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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes are pure awesomeness from start to finish. Add some salty bacon and you’ve got one heck of a fantastic side dish.
It’s a well established fact that I absolutely love Brussels sprouts. My family and I have been making these roasted Brussels with apples and bacon as a side dish for many, many years at this point. And these roasted Brussels drizzled with jalapeno honey are another side dish you need to try too, if you’re half the fan of the humble Brussels as I am.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Almost 15 years after making this recipe for the first time and it is still a consistent family favorite. With the combination of creamy, rich sweet potatoes, crispy bacon, and a splash of mildly tart balsamic vinegar, and this is a recipe that my whole family loves. My boys will happily eat Brussels sprouts when they are served this way, and I get such a kick out of serving this dish to skeptics. It wins them over, every time!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Bacon – Crispy, salty bacon provides the baseline for this recipe’s flavors.
Brussels Sprouts – Brussels sprouts add a slightly nutty, earthy addition here that my boys and I just can’t get enough of.
Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes will work best, because of their creamy texture and sweetness.
Olive Oil – Olive oil helps bring out more of the rich, earthy flavor in the Brussel sprouts.
Vinegar – I prefer white balsamic vinegar, for its lighter, brighter taste. But, traditional balsamic will work as well.
Salt & Pepper – I use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in my recipes, unless otherwise specified.
Notes on Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife – Food prep is so much easier when you have a quality knife. It was over 10 years ago when I first tried Victorinox knives, while visiting a professional test kitchen. You could say it was love at first slice. These are stellar knives, and the price point simply can’t be beat for quality. That’s why the 8″ Chef’s Knife has been in my kitchen ever since.
- Baking sheet
In her post, Mary mentions that she was hard pressed not to eat half the pan as she was taking pictures. I totally get it. It’s. Just. That. Good. I *may* have eaten close to half the pan myself for dinner. #noregrets And I fully plan on staying true to my British roots and having the leftovers as a hash with a fried egg on top for breakfast tomorrow. Just because I can.
It is very rare that I follow a recipe exactly as written, but I did with this one and I can honestly say it was perfect just the way it is. Thanks, Mary, for a great dinner idea!
How to Make Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Preheating the Oven – To start, you’ll want to preheat the oven to 425°F.
Slicing the Bacon – Slice the bacon into 1″ pieces and lay it out on a baking tray, leaving about 1/2″ of space between each strip..
Preparing the Sweet Potatoes – While the bacon is cooking, I peel the sweet potatoes. Then, I slice them uniformly into bite-sized pieces. Set aside until needed.
Cooking the Bacon – Place the pan in the oven and let bake for about 10 minutes. The bacon should be cooked through, but not yet crispy. Once finished, set the bacon aside until needed.
Coating the Sweet Potatoes – After removing the bacon from the pan, I place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and toss with a spatula to coat in the bacon grease.
Roasting the Sweet Potatoes – Spread the sweet potatoes evenly across the sheet and roast for 20 minutes. You want the potatoes to starting to soften, but not yet crispy.
Trimming the Brussels Sprouts – I also prepare the Brussels sprouts at this stage. You’ll want to wash them thoroughly, trim the ends, and remove any withered or gray leaves.
Drying the Brussels Sprouts – After washing and trimming the Brussels, you need to pat the sprouts dry before adding them to the pan. We want to remove as much moisture as we can, so that they will crisp up nicely.
Slicing the Brussels Sprouts – Then, slice the sprouts into halves and place in a medium-sized bowl.
Dressing the Sprouts – I drizzle the sprouts with olive oil and toss to coat. Then, I season generously with salt and pepper.
Rotating the Potatoes – Once the potatoes have been roasting for 20 minutes, you’ll remove the pan from the oven and use a spatula to flip them over.
Adding the Sprouts – I add the Brussels sprouts to the baking sheet and stir gently to combine.
Roasting Again – Return the pan to the oven and let bake for another 20 minutes.
Adding the Bacon – I add the bacon to the pan now. You’ll want to gently stir to combine one last time, making sure all ingredients are evenly distributed across the baking sheet.
Last Roast – For the last time, I return the pan to the oven and let cook for another 10-15 minutes. Your bacon should be crisp, and the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts should be slightly crisp on the outside and fork-tender.
Drizzling with Vinegar – Remove the pan from the oven. Then, lightly drizzle with vinegar and toss to coat.
Serving – Let cool for just a minute or two before serving while still warm.
Expert Tip
One of the most important parts of this dish starts long before the actual cooking, at the grocery store. Choosing fresh, firm Brussels sprouts will go a long way toward making this meal as hearty and flavorful as possible. Good sprouts will be light or bright green, with few to no gray or yellow leaves. Squeeze the Brussels, too, as the best vegetables will be firm to the touch, not squishy or hollow.
