Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes are perfect for both entertaining or for any weeknight dinner. This colorful side dish combines roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, crispy bacon, and a delicious Balsamic drizzle.
Hello, favorite vegetable dish! For other sides worthy of a holiday dinner, try my Loaded Fall Harvest Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing or my Make-Ahead Creamy Mashed Potatoes. So many choices for y’all!
Roasted Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts:
Roasted Veggies are on repeat here at our home, because it’s so easy to add flavor to foods that are good for you. Even picky kids can learn to like vegetables when you incorporate olive oil, salt, and pepper. Adding bacon is one step up from that, and this easy side dish is always a hit around here.
Adding a balsamic glaze to vegetables gives them a slightly sweet but tangy flavor. It’s a great way to turn a regular dish into something a little more special. Add this one to your menu for the holidays!
For some other recipes incorporating brussels sprouts, try my healthy Cruciferous Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette, Roasted Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts (which also includes bacon!), and this decadent Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Gruyere Cheese!
Why This Recipe Works:
- FRESH PRODUCE – We can normally find quality Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes in our local grocery store. Great news if you want to make this for any occasion.
- FULL OF FLAVOR – Roasting vegetables is key to adding the best flavor. Adding bacon and a balsamic drizzle makes them even more flavorful which is a good thing for picky eaters! Sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts make a perfect combination!
- IMPRESSIVE FOR GUESTS – This is a perfect side dish for holidays or gatherings with friends and family. They will love this delicious side dish!
- HEALTHY’ISH – While the bacon adds decadence, there are several health benefits to crispy Brussels sprouts and tender sweet potatoes. And the best part is the taste.
Ingredients Used for Roasted Veggie Side Dish:
This really is a simple recipe using fresh ingredients. A must-make for any holiday gathering
- Balsamic Glaze – A simple mixture of balsamic vinegar and honey, reduced on the stovetop. Feel free to use store-bought as a shortcut. Adding a balsamic glaze to this family-favorite dish makes them perfect for your holiday table.
- Brussels Sprouts – If you can find them by the pound, you’re more likely to get the freshest ones. I search for large, high-quality Brussels sprouts.
- Bacon – Bacon makes EVERYTHING taste better, right? If you want to keep this meatless, just skip the bacon.
- Sweet Potatoes – You’ll need 2 large or three medium-sized sweet potatoes.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher Salt, and Freshly Ground Black Pepper – The three ingredients we ALWAYS use when roasting veggies.
How to make a Balsamic Glaze:
If you don’t have a balsamic glaze, you can make a balsamic reduction instead.
- Combine the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Cook for 10 – 15 minutes or until it reduces by about 1/3. You want it to be a little bit thick, but not overly sticky.
How to make Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes:
Step 1
Make the balsamic glaze. See the directions above.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If using a convection oven, preheat to 375 degrees.
Step 3
Prep the Brussels sprouts. Chop off the hard end of each Brussels sprout, and remove outer leaves. Chop in halves. Place trimmed Brussels in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper, and half of the raw bacon.
NOTE: Placing the fresh Brussels sprouts cut side down on the baking sheet will help develop a nice crispy texture.
Step 4
Prep the sweet potatoes. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and remaining half of the raw bacon.
Step 5
Bake. Place both trays in the oven (or ovens if you have two), and bake until the vegetables are tender and golden brown on top. If using one oven, you may want to rotate the pans about halfway through the roasting. Cook time will vary.
NOTE: If Brussels sprouts start getting too dark, add some aluminum foil to the top and continue roasting until fork tender. We like them pretty charred.
Step 6
Serve. Drizzle the roasted brussel sprouts and roasted sweet potatoes with the balsamic glaze and additional seasonings, if needed.
Store leftover veggies in an airtight container in your refrigeration for up to four days.
Roasted Vegetables
I’m not exactly sure what we did before the whole roasting vegetable thing started. Because it’s on the regular REPEAT here. My baking sheets are almost always being used for roasting. That’s why I bought a couple more because cookies gotta have a chance too, right?
Here is a quick list of the Top 10 roasted veggies in my kitchen:
- brussels sprouts
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- carrots
- sugar snap peas
- onions
- sweet potatoes
- yellow potatoes (or any potato)
- cabbage
- cherry tomatoes
For more sweet potato recipes, try our Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Mexican Sweet Potato Casserole, Thai Sweet Potato Soup, and Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas. Great for weeknight dinners.
Tips for Roasting Vegetables:
We make roasted veggies all year long – not just during the holiday season.
- Chop veggies in similar sizes so that roasting time is accurate for the whole batch.
- If mixing veggies, chop quicker cooking ones larger and slower cooking ones smaller.
- Spray the large baking sheet with spray (or line it with parchment paper).
- Spread veggies in pan without crowding them. This will ensure they are roasted and not steamed.
- Use a nice amount of olive oil (good fats!) and salt & pepper (or other seasonings you prefer).
- Roast your vegetables until they are fork-tender and slightly charred.
Other Holiday Side Dishes:
The following are some of our favorite side dishes that pair nicely with Smoked Spatchcock Turkey, Bone In Ham, or Smoked Pork Butt Recipe. Let’s plan our Thanksgiving menu, shall we?
Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)
I also keep this Balsamic Glaze handy.
xoxo ~Sue
Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds brussels sprouts – outer leaves removed and sliced in half
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes – peeled and chopped
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil – or more to taste
- 6-8 slices bacon – chopped
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
For the balsamic glaze:
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Make a balsamic glaze. (Or you can use store-bought Balsamic Glaze.) Combine the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring it to a simmer (bubbling slightly), and cook until reduced in half, approximately 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Prep veggies. Peel sweet potatoes and chop into bite-sized pieces. Place on a baking sheet.Remove outer leaves from Brussels sprouts and slice in half. Place on a second baking sheet.
- Add seasonings. Drizzle olive oil over the sweet potatoes and the Brussels sprouts. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Then add the chopped raw bacon to both pans.
- Roast vegetables for 30-40 minutes or until they are fork-tender and nicely browned. (For a convection oven, bake at 375 degrees on convection roast for about 25-30 minutes. You may need to cover for part of the time to avoid burning.)
- Drizzle balsamic reduction (or balsamic glaze) over roasted vegetables, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Instead of making a balsamic reduction, you can buy this Balsamic Glaze instead.
- Chop vegetables in similar-sized pieces for like vegetables. If mixing veggies on one tray, chop softer veggies larger and harder ones smaller – in order for them to be done at the same time.
- Use plenty of olive oil and spices, for best results.
- These vegetables are great leftovers and last several days in the refrigerator.
- If you have a convection oven, use that to roast these veggies. The time to cook will be less, and you’ll naturally get more of a browned top. If they start to get too brown, you can cover them with tin foil for a portion of the baking time.
First time trying this recipe. Absolutely loved it. Didn’t have bacon so improvised with bacon bits but was absolutely delish 😋 … will make this again 🙌🏻
That’s a great idea, Emma! Thanks for sharing!
If I make this the day before and then heat up to serve, what would be the best way to do that?
I’ve only ever microwaved this to warm up leftovers. Instead, I think I’d chop up the veggies in advance and make it at meal time. If you warm back up in the oven, the veggies may get mushy.
I made the recipe as directed and when I took the Brussels sprouts out of the oven, the bacon was burnt. If I make it again, I won’t cook the bacon first.
It’s best to par-bake the bacon, instead of cooking it all the way.
Love this combo of veggies and the added sweetness of the balsamic glaze. So simple, healthy and delicious. I will make this often!!
Yay! So thankful for your feedback, Shari. 🙂
Made this tonight after seeing about all I had on hand were a couple of sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts and some onions. It was absolutely delicious! Thank you so much ?
Hi Stacey! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. It’s a reader favorite, for sure! 🙂
This is an awesome recipe. Great deep of flavors in this dish.
Thank you so much, Carlos! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This is one of my fav veggie combos to roast!
Ours too, Lynn! We love it, and it makes a great holiday dish! 🙂
I love this combination and could eat them daily. What an awesome recipe!
This is a good one! 🙂
one of my go to recipes!! super easy & so delicious!!!
Thanks, Tiffany! We love this one too. 🙂
The Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes are timeless and regardless of the season trend near the top of all recipes from suebeehomemaker! We have them once or twice a week and they never get old. No better way to eat your colors than with this dish.
My job at suebeehomemaker is President of Dishwashing and so take tip #4 serious! Spray the baking sheet with spray (or line it with parchment paper).
You are a great dishwasher! Thanks for your great wisdom too. 🙂