterness of Brussels sprouts and creates a savory, umami taste, making this the ultimate flavor combination. Once you try Brussels sprouts with bacon, you might never want to eat them any other way.

Brussels sprouts and bacon are an elite pairing, but there's more than one way you could combine these two ingredients. Whichever way you choose to enjoy them, start by trimming your Brussels sprouts, peeling away yellowed outer leaves, and washing them. It also helps to slice Brussels sprouts in half as this helps crisp them up quicker. 

If you want to keep things simple, you can just add chopped bacon and sprouts to a baking sheet with olive oil, seasonings, and maple syrup, and bake everything in the oven. Or, you can cook your bacon in a pan first, and then use the leftover bacon grease to cook your sprouts to really coat them in savory fat. Alternatively, you can also wrap whole Brussels sprouts in a piece of bacon (sort of like pigs in a blanket) and pop them in the oven this way to make a delicious finger food. Regardless of the method, make sure you don't overcrowd the pan that the Brussels sprouts are in.

When they are crisp and ready to enjoy, you could even drizzle some hot honey on top of your Brussels sprouts for a sweet and spicy finishing touch. Or, add some balsamic glaze for a tangy bite. Bacon Brussels sprouts are great as a party appetizer, a weeknight side dish, or even added to a holiday dinner table. If your Brussels sprouts recipe needed a little upgrade, bacon will do the trick.