Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli with Bacon and Walnuts

These roasted vegetables are soooooo dang good!  This is the ONLY way we eat brussels sprouts.  Make these for the perfect Easter side dish!  Roasted brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetable dishes!  When you roast veggies, it helps take some of the bitterness away, which is key for most people, especially for those stronger tasting veggies like brussels sprouts and broccoli.   You might even be able to talk those picky eaters in your life into trying a bite of this veggie dish… I mean, it has bacon, come on!!!  This dish is a nice twist on how I usually make brussels sprouts.  My typical go-to is to toss them in olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and then roast them in the oven.  But with this twist, you get brussels sprouts and broccoli with bacon and walnuts, and it equals deliciousness.

And…. the dish is low carb and packs a good fat and protein profile!  Satisfying and well-balanced.  Veggies, fat, protein = perfection in my book!  Both brussels sprouts and broccoli boost high flavor profiles and are high in antioxidants.  Walnuts offer up an excellent plant source of omega-3 fatty acids.  The bacon provides an extra layer of richness and, of course, some tasty fat.

All vegetables taste better when roasted.  I’m declaring it a fact, end of discussion…..haha, okay not really, but I’m my opinion, roasted veggies are the best.  If you aren’t roasting your vegetables, you need to try it.  And then adding bacon, well, vegetables and bacon = tastebud heaven.  The walnuts contribute a nice texture contrast.  You can use any nuts you like and even try mixing it up with prosciutto or pancetta instead of bacon.  You can roast any veggies your little heart desires, just chop, toss in oil, some seasonings, and then bake for about 20-30 minutes.  You can’t go wrong, promise.

My favorite part is the slightly charred brussels sprout leaves and broccoli florets.  I love getting that perfect bite with all the components of the dish.  The flavor profile will make your mouth happy.  Now I know a lot of people who don’t like brussels sprouts, and honestly I didn’t like them as a kid and didn’t even try them again until after college.  Growing up, I remember my grandma making boiled brussels sprouts, and they were gross – bitter, soggy, slimy…..  Truth be told, all vegetables were boiled growing up…. so, no wonder I wasn’t a big veggie fan as a kid….  But now, with roasted veggies, give me another serving please!  Kris likes his veggies roasted too.  He’s not a big fan of raw veggies.   Whenever I make a side salad, he usually powers through it first to get it out of the way……  But if I roast the veggies, especially with bacon, well, let’s just say that Kris actually seems to enjoy eating the roasted veggies.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!  This is the perfect side dish to accompany your Easter dinner.

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Broccoli with Bacon and Walnuts

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

A perfect accompaniment to any entree dish.

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Emily

Ingredients

• 2 cups of brussel sprouts cut in half and rinsed
• Medium crown of broccoli florets removed and chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves chopped
• 6 slices of raw bacon chopped
• 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp roasted red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, toss brussel sprout halves, broccoli, raw bacon, walnuts, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
3. Grease a medium baking sheet and evenly spread ingredients on the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, stir halfway through roasting.