Celebrate this glorious holiday filed with family, friends, food and thanks with shredded brussel sprouts with bacon and balsamic glaze!
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How did it come to be Thanksgiving so soon?!? I keep looking back and thinking “where did all this time go that suddenly the blog is full of comfort food and my house is full of Christmas décor?” Yes, Christmas décor. Last week I made a stop at my favorite place on earth: Home Goods. I went with a plan. I wanted to buy 1) dog toys for the puppies Christmas presents, 2) wrapping supplies for Christmas presents, and 3) thank you cards. And what did I leave with? A bunch of holiday themed pillows. I’m not even mad about it.
But before I get too far ahead of the holidays, let me talk about this side dish! Let’s face it, everyone rocks turkey every year. My dad has been making the same incredibly delicious turkey recipe every year. No complaints here! But that just means that the side dishes are where it’s at in terms of creativity and trying new things! Today I’m sharing a brussel sprouts side dish that is to die for, like eat-the-whole-bowl-myself-before-it-makes-it-to-the-table delicious. That is my kind of food!
Related: Why We Cook + A Recipe for Pumpkin Stuffing with Italian Sausage
Disclaimer: My mouth is watering just thinking about writing about this tasty recipe. I first sauté up some bacon lardons until they are nice and crispy. You want to use the good bacon: you know what I’m talking about. That extra thick kind that you need a meat cleaver to chop. Yes, that kind.
I then added butter and shredded brussel sprouts and let them sauté until they started to crisp. Don’t stir continuously; you want them to sit in the bottom of the pan until they get a crispy coating before stirring a bit here and there. I then added walnuts (Because: Healthy. And crunchy.) and tossed in a big splash of balsamic vinegar, stirring and allowing everything to get nice and coated and homogenous. (Oh boy, I’m using science terms.) Season with salt and pepper and this baby’s done! So quick, amiright? You can serve with extra balsamic glaze (in other words, you should serve with extra balsamic glaze) on the side.
Now it’s your turn: what is your favorite Thanskgiving side dish? Share with me by commenting below so I can have some new dishes to try this year!
I also wanted to stop and take a moment to thank you guys, all of my readers. This blog has grown so much since I started in April 2015 and I absolutely could not have done it without each and every one of you! I am so thankful for the journey we’ve been on and the adventures to come! They will be filled with lots of butter and chocolate, I’m sure of it!
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3 cups shredded Brussel sprouts (about 10-12 oz.)
- ¾ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Balsamic glaze, optional
- Heat large skillet to medium-high heat. Add bacon bits and sauté until browned and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Add butter and Brussel sprouts, stirring to combine. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, until Brussel sprouts start to brown and crisp. Add walnuts and cook 2 minutes longer. Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook for about 1-2 minutes until most of the liquid is evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with extra balsamic glaze if desired for serving. Enjoy!