These Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts are oven roasted to perfection, then tossed with crispy bacon, sautéed onions and hot honey. They're sweet, spicy and the ultimate side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner!
Remember as a kid when we were all scared of Brussels Sprouts? I'm pretty sure I would have eaten this version.
We've got oven roasted, caramelized Brussels Sprouts topped with hot honey and crispy bacon and onions. I can't think of a better way to eat veggies.
For more upgraded veggie recipes, try these Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots, Pesto Vegetables, and Teriyaki Broccoli.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- A Flavor Explosion. Get ready for an experience when caramelized Brussels Sprout meet sweet and spicy heat.
- Easy to Make. This has some steps, but is actually pretty easy. You can buy Mikes Hot Honey to save on time and a bit of stickiness.
- A Holiday Favorite. Brussels Sprouts are a must have on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This version is one to get guests excited about.
- Healthy. Low in calories, but high in nutrients, like Vitamin K and C, and antioxidants.
For more gut healthy recipes, try these Pumpkin Protein Balls, Crunchy Kale Salad, and Coleslaw for Pulled Pork.
Ingredients 📋:
Brussels Sprouts: Full of flavor and packed with nutrients and fiber, which is great for gut health. This veggie is known to be a bit on the bitter side, but the roasting helps take out a lot of that flavor. Plus, we're adding sweetness and salty bacon to combat any bitter left.
Olive Oil: Coats the Brussels Sprouts and has a high burning point, great for oven roasting. I don't recommend butter, because it has a lower burning point, and when burnt, it will taste bitter.
Hot Honey: We're making our own version with 4 simple ingredients: honey, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes and hot sauce. If it's a busy holiday, you may want to just grab Mike's hot honey at the store to avoid extra dishes and skip a few steps.
Bacon and Onion: Tossed into the Brussels Sprouts after baking and bring in extra flavors and textures to the recipe. The bacon flavor is up to you here. I used traditional, but maple pairs really nicely with these flavors too.
*Find the full ingredients and quantities listed in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations:
Don't like Spicy? Just use regular honey.
Not big on messes in the kitchen? Substitute the homemade hot honey recipe with Mike's Hot Honey.
Need a vegetarian version? Leave out the bacon.
Want to add some color? Sprinkle over some pomegranate seeds or add nuts, like sliced almonds or chopped glazed pecans.
For more Easy Brussels Sprout Recipes, try these Balsamic Glaze Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots, and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon and Honey Mustard!
How to Make Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim only the bottom most portion of the Brussels Sprout's stem and slice in half, from top to bottom, through the stem.
Step 2: Add the honey, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes and hot sauce into a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Bring to a low boil for 5 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Strain the honey through a fine mesh strainer to remove all of the pepper flakes. Store in a jar until ready to use.
Step 4: Add the halved Brussels Sprouts onto a cookie sheet and toss with olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Bake for 12 minutes.
Step 5: Flip the Brussels Sprouts and continue to bake for another 10 minutes until roasted and tender.
Step 6: In a large skillet over medium heat, add in the bacon and cook for 5-6 minutes until slightly crispy. Toss in the onion and stir well. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes until softened and the bacon is nice and crispy. Turn off the heat.
Step 7: Add the Brussels Sprouts into the bacon and onion pan and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of hot honey.
Step 8: Add Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Onion and Hot Honey into serving dish. Serve with hot honey on the side for extra drizzling and enjoy!
Expert Tips 💡:
- Flip the Brussels Sprouts a little over half way through to brown each of the sides.
- Leave any black crisped up leaves right on the cookie sheet and discard.
- Depending on the type of honey you use, it can sometimes harden up and crystallize (I hate when this happens). You can reverse it a bit by keeping the honey warm after straining; however, I notice if I don't let the honey come to a rapid boil when cooking, this helps prevent it as well.
For more holiday side dish ideas, try these Garlic Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Baked Sweet Potato Slices and Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice.
Recipe FAQs:
Use an oil with a high burning point, like olive oil, avocado or coconut oil. This will help caramelize the Brussels Sprouts without any burning or bitter taste. I always use olive oil because I prefer the taste of it.
I prefer the taste of roasting Brussels sprouts. It gets rid of a lot of the bitterness without making them watered down.
Allow the Brussels Sprouts to cool to room temperature, then store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Side Dish Recipes You Will Love:
If you tried this Hot Honey Brussels Sprout Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 lb 1x
Description
These Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts are oven roasted to perfection, then tossed with crispy bacon, sautéed onions and hot honey. They're sweet, spicy and the ultimate side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner!
Ingredients
- ½ cup clover or wildflower honey
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 strips bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced fine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim only the bottom most portion of the Brussels Sprout's stem and slice in half, from top to bottom, through the stem.
- Add the honey, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes and hot sauce into a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Bring to a low boil for 5 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Strain the honey through a fine mesh strainer to remove all of the pepper flakes. Store in a jar until ready to use.
- Add the halved Brussels Sprouts onto a cookie sheet and toss with olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Bake for 12 minutes.
- Flip the Brussels Sprouts and continue to bake for another 10 minutes until roasted and tender.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add in the bacon and cook for 5-6 minutes until slightly crispy. Toss in the onion and stir well. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes until softened and the bacon is nice and crispy. Turn off the heat.
- Add the Brussels Sprouts into the bacon and onion pan and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of hot honey.
- Add Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Onion and Hot Honey into serving dish. Serve with hot honey on the side for extra drizzling and enjoy!
Notes
- Flip the Brussels Sprouts a little over half way through to brown each of the sides.
- Leave any black crisped up leaves right on the cookie sheet and discard.
- Depending on the type of honey you use, it can sometimes harden up and crystallize (I hate when this happens). You can reverse it a bit by keeping the honey warm after straining; however, I notice if I don't let the honey come to a rapid boil when cooking, this helps prevent it as well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
George
These are some of the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever had. Love the spicy and sweet combo!
Tara Smithson
Thanks so much George! So happy to hear that. I love the sweet and spicy too!