Home › Collections › Christmas Recipes
By Sarah Rossi
on Dec 13, 2022
4.84 from 37 votes
Jump to Recipe →
This post may contain affiliate links.
If you’re serving up our favourite little green vegetable balls for Christmas dinner (as is tradition) you NEED to try them like this! Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts, with a bit of parmesan too, transforms this side dish into something worthy of festive dining.
I know, I know. Brussels Sprouts are the great divider, and over recent years efforts have been made to enhance them in all kinds of ways at Christmas. I think I have cracked it here!
This is simply a quick and easy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon recipe that you can make ahead on Christmas Eve to save time while you’re preparing the big feast.
And those extra few trimmings like chestnuts and parmesan really do make a huge difference to the dish. Yes they still taste like sprouts should, but better!
Disclaimer: You don’t just have to serve sprouts at Christmas – these are a lovely side dish to any winter warmer!
Why you’ll love this Sprouts and Bacon recipe
⭐️ Super easy prepare-ahead dish
⭐️ So delicious!
⭐️ Not too different from tradition
How we came up with this recipe
I believe in tradition with a bit of something EXTRA when it comes to Christmas food. Yes, we want to keep the old favourites, but there is nothing wrong at all with zhuzhing them up a bit.
And this could not be more appropriate than when it comes to Brussels sprouts. If you’re someone who insists everyone has at least one on their Christmas lunch, then you might find the haters change their minds once they’ve tried them this way.
I wanted to make this a delicious side dish, but also a VERY easy one too.
There’s also an important tip to follow to make sure the sprouts don’t get overcooked and soggy (see below).
So just like my other tried-and-tested Christmas side dishes – Easy Roast Potatoes, Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips, Braised Red Cabbage and Cauliflower Cheese – there is a hack to making this recipe ahead of time.
Exactly what we need on a busy Christmas Day!
How to prep sprouts ahead
On Christmas Eve:
- Cook the sprouts in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes, then drain and dunk them into very cold water. Drain again and store in the fridge overnight.
- Fry up some bacon lardons or pancetta until crispy, then add some chestnuts. Allow this to cool and pop the whole pan in the fridge overnight too.
On Christmas Day:
- Heat up the pan with the bacon and chestnuts to a high heat. Throw in the sprouts and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are heated through and coated in the bacon deliciousness. Add salt and pepper, then sprinkle with parmesan.
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Chestnut Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts
- Pancetta cubes – Or bacon lardons
- Chestnuts – The peeled ones in a vacuum-pack
- Grated parmesan
- Salt and pepper
How to cook Sprouts with Bacon
1. Cook the sprouts in salted boiling water according to the recipe. Drain and dunk into very cold water.
2. Drain again and store in a airtight container in the fridge.
3. Fry up some pancetta until crispy and add chestnuts. When the pan is cool, put it in the fridge.
4. The following day, reheat the pan, add the sprouts in and mix until everything is coated and heated through. Add salt, pepper and parmesan to serve.
Top tip!
Plunging the sprouts into cold water after you’ve boiled them stops them cooking and becoming soggy! This way they stay nice and firm and crunchy for the following day.
FAQs
Can I make this a vegetarian recipe?
Yes. Just omit the bacon and parmesan (or use alternatives), but bear in mind you’ll need to add oil to cook the chestnuts as the fat from the bacon will be missing.
Can I reheat the leftovers?
These would be ideal to use in Bubble and Squeak! Thrown them together with all the other leftovers from Christmas Dinner – yum.
I’ve never cooked with chestnuts, what are they like?
They are so delicious and add a really lovely taste and texture to this dish. They are very traditional to eat at Christmas too!
I buy them from the supermarket in a small vacuum pack pouch, they are cooked, peeked
What else can I have Brussels Sprouts with Bacon with?
Any dish that needs vegetables, especially hearty traditional meals.
Try them with Roast Chicken, Roast Beef or Roast Lamb.
They’d also be great with a Steak Pie or Chicken Pie.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
SavePinPrint
4.84 from 37 votes
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts
By Sarah Rossi
Now THIS is how to serve up Brussels Sprouts on Christmas Day. This delicious recipe features some special extras like chestnuts, bacon and parmesan for the ultimate festive side dish.
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 500 g Brussels sprouts
- 150 g Pancetta cubes
- 100 g Chestnuts, The vacuum-packed peeled type
- 25 g Grated parmesan
Instructions
On Christmas Eve:
Plunge sprouts into boiling salted water for 5 minutes.
Drain and dunk into very cold water. (Don’t skip this! It stops them overcooking.)
Drain again and set aside in the fridge overnight.
In a large frying pan or saucepan, fry the pancetta until crispy. Add the chestnuts, allow to cool and pop the whole pan into the fridge.
On Christmas Day:
Heat up the pan with the bacon and chestnuts on a high heat.
Throw in the sprouts and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are heated through and coated in the bacon deliciousness.
Add salt and pepper, and parmesan.
Notes
Dunk them in cold water: If you’re making these ahead, plunging the sprouts into cold water after you’ve boiled them stops them cooking and becoming soggy. This way they stay nice and firm and crunchy for the following day.
Make this vegetarian: Omit the bacon and parmesan (or use alternatives), but bear in mind you’ll need to add oil to cook the chestnuts as the fat from the bacon will be missing.
Christmas Day recipes: Follow my No-Stress Christmas Dinner Plan for timings, tips and recipes.
Nutrition
Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 11gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 389mgPotassium: 693mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1017IUVitamin C: 116mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Family Food
Like this? Leave a comment and rating below!Mention @myusername or tag #myhashtag!
Categorized as:
Christmas Recipes, Collections, Recipes, Side Dishes
new cookbook!
Featuring 100 delicious recipes that can be cooked in one pot, you can open any page in this book and find something that will give you not only a meal that the whole family will eat and enjoy, but also one that makes your life a little simpler in the process.
More Recipes
One Pot
One Pot
Meatball Orzo Bake {One Pot}
Chicken
Marry Me Chicken Orzo {One Pot Recipe}
Under 30 minutes
Cheeseburger Pasta {One Pot Recipe}
Welcome!
Hi, I'm Sarah. I help busy people decide 'What's for Dinner?' Find hundreds of recipes here, and also in my bestselling recipe book. Hope my recipes make your life easier ❤️
More About Me
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
105 Comments
OOoohh just happened upon this recipe – perfect timing as it sounds like such a perfect autumn/winter warmer recipe, would be amazing on Christmas Day too! I love the sound of the flavour combinations – might even persuade the kids to try a sprout (I won’t hold my breath!) ha xx
Reply
Sprouts with chestnuts
Reply
chicken skewers
Reply
pigs in blanket
Reply
Roast potatoes
Reply