Keeping the Potatoes Consistent – Pay attention to the size of the potato pieces for this recipe. If the pieces are much larger than ½-inch, the cooking time will be longer than noted above.
Crisping the Brussels – When I add the sprouts to the baking sheet, I take a few minutes to make sure the halves are cut-side down before roasting. This helps keep as much surface area in contact with the pan as possible, which helps ensure a crispy, caramelized bite.
Serving Suggestions
You can turn this side dish into a hearty full breakfast by serving it with an egg on top. Or try it with a scoop of scrambled cottage cheese eggs or with a couple of jammy eggs on the side. You’ll want a slice of toasted english muffin bread to go with it all too, it’s the brunch treat that everyone loves.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: Yes, this can be made in advance. It’s actually a terrific leftover recipe to make into a hash.
How to Store: I typically store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep well for 1-3 days.
How to Reheat: My boys and I like to reheat this in a skillet on the stovetop.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
- Sweet Potato Hash with Eggs
- Vanilla Bean Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes with Sausage
- Bacon Spinach and Sweet Potato Frittata
- Sausage Sweet Potato Hash
- Sweet Potato Ice Cream
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For a slightly less sweet flavor profile, white potatoes may be substituted for the sweet potatoes in this recipe.
Yes! I sometimes mix and match when making this dish. Fresh green beans and broccoli have both been good additions, in the past.
There is no need! And lining the pan may prevent the ingredients from crisping as desired in the oven.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 10 ounces bacon, (8-10) slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1½ pounds medium Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, about 4 cups worth
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, about 4 cups worth
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange bacon in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until cooked through, but not yet crispy.
- Remove the bacon pieces from the sheet and set aside. Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and toss with a spatula to coat in the bacon grease. Spread the sweet potatoes across the sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes are roasting, trim and slice the Brussels sprouts and drizzle with olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.
- When the potatoes have been in the oven for 20 minutes, use a spatula to stir them gently and flip them over. Add the Brussels sprouts to the baking sheet. Stir to combine and spread everything across the baking sheet. Roast an additional 20 minutes.
- Add the partially cooked bacon to the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts and roast an additional 10-15 minutes. The bacon should be crisp and the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts should be slightly crisp on the outside and fork-tender.
- Drizzle with vinegar and toss to coat. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 11/2/20 – recipe notes and photos updated 9/23/26}
I have a question about the vinegar in the recipe. Why are we using it ? In the above instructions it says to sprinkle after baked but in the actual recipe says nothing about using it just has it in the ingredients. Our family loves Brussel sprouts would like to try this recipe to spruce up the sprouts as I do them with bacon on occasion but just on the stove slow frying them.
Thanks for catching that, June. The vinegar works to brighten the flavors and beautifully finishes the dish. Enjoy!
I hate Brussel sprouts
Sounds like this isn’t the recipe for you, Brian.
Wow, the colors and all my favorite flavors make me want to stick a fork into my phone! Adding it to this weeks menu! Thanks again for another delicious recipe, Mary!
I hope that you love it, Lynne!
Did anyone else get this recipe in an email from Mary today? If not, I am really, really sorry to tell you this, but she clearly likes me WAY better than she likes you. Either that, or you have somehow missed being on her email list and you need to get on it today. Seriously.
My husband hates brussel sprouts with passion. He also is not overly fond of sweet potatoes (no word of a lie, I have one recipe that I make once, maybe twice a year. Any more than that and he will literally go get a bowl of cereal instead.) I love the man dearly, but veggies are not a priority in his life.
Happily, he was out tonight, because when this recipe hit my inbox, I knew it was the one for me.
We have a fantastic farmers market (we would be hard pressed not to when our county is the number one grower of many of the crops in the province; some in the entire country) and I picked up sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts at the market on Thursday. I’m not really sure WHY I bought the sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts, since you know who wouldn’t eat them, but I am SO glad I did!
In her post, Mary mentions that she was hard pressed not to eat half the pan as she was taking pictures. I totally get it. It’s. Just. That. Good. I *may* have eaten close to half the pan myself for dinner. #noregrets And I fully plan on staying true to my British roots and having the leftovers as a hash with a fried egg on top for breakfast tomorrow. Just because I can.
It is very rare that I follow a recipe exactly as written, but I did with this one and I can honestly say it was perfect just the way it is. Thanks, Mary, for a great dinner idea!
This might be the best comment ever, Beth. I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the recipe!
Love your blog. My favorite book series is the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon.
Easy to prepare and nice change from plain vegetable dish. Definitely will make this again!
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Di!
what is a worthwhile bacon substitute as my partner cannot eat meat, would chicken do?
Chicken will work nicely!
Nice, thank you, from Amsterdam
I’m glad it’s a win!