This side dish of honey’d brussels with pancetta, pecans, and cranberries was created to add some pizazz to your Thanksgiving table. The sweet and the tangy are right up my alley and, quite honetsly, work well with the heaviness that the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes with gravy bring to the meal. It would also make a great side dish to serve with roast chicken, a cooked ham, or even prime rib dinners.

The Ingredients

Raw brussel sprouts that have been sliced in half sits on a white rustic wood table along with a black bowl of diced pancetta, a small black bowl of raw pecan halves, and a pile of dried cranberries. Also shown is a bowl of honey with a honey spoon dripping with honey into the bowl. — Ingredients for Honey’d brussel sprouts with pancetta, pecans, and cranberries.

Brussel sprouts are very healthy. So this side dish is not only impressive on taste, it is packed with Vitamins C & K (good for bones), antioxidents, and fiber. Being in the cruciferous family, they are good for your gut and are an inflamatory fighting food.

I aim to keep my recipes with few and mostly healthy ingredients. With exception to the pancetta, this recipe is healthful. Don’t like pork products? Just omit it from the recipe. You’ll miss the salty bite, but just add a bit more salt to offset that.

The pecans are wonderful in this because they are sweet, nutty, and buttery. They are more tender nut to bite into, making it a safe choice when serving to a crowd. If there is an issue with allergies, try pistachios, hazelnuts, or macadamia nuts which have a similar flavor profile.

Dried cranberries are a festive ingredient to use over the holidays. They add a tartness to help offset the sweet honey, bitter brussels, and salty pancetta. Soaking them in hot water helps plump them up and make them more tender and less chewy. This more palatable option is one your guests will enjoy more than having them get stuck in their teeth. If you do not prefer cranberries, dried cherries are great alternative.

Honey is a natural sweetener, rich with vitamins and minerals like magnesium and potassium. When you pour it over these hot ingredients and it mixes with the rendered pancetta fat, you get a mild sauce with layers of sweetness and saltiness.

Enjoy your new side dish of honey’d brussels with pancetta, pecans, and cranberries. Please comment and let me know what you think!

Print Recipe

Honey glazed roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta, pecans, and cranberries shown in a mustard colored serving dish with silver spoon that sits on a rustic grey wood table surrounded by pecan halves and fresh cranberries and a festive napkin.

Print Recipe

Honey Glazed Roasted Brussels with Pancetta, Pecans, and Cranberries

Slightly sweet roasted brussel sprouts with pops of salty pancetta, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bacon, Brussel Sprouts, cranberry, holiday, Pancetta, Pecans, side dish, sweet, Thanksgiving

Servings: 6

Author: Stacie Casella-Kilroy

Ingredients

1 Pound Fresh Brussel Sprouts Trimmed and halved
4 Ounces Diced Pancetta Can substitute 6 slices of thick cut bacon
1/3 Cup Coursely chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/3 Cup Honey
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Optional: Balsamic Glaze to drizzle

Instructions

Preparation (Can do the day before).

Trim the ends off the bottom of the brussel sprouts, reserving outer leaves that fall off. Slice brussels in half, from top to bottom.
Chop pecans
Dice pancetta (or bacon) into 1/4" pieces, if not already pre-diced.

Cooking Instructions

Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees
Dry toast the pecan pieces in a skillet.
Can use the same skillet you will cook pancetta or bacon in.
This process only takes a few minutes. Keep the pecans moving in the pan to prevent burn spots.
Pecans are toasted once you start to smell the nuttiness of them, like walking into a bakery 😉
Set pecans aside.
On a baking sheet, add parchment paper.
To one side of the baking sheet, put the trimmed and cut brussel sprouts.
Drizzle with olive oil and salt/papper to taste. Be mindful of salt as the pancetta/bacon will contribute to the saltiness.
Spread the brussels out on the baking sheet, placing the center side down, leaving a little room to one side to add the reserved leaves (also drizzled with olive oil, salt, & pepper).
Place in preheated oven and cook for 15-20 min.
Then remove pan from oven to:
Flip brussels for consistent browning.
Remove brussel leaves and set aside.
Continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes until brussels are fork tender but still holding shape (somewhat firm).
In same pan used to toast pecans, cook the pancetta/bacon until fat is rendered.
Do not overcook, you want the bits to be somewhat chewy, not crisp.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Cover dried cranberries with very hot water to plump them up and remove chewiness.
Set aside.

Putting It All Together

When the brussels are done, remove pan from oven.
While still on the baking sheet, pour pancetta with about 1/2 of the rendered fat plus honey, drained cranberries, and pecans over the roasted brussel sprouts and toss to combine.
Place brussel mixture into your serving dish.
Top with brussel chips (roasted leaves removed after first cook time)
Optional: drizzle with balsamic glaze to add an a bit of acidity.
Serve and Enjoy!

Need to rewarm at hosts house?

You can make this dish ahead and rewarm. Recommend making and rewarming the same day.
Place in a serving dish that is oven or microwave safe so you can store and then rewarm in same dish.
See below for additional instructions.
If making ahead and need to rewarm, do not add the pecans into the dish until after rewarmed.
Sitting will cause them to soften and you'll lose the added texture that makes this dish so great.
Rewarm until brussels are warm throughout.
Add pecans and toss.
Then add brussel chips to the top and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Enjoy!

Love this recipe? Check out my other recipes that would be great any time of year: