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This Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe is bursting with flavor! Brussel Sprouts with pancetta and shallots are sautéed into a fragrant, textural side dish that will leave your family begging for more.
Think you don’t like brussel sprouts? Think again!
These brussel sprouts are a richly flavored side dish, and so beautiful to serve! They compliment a wide variety of protein entrees and are well-suited for many of the healthy lifestyle plans that are popular today.
I love including simple roasted veggies as side dishes for many of our favorite dinners. In fact, I’ve made roasted baby carrots, roasted mushrooms, and even roasted Italian vegetables.
The crispy texture and deep flavor of the brussels sprouts when combined with the fried pancetta and shallots is going to blow you away!
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Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta and Shallots
Do you know that there’s an Italian sweet and sour sauce? It’s called Agrodolce, and it’s the ultimate sauce to accompany these sauteed brussels sprouts! When we were introduced to this sauce at one of our favorite local Italian restaurants, I fell in love!
The concept of agrodolce is simply to reduce the sweetness in a dish with sugar, honey or vinegar and create a sweet, sharp, tangy contrast that you’ll crave! It’s perfect with roasted or sauteed vegetables because it brings the natural sweetness and moisture to the surface.
Love bacon as much as we do? Don’t skip Bacon Popcorn!
Why You’ll Love This Side Dish
- So flexible
- Ready in less than 10 minutes
- Family friendly
- Full of nutrition
- Low carb and keto-friendly
Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe Ingredients
This beautiful golden side dish is made with simple ingredients. As the brussel sprouts cook down, you’ll note that the agrodolce sauce is adding an unforgettable flavor!
- 1½ lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved – you’ll want to make sure that your sprouts are cleaned up and trimmed in half. When I have extra-large brussels I might even quarter them just to make sure they are cooked through!
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil – the olive oil is what helps brown and caramelize these brussels.
- ½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more – I like kosher salt for this recipe because it’s the perfect large bite, crunchy foil to the softened ingredients.
- Freshly ground black pepper – you can customize this to your taste, but we like a lot of salt and pepper with our veggie side dishes! It brings out the natural flavors and it’s so easy to customize to our family’s tastes.
- Pancetta – as noted below, you can also use bacon for this recipe. Pancetta is an Italian version of bacon and I love that I can often purchase it already cubed! It’s so easy to add incredible flavor to recipes.
- Shallots – shallots are a type of onion- they are small and more oblong and have a subtle sweet flavor that we love.
- Butter – butter gives this recipe an extra richness that can’t be beat!
- Red Wine Vinegar – this vinegar is what helps create the sweet and source nuances of this recipe.
- Sugar – it doesn’t take much! A little sugar brings out the subtle caramelized flavors here.
- Optional: pine nuts – want a little extra crunch? Try adding some pine nuts!
Variations
While this recipe is incredibly delicious as it stands, you can also add or eliminate items to meet your tastes and dietary needs.
- Garnish with pine nuts
- Variation: use apple cider vinegar for a touch of fall flavor
- Substitute bacon for pancetta
- Looking for a Keto-approved version? Simply eliminate the sugar in this recipe.
- Whole 30? Eliminate the butter!
Serve these alongside mashed potatoes and Beef Tenderloin for an incredible holiday meal!
How to Make These Brussel Sprouts
These crispy brussel sprouts are perfectly caramelized and filled with sweet and sour flavor. Adding this agrodolce sauce is the easiest way to get your kids to love brussels too!
For these photos, I sauteed my brussel sprouts. However, you can also roast them, as noted below.
Stove Top Method
- Add pancetta and olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Allow to brown while tossing in half the pan.
- Add brussels sprouts face down leaving space between. (Brown side down for color and caramelization.)
- Salt and pepper and shallots over the top.
- Once they brown, stir it all together and add butter.
- Add vinegar and sugar while stirring. Do not burn sugar. Allow vinegar to cook off until sauce thickens.
QUICK TIP: You can buy Pancetta (Italian bacon) already chopped! Such an easy and delicious shortcut for this recipe.
Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!
Oven Method
While my version of crispy brussel sprouts is sautéed, this recipe can easily be converted to the oven. Roasting your sprouts is another delicious method and can save you from standing over the stove if that’s what you prefer!
