Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Mustard Vinaigrette

When planning my menu for Christmas dinner, nothing I thought about or ran across for a green side dish sounded good to me. Most seemed rather mundane, certainly not something I wanted to serve to my guests. I was discussing my problem at a Christmas luncheon that was hosted by the owners of The Auburn Villager, the newspaper where I write a weekly column. 


The wife of one of the owners is also a home economist. In the course of our "shop talk", she suggested Brussels sprouts might make a little off the beaten path for a green veggie. That would certainly be a little more special that anything I had already considered. A quick query yielded a number of terrific sounding recipes. This recipe below is a compilation of several. 

The best thing about this particular recipe is naturally Gluten Free AND is also Casein Free, Corn Free, Egg Free, Peanut Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free. When you take a look at the nutritional analysis, try to look past the caloric count, fat and sodium numbers. There are lots and lots of really good things in this yummy dish. Now this one is a winner in my book.

Basic Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
1 pinch crushed red pepper
1 pinch salt  to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Toss trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts with oil and sprinkle salt and crushed red pepper to taste.

3. Spread Brussels sprouts out on prepared baking sheet. Place in preheated oven; roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender and showing charred in spots.

Vinaigrette Dressing
4 slices thinly sliced bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 pinch salt  to taste

1. While Brussels sprouts are roasting, place bacon slices in skillet over medium heat. Cook until crispy. Remove and set aside. Add garlic, onions and salt to bacon fat in skillet, and stir until white part of onions begins to become translucent. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk in the crumbled bacon, vinegar, honey, and mustard; continue to whisk until blended. Salt to taste.

To Assemble:

1. Place cooked Brussels sprouts in serving bowl. Pour vinaigrette over sprouts. Stir to coat with dressing. Serve.

Servings: 6

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Author's Note: These babies also would make terrific appetizers by simply threading two or three onto bamboo picks with extra dressing for dipping.

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Dietary Analysis:

·                     Items highlighted in yellow should be taken into careful consideration when looking at total food intake for the day.

·                     Items highlighted in green are indicate a low value when considering total food intake for the day.

Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 345.17
Calories From Fat (42%) 144.29

% Daily Value
Total Fat 16.32g 25%
Saturated Fat 3.94g 20%
Cholesterol 12.85mg 4%
Sodium 604.35mg 25%
Potassium 1071.33mg 31%
Total Carbohydrates 44.85g 15%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 4.86g
Protein 10.3g 21%
Copper 0.29mg 15%
Energy 1444.23
Glucose 1.25g
Iron 3.95mg 22%
Lysine 0.56g
Magnesium 67.05mg 17%
Manganese 0.86mg 43%
Net Carbohydrates 41.85g
Phosphorus 219.9mg 22%
Riboflavin 0.15mg 9%
Selenium 8.07mcg 12%
Thiamin 0.3mg 20%
Vitamin A 3242.13IU 65%
Vitamin B12 0.13mcg 2%
Vitamin B6 0.94mg 47%
Vitamin C 86.53mg 144%
Vitamin D 11.91IU 3%
Vitamin E 1.19mg 12%
Vitamin K 161.83mcg 202%
Zinc 1.42mg 9%

Author: Dr. Jacquelyn P. Horne
Copyright: 2012

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