Name: Brussels Sprouts with Bacon – German Style
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Brussels sprouts (450 g); 6-7 very thin slices bacon; 2 garlic cloves; fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; some fresh parsley

Pan-fried Brussels sprouts with bacon, German-style, the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. And not only, this dish is pretty addictive.

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These German-style Brussels sprouts with garlic are one of our favorite Brussels sprouts recipes. Well, a favorite recipe for my husband and I, my kids are always aghast at the sight of sprouts, no matter in what kind of dish they are presented. But I assume most kids are...

Brussels sprouts were one of the first vegetables I made a purpose on tasting when moving to Germany, where they are as common as regular cabbage.

My first experience with them was not really a good one, I had cooked them to death, and I only had some mushy pale things on my plate.

But then I discovered that there are other ways with Brussels sprouts as well; they don't have to be boring. You can either roast them; you can bake them with bacon and cheese. Or you can first cook them slightly and then fry them with garlic and spices. Some bacon on top, and there you have it: your new favorite Brussels sprouts side dish.

Why should we eat more Brussels sprouts?

Brussels sprouts are not only a joy to eat, but they are also thoroughly healthy as well. They are rich in vitamins like vitamin C, B6, K, and A and also contain dietary fiber, copper, potassium, and magnesium.

Their vitamin C content helps boost the immune system, iron absorption, collagen production, and the growth and repair of tissues, thus helping the body to recover from illness and injury. They provide 81% of your daily vitamin C needs in each half a cup of cooked sprouts.
Their content of vitamin K is also very high, with one cup of cooked sprouts containing about 240% of the daily recommended amount of this vitamin.
Researchers have found that its consumption might help prevent and possibly reverse blood vessel damage and that they have the ability to lower cholesterol levels.

They contain a lot of dietary fiber (4 grams per cup), thus helping against constipation.
They contain three important anti-inflammatory components; they all help avoid chronic and excessive inflammation and can help those suffering from arthritis, gout, or other inflammatory conditions.
The antioxidant content might help reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals, thus decreasing the risk of cancer.
They might also help maintain blood sugar levels, thus decreasing the risk of diabetes, they also seem to have a positive effect on blood pressure; they can regulate hormone levels, can protect the baby during pregnancy due to their high acid folic content, and can help when trying to lose weight.

How to pan-fry Brussels sprouts with bacon?

Clean. Remove the outer leaves and remove the tip of the stem with the help of a small knife. Rinse well. If they are very large, you can halve them. I prefer to buy smaller ones when possible, the taste is the same, but I think they look better when left whole. If cutting them in half, cut them from top to bottom so that both halves still have a bit of stem at the bottom, which will help the leaves hold together.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Add the sprouts to the pot, bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes. Drain well.
In the meantime, fry the bacon in a non-stick pan until crispy. Remove and let drain on kitchen paper, which will help absorb the excess fat.

Add the very well-drained vegetables to the pan, still containing the bacon fat. Fry for 2 minutes, stirring very often; add the sliced garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring continuously to make sure that the garlic doesn't burn.
Add the crumbled bacon, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (generously), sprinkle with herbs if desired, and serve.

How to serve?

I have served these delicious German-style Brussels sprouts with lots of different roasts, for instance, the Oven Slow-Cooked Turkey Leg or Red Wine Turkey.
We also had this side dish with steaks, like Beef Tagliata, Pork Chops, or a good Beef Roast.
And I have also served them as a main dish for dinner with a slice of bread on the side.

More German side dishes

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