Honey-Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts tossed with caramelized shallots, toasted walnuts and honey-balsamic glaze.
Ingredients
Sprouts
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts cleaned and cut in half
- 4 tbsp. olive oil divided
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 1 large shallot, chopped or 1/2 red onion
- 2 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled optional (we like to use turkey bacon, but pork or duck bacon are both good too!)
Honey Balsamic Glaze
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. lemon pepper
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Dry toast the walnuts in a large cast-iron skillet or in the toaster oven, just until toasted and beginning to get that wonderful toasted nut smell. Stir only occasionally, but watch them closely so they don’t burn. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same cast iron skillet or a different frying pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil along with shallots or red onion, and cook just until caramelized. Remove shallots from the pan and set aside.
- Cook the bacon until crispy and cut into small pieces or crumble. Set aside.
- Rinse Brussels sprouts, trim and cut into halves. Air dry or pat dry with paper towels. Lightly toss the sprouts in olive oil and season with sea salt. Lay Brussels sprouts on prepared pan, cut side down.
- Roast for about 20-25 minutes, (will depend on the size of the sprouts somewhat) or until the sprouts are browned and crispy and al dente. It’s best to have nothing else in the oven while you do this. They cook much better if left to cook all by themselves!
- Meanwhile, mix all glaze ingredients in a container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well. Set aside until ready to use.
- Once the sprouts are cooked to al dente and nice and brown, toss with caramelized shallots, walnuts and the glaze. Serve immediately.
- If you prefer to pan cook the Brussels sprouts, do the following:
- Add remaining olive oil to the pan you cooked the shallots in. Add Brussels sprouts to the pan, placing them all with the cut side down. Cook, uncovered and undisturbed, over medium heat for about 4-5 (+/-) minutes until the bottoms have all become golden brown. Flip Brussels sprouts and continue to cook for another minute or two.
- Add shallots and walnuts back into the skillet with the sprouts. Drizzle marinade over everything. Toss with a wooden spoon. Cover with a lid and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until Brussels sprouts are tender, but al dente. The reduction sauce basically steams the Brussels sprouts to the desired doneness.
- If you are a bacon lover, sprinkle crisp bits of bacon (pork or turkey) over everything. If you’re a vegetarian, you will certainly want to skip this last step!
Notes
We have begun to use the roasting method lately for this recipe and love the crispy way the sprouts turn out. Be sure to toss the sprouts just before serving while they are still nice and hot.