- Place a rimmed baking sheet on bottom rack of oven; preheat to 450°. Toss brussels sprouts and oil in a large bowl; season with salt and black pepper.
- Carefully remove baking sheet from oven. Using tongs, arrange your trimmed and halved brussels cut side down on baking sheet. Roast brussels on bottom rack until they are soft and very brown, 20–25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the rest of your ingredients (minus the butter) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook pancetta and scallions, stirring often, until sauce begins to deepen in color.
- Return saucepan to medium heat, add butter and cook, whisking constantly, until the agrodolce glaze is thickened.
- Transfer brussels sprouts to a large bowl. Add glaze and pine nuts (if you’re using them) and toss to combine. They’re ready to serve!
QUICK TIP: Be sure to leave your pan in the oven as it warms. This will help the brussel sprouts achieve the correct searing when you add them to the pan for roasting!
Serving Suggestions
These brussel sprouts serve so well with a variety of proteins and main dishes. They will work beautifully with any of the following:
- Steak
- Boursin Chicken (as pictured in this post)
- Greek Chicken
- Lemon Pepper Salmon
- Shrimp Kabobs
- Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Pesto Chicken Recipe
How to Store
- Room Temperature – your beans can remain at room temperature for up to two hours while serving.
- Refrigerate – Store for 3-5 days in an airtight container in your refrigerator.
- Freeze – you can freeze cooked green beans in a tightly closed Ziploc bag or in an airtight container for up to three months.
Dietary Considerations
- Gluten Free
- Keto Friendly
- Nut Free
What do you think? Are you a fan of brussels sprouts? Even if you’re not, I encourage you to give these a try! Agrodolce sauce can improve any veggie, I promise!
If you make these crispy brussel sprouts, please come back and leave a comment and review. I’d love to hear from you!
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More Side Dish Inspiration
Side Dishes
The Best Crispy Brussels Sprouts Recipe
This Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe is bursting with texture and flavor! Brussel Sprouts with Bacon are sauteed into a crispy, fragrant side dish to savor.
Yield people
Ingredients
Instructions
Sauteed Crispy Brussel Sprouts
- Add pancetta and olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Allow to brown while tossing in half the pan.
- Add brussels sprouts face down leaving space between. (Brown side down for color and caramelization.)
- Salt and pepper and shallots over the top.
- Once they brown, stir it all together and add butter.
- Add vinegar and sugar stirring. Do not burn sugar. Allow vinegar to cook off until sauce thickens.
Oven Roasted Crispy Brussel Sprouts
- Place a rimmed baking sheet on bottom rack of oven; preheat to 450°. Toss brussels sprouts and oil in a large bowl; season with salt and black pepper.
- Carefully remove your hot baking sheet from oven. Using tongs, arrange brussels cut side down on baking sheet. Roast brussels on bottom rack until soft and brown, 20–25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the rest of your ingredients (minus the butter) in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook pancetta and scallions, stirring often, until sauce begins to deepen in color.
- Return saucepan to medium heat, add butter and cook, whisking constantly, until the agrodolce glaze is thickened.
- Transfer brussels sprouts to a large bowl. Add glaze and pine nuts (if you're using them) and toss to combine. They're ready to serve!
Tips
- Add pine nuts before serving for a little extra added crunch.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 226kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 18g (6%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fat: 17g (26%), Saturated Fat: 7g (35%), Cholesterol: 24mg (8%), Sodium: 118mg (5%), Potassium: 462mg (13%), Fiber: 5g (20%), Sugar: 9g (10%), Vitamin A: 1121IU (22%), Vitamin C: 97mg (118%), Calcium: 50mg (5%), Iron: 2mg (11%)
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Valerie says
My husband really likes brussel sprouts. I know he would just devour these as they have bacon and who doesn’t love bacon!
wilhelmina says
This is my favorite way to eat brussels sprouts! T he crispy bits are the best!
Billy says
These brussel sprouts are so delicious! The pancetta just helps take them to another level. We’ve made similar recipes but the addition of the vinegar is new and whoa does it make such a huge difference!! Thanks for an awesome recipe.
Sara says
I wish I could make these every night! I love how the pancetta and shallots really accentuate the sprouts. A very earthy, delicious and decadent dish.
Kristyn says
I have become such a fan of brussel sprouts!! They crispier, the better! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Nothing better than adding some pancetta to a recipe!