Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

Make these brussels sprouts with bacon and dates with just 5 ingredients. It’s a flavorful, sweet yet nutritious side dish the whole family will love. It’s dairy-free, gluten-free, Whole30, and Paleo.

Oh my!  This recipe is such a surprise! This combination will have you returning for seconds, and you’ll want to cook it over and over.

Brussel sprouts, still with a bit of bite, salty bacon with a caramel sweetness, is a flavor bomb you need to experience!

Who says Brussel sprouts need to be soft, mushy, and bitter? This recipe treats these delightful balls of nutrition like a King (or Queen), and they are given the VIP treatment they deserve!

If you fancy a quick lunch dish that’s a little bit different, full of taste, and fast to prepare, you need to grab your chopping board and a pan now, time to get started!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Bacon slices – It’s best to choose the highest quality bacon you can find.  This should be one that is uncured or free of chemical nitrates.  Your body will thank you for it!  Alternatively, you could use vegan bacon or turkey bacon here if you like.

Olive oil – You don’t’ need the most expensive extra-virgin variety of olive oil here; just use your usual cooking one, as you will be heating it.

Brussels sprouts – Organic Brussels are best if you can find them, but any deep green, fresh ones are going to be great too. You could opt for a cabbage if you really wanted to.

Sea salt – You could use regular table salt here, but sea salt flakes give a little bit more flavor.

Dates – Find the juiciest dried ones!  Medjool dates are an excellent source of phytonutrients and would make a good choice, although any will do the trick here.

How to Make Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Dates

Start by cutting your bacon into slices and setting it aside.

Prepare your Brussel sprouts by cutting off any tough stalks and any spoiled leaves.  Slice them in half.

Heat a non-stick pan to a medium-high.  Add the bacon slices, stirring well, and cook them until crisp.  This will take about 5-7 minutes.

Now, remove that bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel. This will help remove some of the excess fat and improve the crispiness!

Next, make sure to add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet and heat again over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and stir well to coat in any bacon fat.   Cook stirring for 3 minutes or until the Brussel sprouts have softened a little.

Add some salt to the Brussel sprouts, and then place the cooked bacon back in the pan.

Stir the chopped dates with ¾ cup of water into the Brussels and bacon and cook for a further 3-5 minutes, bubbling away on high heat.

While cooking, mash the dates into the liquid until they fully dissolved, and the Brussel sprouts are glazed and look sticky.  You could use this masher which would be perfect for this job as it would protect your non-stick pan coating.

Leave to cool slightly and sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley if you would like to.

Are Brussels Sprouts Good for You?

Yes, yes, yes!  Brussel sprouts are a healthy vegetable to be enjoying! These veggies are a member of the cabbage family and contain similar nutrients that are great for your health.

Brussel sprouts are a good source of Folic acid, which is responsible for helping to make healthy red blood cells and can prevent anemia, so certainly worth adding to your diet if you feel you are at risk of iron deficiency.

They contain vitamins C and K, so they provide support to your immune system and blood clotting ability. Brussel sprouts are also a good source of vitamin B6, thiamine, and potassium and can help maintain a healthy blood pressure.

Fiber is another benefit to get from Brussel sprouts.  They are excellent for gut health, which is considered to be of high significance to your overall health.

Try not to overcook these tasty balls of green stuff, though, as their nutritional value does decrease, and visually, who wants a yellow/green Brussel when you could have a vibrant green one?

What Can I Have with this Brussel Sprouts Dish?

This dish would be perfect on its own as it provides a well-rounded plate of macros.  But you could add some extras if you wanted.

Try serving this with some buttered and herbed, steamed new potatoes if you wanted to add a carbohydrate to the dish as they will soak up the sweet and salty sauce really well.

How about adding a fresh herb salad as a side dish?  Peppery parsley and arugula will balance well with the flavors.

You could add some cauliflower mash or cauliflower rice if you wanted to add a keto side dish to this recipe for a filling dinner.

While cooking the bacon, you could add a clove of crushed garlic and 1 tsp of dried thyme to boost the taste even more.

Some grilled mushrooms could also be served with this dish, or a large portabella mushroom would make a fantastic bowl to stuff the Brussels into.

A little freshly grated parmesan would lift the saltiness of this dish even further!

But you could just keep it simple, add a slice of sourdough and enjoy!

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