Name: Candied Brussel Sprouts
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound brussel sprouts; 5 slices bacon; 1 small red onion (diced); 1 granny smith apple (diced); 2 Tbsps butter; 1 cup chicken broth; 3 Tbsps brown sugar; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; kosher salt, pepper; Optional toppings: goat cheese, candied pecans

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Candied Brussel Sprouts is one of those dishes that I had at a restaurant and recreated the recipe at home, I do this quite often.

Shrimp and Crab Sushi Stacks are a great example of a restaurant dish that I recreated at home.

I absolutely love doing it, it’s like a challenge to see if I can get the ingredients just right and possibly even make the dish better or put my own spin on it!

Ok, sorry, squirrel moment…back to the brussel sprouts.

I couldn’t not order Candied Brussel Sprouts after seeing it on the menu, and I’m so glad I did because this is one of our favorite side dishes of all time!

And every time I make it, I bring some to my dear friend and fellow second grade teacher because these are like crack to her 🙂

Here’s how to make Candied Brussel Sprouts…

This dish starts with bacon (I know, off to a good start, huh?!).

I use kitchen scissors and cut 5 slices of bacon right into a skillet over medium heat.

About 5 minutes and the bacon is done, so just set that aside. Into the same skillet, with the bacon grease, add a small, diced red onion.

After about 3-5 minutes of cooking the onion, remove and set that aside also.

A granny smith apple goes into the same skillet next, after 3-5 minutes of cooking…you guessed it…set that aside as well.

If you’re keeping track that’s now the bacon, onion, and apple all cooked and set aside 🙂

In that same skillet (which now has all the flavor of bacon, onion, and apples) will go 2 Tbsps of butter and some brussel sprouts that have been cut in half.

Place the brussel sprouts cut side down to get a nice charred, crispy, caramelized yumminess!

Let them sit here for about 4 minutes.

After 4 minutes add some chicken broth and brown sugar.

Mix it around in the skillet a bit, but leave the brussel sprouts cut side down still.

This mixture will reduce down to almost nothing, so no worries if at first you think it will to too liquidy.

Let these do their thing for another 4 minutes.

When you turn them over they should look like this!

Remember the nice charred, crispy, caramelized yumminess I spoke of earlier…this is it!

Add all the bacon, onion, and apple that you set aside earlier and mix it all together, along with some dried cranberries, kosher salt, and pepper, cooking maybe another minute or so.

Taste for seasoning and add more kosher salt or pepper if needed.

I like to serve mine with goat cheese crumbles and candied pecans for some crunch.

I hope you enjoy Candied Brussel Sprouts as much as we do!